Chapter 29
Chapter 29:
Seeing Elliana finally attempt to crash the wedding, Paige’s pulse quickened with excitement, though she carefully arranged her features into a mask of distress. To sell the performance, she discreetly pinched her arm, coaxing real tears to spill down her cheeks.
Paige stated in a choked voice, “Elliana, must you always act this way? Since childhood, you’ve competed with me for everything. Whatever captures my interest, you immediately covet for yourself—even my engagement. I embraced you like my own sister, constantly yielding to your desires. Even when you snatched Cole from my grasp, I swallowed my heartbreak, retreating with silent tears. Now, having finally begun healing and daring to start anew with Raylan, you appear to stake your claim on him despite wearing another man’s ring.”
As the words tumbled out, Paige’s voice cracked with manufactured emotion, tears streaming unchecked down her flushed face.
Raylan, visibly moved by her apparent anguish, squeezed her shoulder and gave her a reassuring glance. Paige melted into his protective embrace, casting a look toward Elliana. “Tell me, what would it take for you to release me from this lifelong competition?”
Kiara, who had been anticipating this precise moment, swiftly joined the charade. “Elliana, I have loved you as my own daughter all these years, but you’ve tormented Paige at every opportunity. We continuously stepped back, only for you to push forward more aggressively. Now you seek to strip away everything Paige treasures, trampling all moral boundaries. You stand here as Mrs. Evans, yet crash Paige’s engagement celebration to claim Raylan—what does this reveal about your loyalty to Cole? And what does it say about your respect for Raylan?”
Paige’s vulnerable demeanor and Kiara’s seemingly righteous fury resonated powerfully with the assembled guests. Updates are released by
“Such malice from Elliana—utterly selfish and creating a spectacle!”
“Her tactics are both foolish and disgraceful!”
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“Someone capture this wedding-crashing fiasco and post it online! Let the internet community shower her with the shame she deserves!”
Darin rushed forward at that moment. In the aftermath of Kiara’s scandal, he desperately needed this engagement party to salvage the Jones family’s reputation and couldn’t tolerate further disruptions. Spotting Elliana on stage, his expression darkened as he…
Darin clenched his jaw and bellowed, “Elliana, you disgraceful girl, descend the stage immediately and get the hell out of here!”
Kiara had endured Darin’s humiliation and mistreatment in recent days. If not for Paige securing Raylan’s investment to alleviate the Jones family’s financial crisis, her future would have remained bleak. This moment presented the perfect opportunity to align herself with Darin, so she delivered another Oscar-worthy performance, collapsing tearfully against his shoulder. “Darling, please implore Elliana to spare our poor Paige this torment.”
Darin, still revolted by Kiara’s previous actions and words, had no desire for physical contact. Yet, with countless eyes upon them, he couldn’t reveal their discord, so he reluctantly embraced her, patting her back in feigned comfort.
Witnessing this tableau, the crowd’s hostility toward Elliana intensified.
“Elliana disrupts Paige’s engagement celebration to torment both Paige and Kiara. What kind of person behaves so cruelly?”
“Paige and Kiara are too forgiving and tolerant. In their position, I’d have security break Elliana’s legs before tossing her into the street.”
“Can someone contact Cole and inform him of his wife’s behavior? I’d wager he’d tear into Elliana himself!”
Overhearing these murmurs, Paige and Kiara exchanged triumphant glances. They had executed their performance flawlessly, manipulating the scene with precision. Elliana now bore the irrevocable label of wedding crasher. Once news of this incident spread online, society would completely ostracize her.
Raylan, already inflamed by Paige’s tears, suddenly snapped, “Elliana, cease this disruptive spectacle immediately!”
Elliana had observed quietly, allowing them ample time to complete their dramatic production. After they finished their carefully orchestrated parts, she remarked with mock confusion, “I never claimed I came to disrupt this party. Why are you all thrusting this accusation upon me?”
The crowd faltered. Elliana indeed hadn’t declared intentions to crash the wedding. Had they collectively misinterpreted her intention?
Paige, gnawed by a sinking feeling, hastily interjected, “You commandeered the stage and announced your connection with Raylan at my engagement party. If that doesn’t constitute crashing the celebration, what does?”
Facing Paige’s tear-streaked accusation, Elliana adopted a fake, aggrieved expression. “I truly didn’t come to disrupt your celebration, but rather to seize this opportunity to announce something important.”
“Announced something?” Whispers rippled through the crowd, curiosity building about Elliana’s true intentions.
Kiara, sensing their carefully constructed narrative unraveling, quickly countered, “I understand your jealousy and resentment. Why bother with pretense? Seeing how your wedding-crashing has angered everyone, are you now fabricating an alternative reason? Your malice knows no bounds!”
Hearing this, Raylan immediately roared, “Security! Remove this contemptible woman at once!”
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