“She was called to the reception room by Mr. Novak’s secretary. She’ll be back in a bit.”

Wilbur murmured an acknowledgment. He looked away, but he didn’t leave her side.

At a top-tier industry summit like this, Wilbur should have been out there networking, securing business partners, and hunting for new opportunities.

Instead, he stayed put, hovering in the corner with her.

They exchanged a few words here and there, but it was all trivial small talk.

Distant.

Restrained.

Felix Quigley and Madeline Lynwood arrived at the summit right at that moment.

It was Madeline’s first time attending an event of this caliber, and her eyes darted everywhere. She was already calculating if she could snag any lucrative business connections.

Ever since she was forced out of the entertainment industry last year, she had been desperate to break into investments. Piggybacking on Felix’s connections, she had brushed shoulders with a few promising projects. But for some inexplicable reason, they all fell through in the end. As a result, she had absolutely nothing to show for her efforts.

Claire Chase, on the other hand, had locked down several luxury endorsements and starred in two high-quality films—the kind poised to sweep awards season. Even the skincare brand she invested in was raking in millions. The gap between them was widening so fast that Madeline felt she might never catch up in this lifetime.

Madeline simply could not accept that reality. In her eyes, Claire was supposed to be the pathetic orphan destined to spend her life being trampled on, living off Madeline’s scraps.

As the CEO of the Quigley Group, Felix’s arrival naturally drew a crowd of eager networkers. Madeline seized the moment, slipping her arm through his to deliberately broadcast their intimacy.

Sure enough, someone couldn’t resist prying. “Mr. Quigley, is this your wife?”

Ever since the recent media leak, it was an open secret that Felix was married. Yet, the identity of his wife remained a complete mystery. Seeing him arrive with a date practically begged the question.

Madeline held her breath, desperately hoping he would finally give her a legitimate title.

Instead, Felix replied coolly, “This is my sister.”

The answer sent a pang of disappointment through Madeline, and left the inquirer visibly awkward.

Felix hadn’t been mingling long before he spotted a familiar

silhouette. At first, he wasn’t

sure-he thought his mind was

playing tricks on him again. Bonet

he confirmed it was Claire, he

abruptly pulled his arm away from Madeline’s grasp and strode directly toward her.

Over by Claire, someone had approached Wilbur to chat and naturally asked about

her identity. “A friend,” Wilbur replied.

“Your friend is stunning, Mr. Prescott. She looks like a movie star.”

Claire knew it was just polite flattery meant to curry favor with Wilbur, but

she offered a gracious Smile

and

thanked the guest anyway.

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A waiter passed by pushing a dessert cart. Afraid it might clip Wilbur, Claire reached

out and tugged his sleeve. “Careful.”

Wilbur stepped aside and gave her a slight nod.

“I’m going to find the restroom,” Claire told him.

“I’ll go with you,” Wilbur offered immediately.

Claire waved him off. “No need. Your friend is right here. I’ll just be a minute.” “Alright,” Wilbur conceded.

Claire turned and headed off. The

dand

venue was massive, and she had to

wander for a bit before spotting the

restroom signs. She had barely stepped into the corridor when a hand suddenly clamped around her wrist, jerking her to the side.

“Is this how you play the good girl to hook up with Wilbur?”

The voice belonged to Wilbur.