Neil's face flushed red, then drained white as he watched that swaying, graceful figure enter the club alone.

Since the company went public, he hadn't been humiliated like this in ages. And the one delivering the blow was his own beloved wife-it felt like a direct hit to his pride.

Sofia panicked as well-she couldn't possibly be shut out today. She knew she would become the laughingstock of their circle within twenty-four hours.

"Neil, Sofia, you're here too?"

Vivian, dressed in a pure white gown, approached with light steps and naturally slipped her arm through his.

Neil paused for two seconds. "Vivian, what are you doing here?"

He was genuinely delighted by Vivian's return. Yesterday, when his friends teased him into joining their plans, he hadn't refused. For a fleeting moment, he'd felt transported back to those beautiful college days when he first met Vivian.

But Neil was no longer the man he had been six years ago. Instinctively, he shifted half a step away, leaving Vivian's hand hanging in the air.

Vivian's fingernails dug into her palm as a flicker of surprise crossed her face, yet she still managed a faint smile. "My mom brought me here."

"Neil, are you waiting for. your wife?"

"Of course not! Who in their right mind would wait for her?" Sofia chimed in. "Vivian, my brother and I left our invitations at home. Could you take us inside?"

She blinked expectantly at Vivian.

Vivian stiffened, offering a sheepish smile. "I suppose so."

Neil felt utterly humiliated today. Even if he went inside, he would have no face left, so he made up an excuse. "I have some business to attend to at the office. Vivian, please take Yuxi inside first. I'll come pick you both up once I'm done."

Vivian flashed a sweet smile. "Sure thing, Neil. Sofia and I will wait for you."

She agreed readily, seemingly forgetting whether she actually had the authority to bring an extra person inside.

The man who had been seething with anger moments ago was suddenly calmed by the girl's gentle, obedient demeanor, soothing his agitated heart.

This was more like it. If even Vivian showed such obvious affection for him, how could Christine not love him?

It was just one night of socializing. His wife's temper was far too hot.

Neil curved his lips. "Thanks, Vivian. You're still so kind."

After he left, Sofia excitedly linked arms with Vivian. "Vivian, you're so kind. If only my brother had married you instead-then I could stick to you like glue every day!"

Vivian smiled faintly. "Don't say that. Christine. wouldn't be happy if she heard it."

"Pfft, who cares if she's upset?" Sofia gritted her teeth. "She'll see! When we get home tonight, I'm going to have Mom give her a piece of her mind!"

Sofia dragged Vivian back to the waiter who had stopped them twice. "Hmph. Can we go in now?"

The waiter maintained his professional smile, his demeanor unruffled. "Madam, please present your invitation."

"Vivian, show him yours! He's just a waiter-how dare he act so arrogant!"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Vivian's face. She had agreed too hastily, forgetting to discuss this with her stepmother first.

She pressed her lips together. "Sofia, don't worry. Wait for my mother to arrive."

Victoria Barnes had just encountered the third daughter of the Watson family at the entrance. After exchanging pleasantries, she arrived a little late.

"Victoria, so this is your daughter."

Victoria chuckled softly. "Yes, it is. Vivian, go greet her."

Vivian was adept at reading people. Though she didn't know Hazel Watson personally, the young woman's extraordinary bearing immediately told her she was no ordinary person.

"Hello, Miss."

"Oh my, Victoria, your daughter is quite the charmer. Calling me 'Miss'? I couldn't possibly bear such a title at my age."

Vivian feigned surprise. "But you look so young!"

Victoria was pleased with her stepdaughter's reaction. Though she had initially resented her husband for bringing this "burden" into the family, Hazel's tactfulness had saved her face.

Sofia, standing nearby, gazed at Vivian with starry eyes. She was so impressive-she knew everyone.

"Come on, let's go inside," Hazel said.

Vivian's heart leapt with joy. She hooked her arm through Sofia's, ready to follow her mother inside.

But that damn waiter spoke up again. "Excuse me, miss, could you please show your invitation?"

Indeed, he wasn't stopping Vivian or Victoria, who were chatting animatedly with the host. From start to finish, his eyes had been fixed solely on Sofia.

Sofia's face flushed a deep crimson. "I'm with them!"

Turning to Hazel, the attendant bowed respectfully. "Ms., do you know this lady? She claims her invitation was left at home, but the master instructed that no one may enter the club without an invitation today."

Hazel froze-her father had indeed given that order. Her gaze followed the waiter's direction.

"Um, may I ask which family's young lady she is?"

She genuinely didn't recognize Sofia. She looked utterly unfamiliar.

"She's the youngest daughter of Mr. Caffrey from Ocean Group," Vivian answered softly on her behalf.

"Oh." Hazel recalled that her cousin Wood had married someone with the surname Caffrey.

Her father detested the Caffrey family above all others.

The waiter pulled out the guest list, pursed his lips, and said, "But there are no guests with the surname Caffrey on today's banquet list."

The moment the words left his lips, the air froze.

Vivian panicked. Hadn't she said the invitation was left at home? How could she not be invited?

Her gaze instinctively sought her mother's. Victoria's eyes were icy, silently condemning her for causing trouble.

Hazel clearly wouldn't break her father's rules for her-they weren't that close.

She smiled knowingly. "My apologies. Perhaps Miss Caffrey mistakenly believed she was invited to a banquet at a different location?"

She said no more and slowly walked inside.

Victoria shot Vivian a glare, then tugged her along into the venue, leaving Sofia alone in the wind-flustered and furious.

"Christine, you've gotten even prettier!"

Mrs. Watson immediately spotted the most striking figure in the crowd-the Wood family's niece.

Her willowy waist, long legs, and almond-shaped eyes shimmered with radiance. Her stunningly beautiful face showed not a single flaw.

The Woods and Watson families were long-standing friends. Mathew held Christine in high regard, often inviting her to their home even after her family's bankruptcy.

But ever since this girl became engaged to the then-ordinary young man from the Caffrey family, Mathew had harbored no fondness for the Caffrey surname.

He always felt the Caffrey family had snatched his granddaughter-in-law away. So at the Watson family's private banquet, how could Neil possibly receive an invitation?

Not kicking him out would already be considered polite!

Christine affectionately linked arms with Elise. "Aunt Elise, you're teasing me again."

She presented the prepared gift. "This is a small token for Grandpa Mathew."

Elise patted her hand fondly. "How thoughtful."

Then she turned to greet other guests.

"Oh my, what did Mrs. Caffrey just present? Why not let us have a look?"

Several socialites with sour expressions approached.

The speaker was Olivia Murphy, Christine's former arch-rival.

Christine's luminous eyes darkened. Ever since her family's bankruptcy, these upper-class socialites had addressed her only as Mrs. Caffrey, deliberately omitting her given name. Openly and covertly, they never missed an opportunity to mock her as a fallen phoenix.

But at the Watson family's private banquet, she didn't want to draw too much attention or burn bridges.

She restrained herself, offering only a slight nod. "It's just a small token of my appreciation. Nothing valuable-certainly nothing to compare with what Miss Murphy has given."

Olivia smirked smugly. Of course it couldn't compare! The Wood family was bankrupt-how could they possibly measure up to the Murphys?

She had always despised Christine's pretentious airs. The more dazzling Christine once was, the more wretched she was now.

Had Olivia not been cautious about attending such gatherings, she would have seized the chance to mock this woman long ago.

"True enough. After all, Mrs. Caffrey lives off her husband's money."

"I hear Mr. Caffrey's first love has miraculously returned from the dead-what fantastic news!" another young heiress remarked with thinly veiled sarcasm.

Olivia stared intently at that porcelain-smooth face, searching for even a flicker of emotion. But Christine maintained her faint smile, refusing to engage.

Olivia seethed inwardly, her desire to tear away Christine's mask growing stronger by the second.

As she lifted her gaze toward an approaching figure, the corners of her mouth curled upward. "Oh my, Mrs. Caffrey, it seems your husband's first love has arrived!"

Everyone turned to look, their eyes following her gaze. Christine's eyes glowed with a faint, eerie light.

This was her first time seeing the first love in her husband's heart in person-even more captivating than in photographs.

Before her engagement to Neil, she had heard countless tales of his love story with his first love.

What love could be more moving than separation by life and death?

Vivian stopped at a distance and spotted Christine as well.

"Oh my God, Vivian, you're actually alive!" Olivia gasped dramatically, drawing several curious glances.

Many had seen Sofia's post, but encountering Vivian in person so soon still piqued their curiosity.

"Vivian, how could rumors spread that you passed away from illness? That's outrageous!"

Vivian smiled calmly. "I did have a serious car accident abroad. My family took me to another state for treatment. I spent half a year recovering in the hospital. I have no idea how the story got twisted along the way."

The accident was real-but the death rumor? That was her doing.

She took a step toward Christine first. "You must be Mrs. Caffrey. Thank you for taking such good care of Neil all these years."

The woman who had seemed gentle moments ago now spoke with hidden barbs.

Christine scoffed. "You're welcome. From now on, Neil is yours to take care of."

The moment the words fell, the surrounding area went dead silent.

Eyes darted back and forth. What was happening? Was the legitimate wife about to clash with the former girlfriend?

That brief exchange carried explosive implications.

Olivia poured fuel on the fire. "Oh dear, Mrs. Caffrey, how could you say that? How could you let another woman take care of your husband?"

"Didn't you all see the photos yesterday?" Christine retorted. "Taking care of a rotten cucumber-doesn't that disgust you?"

"You!"

Vivian's eyes nearly shot flames. She never imagined Neil's wife would be shameless enough to bring this up in front of everyone.

"Mrs. Caffrey, please don't misunderstand. Neil and I are completely innocent! What we had is in the past. Don't read too much into it."

Her feeble defense won over many sympathizers.

"We all know what kind of person Vivian is. Christine, I advise you not to spread rumors!"

"Exactly! Vivian barely escaped death and finally returned, yet some people are so petty they can't stand to see her doing well!"

Christine didn't get angry-she laughed instead.

She pulled her phone from her silver clutch, opened the photo album, zoomed in, and thrust it in front of everyone.

"Is this the 'spotless reputation' you're talking about?"

The phone screen glowed at maximum brightness, zoomed in on the moment Vivian's pink lips pressed against Neil's face.

The crowd exchanged stunned glances and fell into silence.

Christine scanned each face, thoroughly satisfied with their expressions. "Did you get a good look? Want me to print it in full color and high definition tomorrow? I can mail a copy to each of you so you can savor this 'innocence' properly."

Vivian trembled with rage. "You. Mrs. Caffrey! What on earth are you trying to achieve by fabricating this photo?!"

"Well, well-maybe the photo is fake after all."

Christine's slender fingers flicked the screen. "What about this one? The toasting photo-is that photoshopped too? And this one? All photoshopped? Heh, and this Miss Smith here appears in the shot as well-did I photoshop her in too?"

Vivian was completely flustered. "I. I. That's not me. It really isn't me."

Christine cut her off, her voice firm and merciless.

"A mistress is a mistress. Stop pretending to be some pure, innocent white lotus!"

****

Henry and Edward arrived quite late.

Henry tilted his head. "It's pretty lively up ahead. Edward, let's go take a look."

"No."

Edward had no interest in such gatherings.

His gaze drifted casually across the room, catching a glimpse of a slender figure. Just as he was about to focus on her, an elderly man with white hair blocked his view.

"Edward, you've finally arrived."

"Humph, Vivian, don't be upset. We won't believe that woman's lies."

Tears welled in Vivian's eyes. "I know she dislikes me, but she shouldn't slander me like this."

"Don't worry, we're all on your side. She's the one putting on an act! If anyone's the mistress, it's her. If you hadn't gone abroad, Vivian, he would've married you!"

"Exactly! Everyone knows Mr. Caffrey only has eyes for you!"

Olivia couldn't bear to listen anymore. She didn't like Christine, but she didn't particularly care for Vivian either.

As the crowd dispersed, Vivian finally let out a soft sigh of relief.

She would remember this humiliation. One day, she would repay it a thousandfold!

Christine-the more you care about something, the more she'll snatch it away!

"Don't worry, Vivian. We'll make sure Mr. Caffrey hears about Christine's despicable actions today! But Vivian, I heard a big shot is coming. Do you know who it is?"

Vivian shook her head. "No idea."

She had only recently returned to the country and knew little about elite circles.

Her purpose in coming today had simply been to find an opportunity to get closer to Neil. Little did she know that Neil had already left early.

"I heard Mr. Robinson from the Los Angeles elite circles is coming today?"

"Which Mr. Robinson?"

"Haven't you heard? Edward Robinson from the Robinson family! Who else could possibly be called Mr. Robinson? He's the most famous prince charming in L.A., and most importantly, he's still single!"

"But I heard he's gay."

"No way. Why are all the handsome guys gay?"

Vivian raised her delicate brows slightly, silently repeating Edward's name in her mind.

Whether he was gay or not, she didn't know. But suddenly, she found herself intrigued by this enigmatic man.

******

As the guests began arriving in full force, Mathew was finally escorted out by his son. Close behind him, two distinguished men descended the stairs, instantly capturing the attention of the entire room.

Henry, dressed in white, possessed a gentle and exceptionally handsome face. Edward, clad in black, was mysterious and stern, his jet-black eyes devoid of emotion. With composed strides, the two men approached the crowd, their vastly different auras silencing the room.

Within the crowd, Vivian's eyes lit up. Her glassy gaze darted back and forth between the two men. So which one was the Mr. Robinson everyone was talking about?

Henry was the talkative one, occasionally making Mathew chuckle. The man beside him, however, wore a cold expression, his gaze sweeping every corner of the banquet hall without missing a thing-yet still, he didn't find the person he sought.

The curious stares around him meant nothing. His target had always been only her.

Moments later, Henry sensed the murderous intent radiating from his friend. He abruptly turned his head, meeting Edward's piercing glare.

"You lied to me?"

Henry's lips twitched. Edward was clearly desperate to find someone.

"Grandpa Mathew, you've invited quite a crowd today. I've been in New York for months and haven't met as many people as you have here. Care to introduce me?"

"You're teasing me again, young man. As someone from the Thompson family in L.A., haven't you seen enough of them already?"

Mathew knew Henry's law firm had been in New York for less than three months and assumed he genuinely wanted introductions. Smiling kindly, he pulled him along and began introducing the important guests.

Afterward, Mathew suddenly remembered something and turned to his daughter-in-law. "Where's Christine? Didn't she come today?"

Ever since the Wood family went bankrupt, the girl had visited less often. He knew Christine was sensitive and hated being gossiped about as someone who only came around to curry favor.

Thinking this, he couldn't help glaring at his eldest grandson. If this foolish boy hadn't been so useless, would the Caffrey family have been able to steal his precious granddaughter-in-law?

Elise scanned the room but didn't see her. "Dad, Christine is here! She just stepped out for a moment. She was thinking of you and even brought you a gift."

The man whose face had been icy moments ago softened slightly at the sound of that melodious name.

Henry raised an eyebrow, cursing inwardly, and smoothly continued, "What kind of gift? I'm ashamed to say we came empty-handed."

Mathew smiled faintly. "Your presence alone is the greatest honor."

If anyone at this banquet paid closer attention to Christine than Edward, it was undoubtedly her arch rival, Olivia.

The moment she heard Christine's name, Olivia leaned in. "Miss Wood is so thoughtful. What did she bring? We'd love to see it too."

Just then, a servant handed Christine's gift to Elise, and Olivia felt a surge of irritation.

The Murphy family's daughter was clearly stirring trouble-didn't she know the occasion? Don't think Elise hadn't noticed; she was doing it on purpose.

Mathew, unfazed, accepted the gift with a faint smile. "Let me see. a hand-colored lithograph map of nineteenth-century New York. The child really put thought into it."

The group of socialites who had been crowding around Vivian seized the opportunity to add insult to injury.

"Miss Wood really doesn't know her place. How could she bring a dusty piece of paper as a gift?"

"But then again, with the Wood family bankrupt, it's no wonder she's struggling."

"After all, she's not like us-finding real luxury items can't be easy."

The venomous undertone instantly froze the atmosphere.

Hearing this, Vivian's expression shifted subtly. She took a slight step away from the fool beside her. Mathew had just praised Christine, yet this woman dared undermine her-how could the situation not turn awkward?

Sure enough, Mathew's face turned cold. "Would you even recognize something rare and historic if it were placed right in front of you?"

He turned to glare at Elise. "Who compiled today's guest list? How did such ignorant nobodies get invited?"

Vivian's lips twitched. She was genuinely moved to tears by her former junior's sheer stupidity.

The girl, embarrassed and flustered, shot Vivian a pleading look. "Vivian."

She sighed inwardly. Helping her today was unavoidable.

Vivian stepped forward. "A rare first edition from the Jazz Age-its provenance and historical weight are both top-tier. Naturally, it's an exceptional piece. Mr. Watson, please calm down. She meant no offense."

"And what gallery is it from? Hmph! Think you know everything, do you? If you lack real knowledge, you'd better keep your mouth shut!" Mathew snapped, utterly unforgiving.

As the words fell, Vivian's face flushed crimson, then drained pale. She bit her lip hard to suppress a cry.

Edward, who had been observing coldly from the sidelines, finally spoke, his voice slow and steady. "The item itself is fine, but the personal dedication is even more valuable. With the author's own signature, it is naturally priceless."

Mathew smiled with satisfaction. "It seems Edward has seen it before."

"When Uncle Wood was still alive, he was a major patron of the arts and met the author at a New York Public Library gala. This inscription, dedicated to the Wood family's private collection, was a testament to their deep friendship."

Mathew's eyes welled with tears. "Who could argue with that? He treasured it dearly-wouldn't even let me glance at it. Now that Karl is gone, and the author is gone too, this treasure has fallen into my hands. That child truly has a kind heart. From now on, anyone who speaks ill of the Wood family will never be welcome in the Watson household!"

The crowd gasped in surprise.

They hadn't expected Mathew to defend the Wood family so fiercely-and this Mr. Robinson clearly had prior ties with them. Was the Wood family making a comeback?

Emerging from the restroom, Christine was completely unaware of the commotion. Upon re-entering the banquet hall, she found everyone clustered tightly together.

Elise's sharp eyes finally spotted her, and she hurried over. "Christine, where did you run off to? Dad was looking for you!"

Still dazed, Christine was pulled forward as Elise called out, "Dad, Christine is here!"

Christine's heels were slightly too tall today. She stumbled, and just as she was about to fall, she instinctively grabbed the arm of the person beside her.

The next moment, a faint scent of rose and mint drifted into her nostrils.

The openwork back of her gown revealed her waist, where a broad, warm palm pressed against her lower back. Her cool skin felt scorched, sending a flutter through her heart.

Startled, Christine lifted her gaze and met a pair of deep, lingering eyes.

A faint smile curved his lips. "Careful."

From afar, Vivian's eyes burned with overwhelming jealousy.

Why was it always her?

Christine Woods!