Dominic stepped closer, his stare sharp enough to cut.

"Who told you you could barge in here and stir up trouble? Leave right now, or you can kiss Azure Villa and that thirty million goodbye," said Dominic, his voice cold.

Renee tightened her grip on his arm as she added her own performance, her tone dipped in false sympathy. "Ms. Reed, I understand you're angry, but this isn't the kind of place you belong in. If your feelings for Dominic were real, you wouldn't show up and ruin a night this important to him. Since everything between you two has ended, the dignified thing would be to step aside."

Elliana knew exactly who she was looking at. Renee had always been the fantasy Dominic clung to. A faint, cold smile formed at Elliana's lips.

This wasn't the moment to deliver the blow they deserved, but that moment would come.

"Step aside," said Elliana, her tone flat.

Her indifference hit Dominic like a slap.

His eyes drifted to the graceful cut of her dress as she moved past him. He suddenly grabbed her wrist, his words dropping to a harsh whisper. "Elliana, stop this. Are you really so desperate for my attention? You schemed your way in here just to see Caduceus, didn't you? You can't take Renee's success, so you're trying to copy her. All you'll do is embarrass yourself."

Elliana could hardly believe the nonsense spilling out of him.

His ego always knew no bounds.

With a swift turn, she tore her wrist from his grasp, her expression carved with cold restraint.

The suddenness of her movement caused Dominic to falter.

"Mr. Stanley, we're getting a divorce. You're wrapped up in your so-called perfect love, yet you're grabbing me and creating a spectacle. So tell me, who is truly embarrassing themselves tonight?" said Elliana.

Her voice rang out crisp and firm, like beads scattering onto polished floors, and every nearby guest turned toward the unfolding scene.

Among the elite, nothing was valued more than maintaining a spotless family image.

Leaving the woman who supported him and parading around with someone new was already shameful. Doing it so openly made it worse.

As judgmental eyes fell on them from every direction, Dominic's and Renee's expressions darkened with shame.

Elliana, however, had already turned away. She walked with quiet grace, her posture calm, untouched by the role of a discarded wife.

Her unruffled elegance only deepened the shadow on Dominic's face.

Still, he couldn't shake the unsettling thought that something about her had changed.

A sharply dressed man in his middle years strode onto the main platform, catching the attention of everyone in the hall.

Trevor Saunders, the one running Vista Club, had arrived.

His eyes swept across the gathering, pausing on Elliana just for a moment, then he raised his voice so all could hear. "Welcome, distinguished guests. Your arrival graces Vista Cay tonight. Thanks to the healer Caduceus, I have the privilege of leading the gift ceremony. If you have something to present, please step forward now!"

Excitement replaced the bitterness in Renee's expression as she tugged Dominic along behind her.

So what if Elliana had just humiliated her?

With this rare chance in hand, she knew she would become the talk of the night, the envy of every guest.

Surely, nobody would bother glancing Elliana's way after this.

The parade of gifts had already begun.

A guest unveiled a flawless white jade figurine, its price easily running into the millions, and awed whispers swept through the hall.

More people followed, each unveiling gifts that seemed more dazzling and precious than the last.

Nerves began to show on Dominic, but Renee only grew more self-assured as she stepped to the front.

"This is a gift from the Stanley Group," said Renee as she lifted the lid on a polished wooden box, revealing a delicate jade hairpin with intricate designs.

The audience exchanged skeptical looks and a few even scoffed quietly.

A gift valued at less than a million felt out of place among such grandeur.

Still, Renee's satisfaction deepened.

"You might look down on it, but Caduceus isn't like the rest of you."

For a woman, a present should not only come with a high price tag, but also highlight her beauty. Certain that she was the only gift giver here aware that Caduceus was a woman, she believed her feminine gift would win her favor.

She could already taste the win.

Elliana watched from her seat, a look of pure disdain flickering in her eyes.

Renee's tactics were certainly unexpected.

What a shame it would all be wasted.

As Elliana started to rise, Renee's taunting voice rang out from the stage.

"Elliana, aren't you planning to present your gift? Why not show everyone what you've brought now?"

Every head in the room turned toward Elliana.

Though her beauty easily drew attention, the air buzzed more with doubt than admiration.

Renee's gaze landed on Elliana's empty hands, and a mocking smirk played at her lips.

"You really crashed the banquet just to get close to Caduceus, didn't you? I bet you spent everything renting that dress just to get through the door. Couldn't manage even a token for the healer? Unless you thought dressing up like this would make you the gift?"

Her words sent a ripple of laughter through the crowd, especially from the men, whose stares became even more shameless.

Dominic's jaw tightened as his mood soured.

Disgust twisted through him as he watched what he thought was Elliana's shameless bid for attention.

All he could see was a woman from nowhere, desperately trying to play a part that did not suit her, making a fool of him in front of everyone.

His glare grew sharp, as he silently wished she would get the message and leave quietly.

Elliana, unfazed, sat back in her chair and lazily swirled her wine. Her eyes lifted, mesmerizing and calm, drifting past Dominic to rest on the jade hairpin Renee clutched. Not once did she spare Dominic a single glance. A cool, barely-there smile curved her lips.

When she finally spoke, her words rang out, edged with cold sarcasm.

"So tell me, Miss Fowler, are you speaking on behalf of the Stanley Group?"

Renee lifted her chin with pride. "Naturally."

Elliana let the wine touch her lips, the deep color drawing every eye for a moment.

A colder sharpness settled in her gaze.

"Then I'm curious. Has the Stanley Group fallen so low that they've resorted to presenting counterfeits?"

A collective gasp swept through the room.

This was a gift meant for Caduceus.

Everyone knew that even the healthiest people strained their wallets and imaginations to offer something meaningful, because a healer of that caliber was a once‑in‑a‑lifetime lifeline.

Even if one didn't need a miracle now, securing Caduceus's favor meant future protection.

To present a fake was not just foolish.

It was a public disgrace.

Renee felt the weight of those implications immediately.

But she barely flinched, her smirk only growing bolder.

"Elliana, if you do not know what you are talking about, it's best to stay quiet. You are only putting your ignorance on display. Playing dress-up does not make you one of us."

She lifted the jade hairpin higher, displaying it for the crowd to see.

"This is a one-of-a-kind piece by the master carver, Rocco Wallace! There is not another like it anywhere. The design, inspired by the art of healing, has earned the National Museum Collection Gold Award. Every detail can be verified. The Stanley Group's regard for Caduceus is sincere and unwavering."

Her impassioned defense had Dominic watching her with new admiration, feeling a rush of pride just for being in her orbit.

This was the kind of woman he believed should stand by his side.

Meanwhile, Elliana calmly placed her glass down and crossed the floor with steady grace.

"Real jade should feel cool and silky, with a clarity and glow that runs deep. Bright color alone does not mean quality. The person who forged this piece used clever techniques, hiding traces of dye with intricate carving and playing with the light to mask inferior stone. The thing is, even the best tricks fall apart under proper inspection. All you need is a standard appraisal flashlight."

Without missing a beat, Trevor arranged for someone to fetch a flashlight and handed it straight to Elliana himself.

Elliana extended her hand toward Renee, her stare cold and unflinching.

"Are you brave enough to let everyone see the truth?"

Clad in a vibrant red dress, she looked both fearless and utterly composed, her presence lighting up the room.

She radiated confidence—never flustered, never backing down.

From a quiet corner in the VIP lounge, a man leaned forward, fingers drumming lightly on his knee as he watched the exchange unfold.

There was something about Elliana that kept his attention locked. He gestured for his attendant to hold back the gift presentation. "Hold on. Let's see how this plays out."

...

On stage, a ripple of unease passed over Renee's face.

She remembered how the black-market dealer promised her it was an authentic Rocco Wallace, though he could never fully guarantee its origin.

She had attended enough auctions abroad to know the basics of judging jade, but doubt was starting to creep in.

Snagging a piece by Rocco Wallace for half a million felt like a bargain too good to pass up.

Renee had given the hairpin a quick inspection herself before handing over the money, then told Dominic it cost her two million.

There hadn't been time for a proper appraisal by an expert.

Now, Elliana's accusations made her stomach twist with doubt.

Her hand snapped the lid shut on the box.

"You can't just go poking at something this rare. Testing jade isn't a game. Who gave you the right to lay hands on Caduceus's present? If you damage it, who's going to answer for that?"

Dominic's frown grew stormy.

He climbed onto the stage, took Elliana by the arm, and pulled her aside.

"That's enough. You're an orphan without even a college degree. What makes you think you can judge something like this? Step down—now."

Elliana stood her ground. With a quick twist of her wrist, she broke free from Dominic's hold without any effort.

Dominic, completely thrown off balance, stumbled into Renee. The box slipped from Renee's grasp, hitting the floor with a sharp crack, and the jade hairpin snapped clean in two.

Tears sprang to Renee's eyes as she desperately reached for the shattered pieces.

"Look at what you've done! Dominic and I spent so much time choosing that gift. Are you satisfied now, Elliana?" Her voice rang out in a wail. She hurt her finger on purpose, then pressed herself dramatically against Dominic's chest, feigning heartbreak.

Fury drained all the color from Dominic's face.

He wrapped his arms around Renee, whispering soothing words while shooting Elliana a look full of venom.

Elliana appeared unfazed. She knelt, picked up half the broken hairpin, and switched on the flashlight.

A vivid, unnatural purple glow lit up under the beam—a telltale sign of fluorescent dye, proof that the jade was fake.

"It's a fake!"

"Rocco would never use imitation jade for his work!"

"This proves the Stanley Group tried to pass off a fake as a gift!"

As the crowd whispered and cast accusatory glances, Dominic's and Renee's faces grew darker by the second.

Elliana took in the chaos with a quiet sense of triumph.

Right then, Trevor made his way onto the stage, his presence commanding attention.

He raised his voice for all to hear. "By presenting a counterfeit, the Stanley Group has insulted both Sanctorum and Caduceus. Effective immediately, the Stanley Group is blacklisted. They will never receive our services."

Dominic stood frozen in disbelief.

He shoved past Renee, desperate to defend himself.

"Mr. Saunders, we meant no disrespect! The Stanley Group was genuinely seeking treatment. We had no idea the hairpin wasn't authentic! How can you treat this as a deliberate insult? If Caduceus is willing to help my mother, we will pay double the usual fee!"

Trevor's gaze was cold as he regarded Dominic.

"Do you honestly believe Sanctorum cares about your money?"

Dominic faltered, words failing him. Humiliation washed over him as the weight of Trevor's dismissal sank in.

The whispers and sideways glances from everyone around made Dominic's embarrassment even sharper.

How had it all gone so wrong?

Renee had sworn she could win Caduceus's favor, but now they were not just rejected—they were blacklisted for good.

His eyes flashed with anger as he turned on Renee.

"Tell me the truth. Where did you really get that hairpin?"

Renee had no way to answer, not when she had skimmed a hefty sum off the top for herself.

Her big scheme to show off had completely blown up in her face.

Consumed by frustration, she lashed out at Elliana, hand raised for a slap. "You ruin everything, you miserable bitch!"

Elliana only gave her a mocking smile.

Was this the best Renee could do—throw a tantrum when the game was lost?

Did Renee really think she would just stand there and take it?

Someone needed to teach Renee a lesson.

Elliana sidestepped the blow with ease, ready to counter, when a new presence slipped smoothly between them.

A refined musk, clean and cool like a breath of winter, drifted on the air.

"Did the Stanley family forget their manners?" A man's voice rang out, deep and commanding, every word laced with effortless authority.

Elliana stilled. That voice was oddly familiar, stirring an old, half-buried memory.

She lifted her gaze, startled.

Soft light crowned the man's profile, throwing his sharp, rugged features into relief—a face both handsome and magnetic.

"You..."

Renee tried to let out another insult, but Dominic cut her off, his arm steadying her as he blurted out, wide-eyed with recognition, "Uncle Greyson?"

A flash of annoyance crossed Greyson Spencer's face at the address.

Dominic, oblivious, beamed and guided a still-reeling Renee toward him.

"Uncle Greyson, I never thought I'd see you at the banquet! You have to help us—my mother's health is failing. As family, you're the only one who can get Caduceus to see her!"

A ripple of surprise swept through the crowd.

"Greyson Spencer is here? I didn't realize he was related to Dominic."

"No one in Ipester can match the Spencer family for power and money. If Greyson steps in, who could possibly refuse him?"