Andrew's words made Ben hesitate, his eyes flicking uncertainly toward Sophia.
Sophia stayed perfectly composed, the corners of her lips curling. "Mr. Taylor, I have no reason to make up a lie that could be exposed in one question."
Ben gave a slight nod. True enough—once he met Luna in person, all it would take was a single word to confirm whether this woman was truly her cousin. A signed contract was one thing, but family ties were on an entirely different level.
His decision made, Ben gave Andrew a polite nod before turning back to Sophia. "Miss Gray, let's talk over here."
Sophia's smile deepened. As she walked away with him, she didn't forget to toss Andrew a parting smile—one that dripped with mock courtesy. "Goodbye, Mr. Morgan."
Andrew's face darkened, rage twisting his features. What kind of grudge did this woman have against him, to deliberately humiliate him at every turn? Slamming his glass down, he stalked toward the restroom, completely unaware of the tiny figure shadowing him from behind.
…
Meanwhile, Aiden was beginning to realize something was very wrong. Heat surged through his body in relentless waves, while across from him Lucas regarded him with an icy, mocking stare.
Panic flickered in Aiden's eyes. Why me? Why isn't he affected?
"You—" He started to speak, but another rush of heat clawed through him, forcing him to grit his teeth and stagger to his feet. If he didn't get out of here, he was going to lose control in front of everyone.
Lucas's lips curved into a razor-edged smile. "Uncle, how's it feel, tasting your own medicine?"
Aiden froze, the truth dawning on him. His eyes flashed with fury—and fear—as he stumbled away toward the restroom.
Lucas's expression remained blank as he watched him retreat. He maneuvered his wheelchair toward a quieter spot by the windows.
But as he passed the curtains, a tiny figure suddenly darted out and bumped straight into him.
"Oops!"
Lucas glanced down at the little girl who had practically tumbled into his lap. For a split second, he felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
Faye scrambled back onto her feet, patting her chest in relief. Then she looked up at him with a bright, sweet smile. "Thanks, mister! I've gotta run now!"
Before Lucas could get a good look at her face, she was already sprinting off.
Her voice came through the earpiece a moment later, grumbling, "Angela, why didn't you warn me there was someone here?"
Angela, staring at the surveillance feed, gasped. "Faye… the man you just ran into looks exactly like Dad."
"What?!" Faye froze mid-step. No wonder he had seemed familiar—he was their dad!
She spun on her heel, ready to run back, but Billy's stern voice cut in, "Faye, focus. The mission comes first."
"…Okay, Billy." Her shoulders slumped, and she obediently continued with the plan.
Following Angela's instructions, Faye crept to the door of a lounge. From her pocket, she gently released a small green snake. "Go on, little one. Give them a scare."
The snake flicked its tongue and nuzzled her tiny hand before slithering through the crack under the door.
Seconds later, a shrill scream pierced the air.
"Ahhh!"
Olivia burst out of the lounge in panic, shrieking, "Snake! There's a snake in there!"
Ethan stumbled out right after her, looking even more terrified. "Doctor! Somebody get a doctor—I've been bitten!"
Their hysterics immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby. But soon, whispers shifted from the snake to the pair themselves.
Ethan's shirt was hanging wide open, a smudge of lipstick on his chest. His lower half was even worse—just a pair of oversized boxers.
Olivia didn't look any better: her hair hung in messy tangles over her shoulders, her purple gown was wrinkled and askew, and the lipstick on her lips had smeared into a blurry red stain.
And since both of them had lost their masks in the chaos, it didn't take long for the crowd to recognize exactly who they were.
Some guests smirked with open mockery. Just minutes ago, Olivia had been sneezing uncontrollably while Ethan wore cake all over his face—embarrassing enough. And now? Barely any time had passed, and the two of them had already been caught fooling around in the lounge. The Morgan Family and the Trump Family—such impeccable manners.
As the heat of everyone's stares settled on her, Olivia belatedly realized she wasn't wearing her mask. She let out another sharp cry, frantically covering her face with both hands as if that could erase her from memory.
Ethan, on the other hand, didn't care one bit about appearances. He clutched his thigh and kept shouting, "Doctor! Somebody get a doctor!"
He and Olivia had been in the middle of their little tryst when a snake slithered onto him and sank its fangs into his leg. He'd gone limp with terror, now convinced his life was hanging by a thread. Who had time to worry about gossip when he might be poisoned?
The Scott Family staff rushed over quickly, escorting Ethan away. If the Trump heir collapsed here, the Scotts would be the ones left cleaning up the mess.
Throughout it all, Ethan never once looked back at Olivia. His mind was consumed only by his injury.
When Andrew finally arrived, what greeted him were the mocking expressions of the crowd—and his daughter Olivia, her dress disheveled and her dignity in tatters.
From the murmurs alone, he pieced together exactly what had happened. Fury surged hot in his chest, but he forced it down.
Grabbing Olivia by the wrist, he hissed through gritted teeth, "Come with me. Now."
The Morgan Family's reputation had been dragged straight through the mud.
But before they could take more than two steps, a small bottle slipped out of Andrew's pocket and clattered onto the floor. The bold black letters on the label read: Male Enhancement.
A ripple of laughter broke out instantly. One man, unafraid of offending the Morgans, snorted aloud, "Didn't think Mr. Morgan needed to carry his little helpers around at his age."
More chuckles followed, sharp with ridicule.
Andrew's mind roared. His face went from flushed crimson to ashen gray, before finally settling into a cold, stormy black. He wanted to scream—Who? Who set me up?!
But even through his rage, a shred of reason remained. He yanked Olivia along and stormed out of the ballroom, their retreat nothing short of humiliating.
Watching it all, Sophia lifted her glass and downed the last sip of champagne, a smile playing on her lips. "What a show."
Whoever had orchestrated this downfall clearly wanted the Morgans disgraced in front of the entire city. By tomorrow morning, every elite household in City A would be whispering about Andrew and his daughter's humiliation.
Sophia's eyes curved in delight. The Morgans' misery was her joy. She'd been planning to leave earlier, but staying long enough to see this spectacle had been worth it.
She leaned toward Harper. "Want to come home with me?"
Harper shook her head. "Not tonight. I'm riding back with my brother."
Sophia nodded. "Alright, I'll swing by and pick you up tomorrow."
"Deal. See you tomorrow."
They parted ways at the hotel entrance. Harper slipped into William's car, while Sophia's Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled away with her riding alone in the backseat.
Just then, Lucas rolled out of the hotel and caught sight of her figure disappearing into the car. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his wheelchair. "Find out who she is."
"Yes, Mr. Hilton."
Later that night, Sophia returned home to a quiet house. The kids didn't come running to greet her—they were already in bed.
She tiptoed upstairs, stopping by each room to press a soft kiss to each little forehead. "Goodnight, my loves."
It wasn't until she finally settled into her own room that six pairs of eyes popped open across the hall.
That was close. We almost got caught by Mommy.