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1204 Words
Victor, now on stage, didn’t bother hiding his intentions any longer. He extended a hand toward Sophia, speaking bluntly:
“Come here, Sophia. Don’t waste my time.”
The guests clamored incessantly:
“Choose! How many chances in life does one get to change their fate like this?”
“A beautiful girl is only ever sold to the rich, end of story.”
In that moment, everything was laid bare. Raymond and Victor, on one side, poverty and isolation, not a soul on his side; on the other, power, with praise echoing all around.
Sophia’s family and the entire ballroom, no one stood with her, except for that solitary figure who had just returned.
The atmosphere in the hall was so tense it felt ready to explode. Sophia stood in the harsh glare of the lights, but it felt as if she were utterly exposed before the crowd, with nowhere to run.
Victor leaned forward, his voice calm but heavy with authority: “Sophia, don’t make things harder than they need to be. Everyone knows choosing me is the sensible decision. Don’t create more trouble, just announce your choice.”
Raymond remained still. He said nothing, only looked at Sophia. The bystanders pressed the attack:
“What are you waiting for? One is powerful, the other has nothing.”
“If it weren’t for Victor, Sophia would have ended up with some ugly old man. This family is really cunning.”
“Look at Raymond standing there, pitiful. Poor and still thinks he’s the center of the universe.”
“She’s nothing more than an auctioned commodity, handed to the highest bidder. Damaged goods once, now going for a better price.”
Sophia bit her lip, her eyes rimmed red. But Kiera’s voice from behind urged her even more forcefully:
“What are you standing there for? Go up and announce your decision! Don’t embarrass this family. Don’t keep Young Master Grant waiting.”
Dante also pressed her, nearly letting his fear show:
“Hurry up and choose, Sophia. This is your only chance, and the only chance for our family.”
Laura clicked her tongue, her tone both mocking and amused: “Why are you still hesitating? You really don’t know your place.”
Then she leaned in to whisper in Sophia’s ear: “Or have you forgotten Anna? She’s waiting for you. Are you really going to choose Raymond? Do you think he can save your daughter? Remember that the child is just part of the bargain. If you mess this up, who knows what Dad and Grandpa will do.”
The mention of Anna made Sophia’s heart jolt. Her hastily made decision suddenly wavered, she couldn’t choose Raymond.
But just then, the grand doors swung open. The hotel manager rushed in, his face flushed with alarm, barely able to catch his breath as he hastily announced: “Excuse me, everyone! Please remain calm, an important guest has just booked the entire hotel. The groom-selection banquet is temporarily suspended!”
The guests murmured in confusion, many standing to look out the door. “What do you mean, booked the entire hotel? There’s a banquet going on, how can they just call it off like this?”
“Does Desert View Hotel want to go out of business? Are they really willing to offend Young Master Grant?”
“Everyone knows today’s event was just a show for Grant to establish his dominance. Who would dare cross him like this?”
The crowd wouldn’t stop talking; some were even curious about who could have the power to book out the entire hotel.
“Who doesn’t know the Grant family is one of the wealthiest in the city? Whoever dares go against them must have a death wish!”
“If anyone’s asking for trouble, it’s Desert View Hotel. Calling off the banquet for no reason, let’s see how they survive after angering Young Master Grant.”
“What on earth is this hotel thinking?”
Victor scowled, what i***t dared ruin his big moment? In Draventon, no one had ever dared oppose him so openly; this was the first time anyone had dared sabotage his meticulously laid plans.
Damn it, kicking him out of the banquet? They must have a death wish!
“Go. Find out which i***t is trying to piss me off.”
Victor gave the order for his men to go outside and check. But before his subordinates could act, dozens of people dressed in military uniforms entered from outside, forming two neat lines, with Vera at the front, both beautiful and alluring, yet radiating a commanding, dignified aura of a true officer.
She spoke: “The Desert View Hotel is now fully requisitioned by the government’s military unit. All unrelated personnel, please vacate the premises.”
Victor seemed frozen. He truly didn’t have enough authority to defy the government. But who was behind this? Even if they were with the government, they should still show some respect, he was the eldest son of the richest Grant family in the city. Was this mysterious person really trying to humiliate him?
The Thompson family was just as shocked. They were only one step away from rising to the top, and now, with everything abruptly canceled, how could they possibly accept it?
Laura was the first to protest: “Whatever you want, you should at least wait until we finish the banquet! How can you interrupt so unreasonably?”
“Exactly, just because you’re with the government’s military doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want! This is an abuse of power!” Kiera chimed in as well.
The guests began to stir noisily:
“What’s going on? Military personnel?”
“The government? Seriously? What kind of stunt is this?”
“I’ve never seen this woman before, and she doesn’t even wear any insignia. Isn’t this just someone Raymond hired to stage a scene and stop the groom-selection banquet? Even their uniforms look too perfect to be real.”
Hearing this, both Victor and the Thompson family suddenly came to their senses, yes, this could very well just be an act. What kind of military would barge in like this, in the middle of a banquet for the prestigious Grant family’s heir?
Victor frowned, gritting his teeth as he spoke: “Raymond, you’ve really gone overboard with this charade, enjoying the performance, aren’t you? You even hired people to interfere with the banquet. Do you really think this will stop me from taking your wife away?”
“Utterly ridiculous!”
“Men, throw these people out, Raymond the useless included!”
At Victor’s order, his more than twenty bodyguards advanced from both sides of the hall, each one tall, imposing, dressed in black suits with fierce, intimidating faces. Two of them approached Raymond, while the rest moved toward Vera and the soldiers, creating a suffocatingly tense scene.
Sophia was so frightened she couldn’t utter a word. The Thompson family and the guests, on the other hand, were thrilled, eagerly awaiting the show: this little “k********g the bride” act was about to fail, and even better, they’d get to see Raymond thrown out! What a legendary sight!
- Writer
