Chapter 4
725 Words
Three days later, the Wood family hosted a grand banquet.
Officially, it was to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Wood Group.
In reality, it was my debut. Joseph planned to formally introduce me, the daughter who had spent years abroad.
At the same time, he would announce my engagement.
The banquet was held at the most luxurious seven-star hotel in the capital.
I sat in a VIP lounge on the second floor, looking down at the glittering crowd below.
Steven had arrived. Dressed in a custom tuxedo, his hair meticulously styled, he held a glass of wine and moved comfortably through the crowd.
There was no trace left of Stev, the poor laborer.
People surrounded him, eager to flatter him.
"Mr. Reed, I heard Mr. Joseph Wood is announcing the engagement tonight. Congratulations in advance."
"Once you marry Miss Wood, the Reed family will practically dominate the entire capital."
Steven swirled his wine and smiled.
"Nothing's official yet. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
His words were modest. His expression wasn't. Confidence practically radiated off him.
One of his friends leaned over.
"What about that little girl you've been keeping around? Why didn't you bring her tonight so she could see what the upper class looks like?"
Steven chuckled. "She's not exactly someone you introduce in public. She'd only embarrass me. She's been throwing a tantrum lately. Probably thinks twenty grand wasn't enough. Once tonight is over, I'll toss her a little more money and she'll settle down."
His voice was full of contempt.
Even though I'd already stopped loving him, hearing those words still disgusted me.
This man was rotten to the core.
It was almost time. I stood up and smoothed out my gown. The dress was worth eight million dollars.
It was one of a kind, specially flown in by Joseph for tonight's banquet.
Wearing four-inch heels, I slowly stepped out of the lounge.
At the staircase, I ran straight into Steven. He was on his way upstairs to see Joseph.
The moment he saw me, he froze.
His gaze traveled from the diamond tiara on my head all the way down to the crystal heels on my feet.
Shock filled his eyes. "Zona?"
The name slipped out before he could stop himself. Then his face darkened.
"How did you get in here? Who let you show up dressed like this?"
Steven walked over and grabbed my arm.
"Have you lost your mind? Do you even know what kind of event this is? This isn't somewhere you should be."
He lowered his voice, frustration evident in every word.
"Take that dress off and leave. If you offend Miss Wood, you couldn't afford the consequences even if there were ten of you."
I looked at him coldly. "Let go."
"And now you're talking back?" Steven laughed angrily.
"Fine. You don't want to leave? Security! Get this woman out of here."
Several guards hurried over.
"Mr. Reed, what's the problem?"
Steven pointed at me. "Remove her. Don't let her ruin the Wood family's banquet."
The guards exchanged awkward glances. No one moved.
Because they all knew exactly who I was.
At that moment, the lights dimmed. A spotlight illuminated the stage.
Joseph stood there with a microphone, smiling broadly.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us tonight. Besides celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Wood Group, I also have two pieces of wonderful news to share. First, my daughter Zanna Wood, who has spent many years studying overseas, has finally returned home."
Thunderous applause erupted.
Steven turned toward the stage, anticipation in his eyes.
He even let go of my arm and adjusted his tie. Ready to meet his future wife.
Joseph continued. "The second announcement concerns my daughter's engagement. After careful consideration, the Wood family has decided to form an alliance with the Stone family."
The entire ballroom erupted.
Everyone knew the Wood family had been in talks with the Reed family.
How had it suddenly become the Stone family?
Steven's smile froze. He stared at Joseph in disbelief.
"And now," Joseph announced. "Please welcome my daughter, Zanna Wood."
The spotlight shifted, landing directly on me.
I stood halfway down the staircase, looking down at Steven, whose face had gone completely blank.
I smiled faintly. "Mr. Reed, I suppose we should introduce ourselves properly. I'm Zanna Wood."
- Writer
