Chapter 59: The day of the celebration gala
It took a while before the words finally clicked in my head. Then only a single word left my lips. "What?"
He nodded, a deep frown etched onto his face. "They did this on purpose. They probably knew there was a high chance that you wouldn’t show up, and they couldn’t risk it."
A cold chuckle erupted from my throat. "Of course, they did...I’m not even surprised, to be honest." I let out a soft breath. "So I guess now we are left with no choice but to show up."
"Exactly," he confirmed. "If we didn’t show up, it would look bad on us."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The weight of the situation settled heavily over the room, pressing down on my shoulders like a physical burden. My jaw tightened as anger slowly simmered beneath my skin. They had cornered us and left us with no other option unless we wanted to risk TechHub’s reputation.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "How thoughtful of them," I muttered, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "They really made sure we wouldn’t have an escape route."
His expression darkened. "Seemed like they really want us there."
I crossed my arms tightly over my chest and turned toward the window. Beyond the glass, the city carried on as though nothing had changed. Cars moved along the streets. People walked by without a care in the world. Meanwhile, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and questions.
Why? Why did they want us there so badly?
Was it about humiliation? Watching my parents’ company get handed over to my ex-husband and his mistress, who was also my stepsister. Watching them steal our family’s wealth right in front of me, and yet there was nothing I could do.
Or maybe...they had something planned. There must have been more to it.
"Fine," my voice came out calm despite the raging anger inside of me. I turned back around to face him again, this time. "If they want us there so badly, then we’ll go. But if they think we’re walking into this blindly, they’re mistaken."
Something flickered across his face. Interest. Approval. Maybe even anticipation. A slow smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "There she is."
I raised an eyebrow.
"The woman who never backs down from a fight."
I met his gaze and smiled coldly. "If they’re setting a stage for us, then let’s make sure we’re the ones controlling the performance."
***
Before we knew it, the day of the celebration gala was here.
As much as we dreaded coming after the little trick that they pulled, we had no choice but to show up.
By the time Rhys and I had arrived hand in hand, it was already in full swing. The grand ballroom glittered beneath crystal chandeliers, every surface dripping in gold and luxury. CEOs, socialites, and reporters filled the room, their voices blending into a constant hum of conversation as the soft jazz music played in the back.
A massive screen behind them displayed the company logo alongside elegant golden lettering.
The Future of Hart Group.
It seemed like they really went all out for this gala.
At the entrance of the ballroom stood my father and stepmother, greeting guests with an easy smile, while Lucas and Jessica stood by their side, triumphant smiles plastered across their faces.
Rhys and I walked up to them with an unbothered expression, in fact, I put on a polite smile as we locked eyes. "Good evening," I greeted, and the smile on my face grew wider as I turned to Lucas and Jessica. "Congratulations on your new appointments," I said calmly, walking off with Rhys before they had the chance to say anything.
We were only here to show our faces, and nothing more.
As we stepped further into the ballroom, I could feel their glares burning through the back of my head, but I didn’t once stop and look back. Rhys and I weaved through the crowd easily, but whispers and murmurs seemed to follow us no matter where we went, fingers pointing at us.
"Isn’t that the oldest daughter of the CEO of Hart Group?"
"I heard that her father had disowned her in public. How is she still here?"
"I would have never shown up if I were her. How embarrassing?"
Their words drifted to my ears, but I didn’t let them get to me. Instead, I whipped my head around sharply, my eyes staring directly into theirs. And even though I didn’t say a word, it was enough to make them cower and hide among the crowd as they kept their mouths shut.
"Don’t listen to them," I heard Rhys murmur into my ear.
I nodded. "I know, I won’t let them get to me."
He leaned in and planted a kiss on the side of my head. "That’s my girl." My eyes grew wide, my heart even skipped a beat at the sudden kiss. "Also, did I tell you how stunning you look in this dress?"
Heat rushed to my cheeks immediately, and I was certain that they were painted red by now. I lifted my gaze to meet his dark eyes, letting them hold me captive. Rhys was clad in an all-black suit, looking like an angel on the walls of Versailles. "You...you don’t look too bad yourself either."
A grin slowly spread across his face. "I will take it."
When we finally settled into our seats, a familiar voice sounded through the speakers that surrounded the ballroom.
"Thank you all for coming down tonight."
My father stood behind the podium at the center of the stage, his voice carrying effortlessly through the grand ballroom. The conversations around the room died down almost instantly. Hundreds of guests turned their attention toward him.
"I have spent the last three decades building Hart Group into what it is today," he continued, a warm smile settling on his face. "And I could not have done it without the support of the incredible people who have stood beside me throughout this journey."
Polite applause rippled through the room, and I couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. Of course he wouldn’t have mentioned mum at all, just as I expected.
My father looked every bit like the respected founder everyone admired.
Confident.
Charismatic.
Trustworthy.
It was the perfect image, the same one he had spent years carefully crafting.
"However," he continued, "time waits for no one."
A soft chuckle swept through the crowd.
"As much as I would love to continue leading Hart Group for another thirty years, there comes a point when every leader must think about the future." There was a short pause as people turned to look at Lucas and Jessica, who were seated right by the stage. "The success of any company depends on strong leadership. And leadership requires vision, dedication, and the ability to carry a legacy forward."
Lucas dipped his head modestly, and a small smile graced Jessica’s lips while Eleanor sat upright with pride written all over her face.
The performance was almost convincing. Almost as if they hadn’t planned on stealing everything for themselves. As if they hadn’t robbed this away from me. But I didn’t want Hart Group at all, I only wanted to preserve it for my late mother.
Rhys seemed to sense the tension that was running through my veins, as he reached over and interlaced his fingers with mine, giving it a light squeeze and flashing me a reassuring smile.
"I have spent many years preparing for this moment," my father continued. "And after careful consideration, I am pleased to announce that I have found the person I trust to lead Hart Group into its next Chapter."
The room erupted into applause before he could even finish. Some guests were already smiling at Lucas while others were raising their champagne glasses in anticipation.
"It is my honor to officially introduce the future CEO and CFO of Hart Group. Lucas Smith and my lovely daughter, Jessica Hart."
The two of them rose from their seats immediately, as though they had been waiting for this exact moment all night.
A proud smile stretched across Jessica’s face as she smoothed down her long dark red dress. The rich fabric clung perfectly to her figure, and her silky blonde hair cascaded elegantly over her shoulders.
Beside her, Lucas adjusted the cuff of his tailored dark blue suit before offering the crowd a humble smile that looked rehearsed enough to have been practiced in front of a mirror.
I watched as they slowly made their way up the steps that led to the stage while applause filled the space. They were practically glowing beneath all the attention and compliments sent their way.
Lucas was the first to accept the microphone. "I want to thank Mr. Hart for believing in us," he said smoothly. "Jessica and I will dedicate ourselves to ensuring Hart Group continues to thrive for generations to come."
The applause returned while Jessica stepped forward. Tears glistened suspiciously in her eyes as she pressed a hand against her chest.
"I..." Her voice trembled. "I’m so honored. Truly. I never expected something like this. Thank you, father, for believing in me. I only hope I can live up to the trust that has been placed in me."
Then her gaze flickered over to Lucas, the smile on her face widening. "In the spirit of celebration..." her voice trailed off.
"There is one more piece of wonderful news that I would like to share."