Chapter 4: Turmoil at the Coming-of-Age Banquet（1）
At 7 PM, the Davis Group estate was brightly lit, hosting a grand coming-of-age ceremony.
The courtyard was adorned with lavish flowers and colorful lights, with a faint floral scent filling the air. Guests gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing about recent events.
Ella arrived early, quietly contemplating the possible outcomes of the evening. She wore a strapless gray-blue gown made of lustrous fabric that shimmered under the lights, reaching just to her feet—elegant and dignified.
Ella, with a well-thought-out plan, walked towards the hall with a slight smile. She knew tonight would mark the beginning of her counterattack.
Inside the hall, Brianna was greeting guests with a polite smile. Upon seeing Ella not wearing the tampered halter-neck gown, she frowned slightly, surprised. She approached Ella and gently asked, "Ella, why aren't you wearing the dress I prepared for you? Don't you like it?"
Ella looked up, a hint of coldness in her eyes, quickly replaced by a gentle expression. She softly replied, "No, Mommy. Since it's my coming-of-age ceremony, I wanted to pair my gown with the family heirloom—Heart of the Ocean, which my mother gave me. That's why I changed into this gray-blue strapless dress."
Just then, Mrs. Taylor, a close friend of Ella's biological mother, approached and asked with concern, "Ella, why aren't you wearing the Heart of the Ocean?"
Ella's eyes dimmed as if she were about to cry. "I... I can't find it, so I came to ask Mommy about it."
This statement instantly sparked a flurry of discussion among the guests. "The Davis family has been robbed? Could it be an inside job?"
"How could the maids dare to steal something so valuable?"
"Maybe the stepmother took it for herself."