Chapter 433

Evelyn Carter pressed a hand to her bruised arm, desperate to escape Penelope Whitmore's scolding lecture.

From childhood, Evelyn had reaped the benefits of her mother's influence over her father, which paved the way for her privileged future. Yet beneath the surface, she secretly despised her mother's lack of refinement and worldly sophistication.

Penelope's vulgarity stood in stark contrast to polished socialites like Isabelle Montgomery's mother and Lillian Hartwell. Not that Evelyn had any choice in her parentage anyway.

The charity gala unfolded in two acts - the lavish banquet followed by the high-profile auction.

The venue glittered with A-list celebrities and acclaimed artists, as if the entire entertainment constellation had descended upon the event.

As Monarch Grand Hotels' general manager and event organizer, Evelyn found herself cornered by reporters demanding live interviews.

She maintained perfect composure under the flashing cameras.

"Ms. Kingsley," a journalist pressed, "Isabella Wang originally chose your hotel for her wedding venue. Now you're hosting Éclat magazine's charity auction. Is this your attempt to compete with Blackwood Industries?"

Evelyn's lips curved in a practiced smile. "I understand why you'd draw that conclusion given our companies' rivalry. But Éclat approached us about this event - the timing is purely coincidental. There's no ulterior motive here."

Another reporter jumped in. "Sources say Isabella initially booked KS World Hotel. What caused her last-minute switch to Blackwood Hotel? Was there some incident?"

Evelyn's smile tightened. "That information remains confidential hotel business. I'm not at liberty to discuss it."

The same persistent journalist continued, "She canceled with you after her wedding details leaked. Did that security breach influence her decision?"

Though Evelyn's expression remained calm, her eyes turned glacial. This reporter was clearly here to provoke.

From her shadowed corner, Isabelle Montgomery sipped champagne, watching with malicious delight as Evelyn fielded the aggressive questioning. She'd personally tipped off this particularly nosy journalist.

While the scandal had barely dented Evelyn's career, Isabelle hoped to bait her into some damning statement that would spark public backlash.

Penelope and Cassandra Blackwood moved closer through the crowd.

Flush with recent victories, Cassandra no longer feared Evelyn. Arrogance radiated from her every pore.

"You're absolutely right," Evelyn admitted suddenly, her smile vanishing. "That's exactly what happened."

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

Isabelle's champagne flute froze halfway to her lips. She hadn't anticipated Evelyn would actually confirm the rumors instead of deflecting with some polished excuse.

This unexpected honesty threw her off balance.

"Stop harassing Ms. Kingsley," Cassandra interjected with false sympathy, chin lifted smugly. "She's had quite enough humiliation after that contract breach." Her lips curled in a cruel smile. "But chin up, Ms. Kingsley. There's always next time. Your failure serves as an excellent cautionary tale for Blackwood Industries. Rest assured, we maintain far stricter confidentiality protocols with our clients."