Chapter 50

Addie brought up her recent run-in with Eliana at the beauty salon.

Zach's brow arched. "You're telling me she didn't turn you down when you offered to help her find a match?"

"Not at all," Addie said, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. "She seemed pleased, even kept it from Stella, and told me she'd bring Damon to Brenda's engagement banquet. I'd say she's dazzled by the city's shine... Shame for her that the Murray Group collapsed right before she came back."

The irritation on Zach's face eased, though doubt lingered in his voice. "You really think Barry-picky as he is-would go for a woman from the countryside? He's not exactly the type to take orders from us."

With a confident smile, Addie said, "You haven't seen her, Zach. She's even more stunning than Stella was in her youth. And you know the Murrays-beauty runs in the family."

Zach said decisively, "Then quit wasting time. Call Barry and tell him to visit the Murray family today."

After a pause, he added, "And make sure he brings something with him. No showing up empty-handed."

That sealed it-he was on board with Addie's plan to pair Eliana with Barry.

Addie's eyes lit with satisfaction as she reached for her phone.

Across the room, Brenda had been watching quietly. She stood, expressionless, and started for the stairs.

Zach's voice stopped her halfway. "Have you truly thought it through-marrying Cullen?"

Her gaze turned cold as she looked back. "Why wouldn't l? He's a perfect fit. Graduated from a top university. Only twenty-eight and already a mid-level manager at a Fortune 500 company. I respect a man who climbs on his own, not one like Damon who survives on his family's name."

Zach's lips curled into a sneer. "Mid-level manager? Don't kid yourself. Without my help, he'd still be a nobody working for the White Group." And it was true-without Zach's help, Cullen Reid would still be another nameless employee at the White Group.

Brenda, however, had no interest in hearing it. In her eyes, Cullen was charming, humorous, and never afraid to put in the effort to keep her happy-everything Damon was not. Damon, in her mind, was the awkward type who couldn't string together a complete sentence when they first met.

Truthfully, she had once felt a flicker of gratitude toward Damon.

If not for him, she would have been trampled under a horse's hooves that day.

That gratitude soured the moment she slipped by to visit himin secret and caught sight of his reality-needing assistance just to get to the bathroom. From then on, whatever warmth she'd felt dissolved.

When whispers began about her being ungrateful, she foundherself wishing Damon would simply disappear for good.

One thing was certain-she could marry anyone but him. She refused to chain her future to a man in a wheelchair.

Cullen's bank account might not stretch far, and his yearly salary couldn't even buy her a high-end car.

That hardly mattered to Brenda. Her family's fortune meant she would never go without.

What she lacked was love, not money. If Cullen could give her that, she wouldn't care if she married into a family of average means.

Zach studied the stubborn set of her face and let out a weary sigh. "If that's your choice, then go ahead.Just don't come to me later with regrets."

Without answering, Brenda turned on her heel and climbed the stairs, not sparing him a glance.

In her mind, there was no doubt-she could regret marrying Cullen, but marrying the crippled Damon would be a lifetime sentence. Inside the Murrays' estate, Jordy was darting from one end of the hall to the other.

The crowd kept growing, and the stock of drinks they'd bought earlier was nearly gone, forcing him to place a rushed order for more.

Oddly enough, the busier he became, the broader his grin grew.

He remembered Leyla refusing to leave earlier, her eyes sharp with the hope of watching the Murrays embarrass themselves.

That hope had been crushed-no one dared mock them now.

Eliana, on the other hand, found the crowd exhausting.

Surrounded by eager young women, she was trapped in small talk she had no interest in entertaining.

At first, she kept her composure, listening politely. But as the chatter drifted far from her, the Murrays, or even lighthearted topics like handbags and fine jewelry, and began circling solely around Tristan, her patience thinned.

"Eliana, how exactly do you know Mr. Pearson? When did you first meet him?" one of them asked without warning.

The question didn't catch her off guard.

It wasn't hard to guess that these wealthy socialites had no genuine interest in her, someone they dismissed as a country outsider, especially now that the Murray name had lost its shine.

They weren't here to get to know her; their target was clear.

With that clear in her mind, Eliana kept her face unreadable and said, "We've only just met. I barely know him."

The women picked up on her cool tone, and a flicker of discomfort passed between them.

Once, the Murray family had commanded their full attention.

But because of her family's fallen social standing, Eliana meant nothing to them now. Still, their reason for being here outweighed their irritation, so they pushed down their pride and forced their smiles to stay in place.

Not two minutes passed before another couldn't hold back and circled the conversation right back to Tristan. "Eliana, what kind of things does Tristan enjoy? Does he have anything he usually does for fun?"

wouldn't know," she said simply.

If anything, she probably knew even less about him than they did.

Her honesty was met with silent skepticism.

Since Tristan had shown up in person at her welcome-home banquet, they refused to believe she didn't know him well. In their minds, she was simply keeping him to herself, afraid one of them might try to take him.

They sneered inwardly, convinced that even if he turned every single one of them down, he would never be interested in Eliana.

Pretty or not, she was still, in their eyes, a bumpkin.

Before arriving, they had already done their homework, digging up the fact that Eliana had once been engaged back when she was still living in the countryside.

That made themall the more certain she was being brazen, daring enough to keep quiet about anything involving Tristan.

"Eliana..." One of them held out a bracelet toward her.

She didn't accept it. A faint crease formed on her brow as she asked,"What are you trying to do?"

The young lady's smile didn't waver. "Picked this up at an auction for three million. Looks like it was made for you. Take it, and maybe you can tell us what Tristan's into."

Eliana responded, "I've already told you, I don't know. If you're that curious, you can go ask him yourself.He's right there." The women traded sharp glances, their irritation with her building to the edge.

One finally snapped, saying, "Don't tell me you actually think Mr. Pearson showed up at your welcome-horne banquet because he's interested in you."

With someone leading the charge, another one chimed in, "You should be grateful we're even talking to you.Try showing a little respect."

"That's right! You're just some woman from the countryside. Do you really believe you could marry into a famly like his? Stop fooling yourself," another voice added.

Eliana's gaze swept over them, cold and unflinching. "Not everyone spends their days swooning over Tristan like you do."

The bluntness left them speechless. Before any could recover, she said, "I'm going to the bathroom. Have a lovely evening."

Without another look back, she walked away.

If not for the fact that she now bore the Murray name, and that this banquet had been arranged by Stella in her honor, Eliana wouldn't have spared them a single word.

The mood had already soured, so she saw no reason to keep up appearances.

A sudden longing for her friends from the Onyx Syndicate caught her off guard

Still, she reminded herself the separation wouldn't last.

Earlier that day, Carl had handed her the factory, and by tomorrow, the Onyx Syndicate would be starting its move to Qidence.

As she slipped into the night, she planned to tell Seth the news straightaway.

She never noticed the quiet footsteps trailing behind her.