Chapter 62

Eleanor's eyes flickered in Nolan's direction almost on instinct.

The moment her gaze collided with Nolan's, a jolt of surprise ran through her, and she instantly averted her eyes.

Nolan seemed to have made it his mission to haunt her lately.

She couldn't wrap her head around how the head of the Stewart Group managed to find so much spare time.

Lillian, entirely unaware of Eleanor's unease, grabbed Ryland's hand and said cheerfully,"Ryland, look at this dress! Isn't it gorgeous?"

Ryland glanced over, nearly laughing out loud.

With a perfectly straight face, he played along. "Hmm, there's definitely some unique symbolism there.Quite impressive."

His tone suggested a compliment, but there was an underlying note of irony.

Nolan let his gaze linger on Eleanor for a moment before turning his attention to Lainey.

He finally offered a verdict. "Hmm.. she wears it like a saintly figure draped in shadows."

If he hadn't given Eleanor those loaded glances beforehand, people might have believed he was genuiely praising Lainey.

But there was an unspoken weight to his glances.

Whispers of old scandals immediately sprang to mind for everyone nearby.

Lainey truly fit the image; after all, she had taken Eleanor's husband.

Who else could play the part of a saintly figure shrouded in darkness? That meek,sorrowful act of hers made it all the more convincing!

Jonny's face clouded with frustration.

They were openly sabotaging his big day!

But with the Stewart and the Brooks families wielding so much power, he was in no position to retaliate.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he never would have invited them to win them over.

Now, he was paying the price for his own ambition.

Lainey's flawless makeup did nothing to hide the flush of embarrassment burning across her cheeks.

Ten million had gone into that dress, only to become the butt of a joke!

Nolan was siding with Eleanor and twisting the knife on purpose!

Lillian caught sight of Lainey's mortified look and knew exactly what was running through her mind.

She leaned in, taking full advantage of the attention, and added in a sweet voice, "If we're being honest, the gown is gorgeous, but the one in it... not quite as impressive."

Rage bubbled up inside Lainey, and if Jonny hadn't been gripping her arm, she likely would have lashed out at Lillian right then and there.

Even though frustration simmered beneath the surface, Jonny managed to keep his composure.

If he couldn't challenge them directly, the best option was to retreat gracefully.

He mustered a strained smile. "Mr. Stewart, Mr. Brooks, please enjoy the celebration. Lainey and I have some things to attend to, so we'll excuse ourselves."

With the couple moving away, the rest of the guests slowly began to scatter as well.

Nolan now had a clear line of sight to Eleanor, who looked especially stunning tonight.

Feeling his unwavering attention, Eleanor grew a bit uneasy. Eleanor was about to pull Lillian along whena voice rang out in front of them.

"Nolan..." Emma's tone was so sweet it was almost nauseating.

Great, so much for a quick escape.

There was clearly more drama ahead.

Eleanor and Lillian shared a knowing look, stopping in their tracks at the same moment.

Jealousy then flickered in Emma's eyes as she glanced their way, but she quickly masked it behind a dazzling smile.

Drawing closer, she pretended to stumble and let out a theatrical gasp, aiming to fall right into Nolan's arms.

Trying to fling herself at Nolan?

Really?

But Nolan had zero patience for that kind of performance.

A look of clear annoyance flashed in his eyes as he quickly moved aside.

"Ah!" Emma tumbled to the floor, and her glass of red wine splattered perfectly across her dress.

Disaster, served up for everyone to see.

Eleanor couldn't resist a quiet chuckle.

Nolan always had an army of admirers chasing after him, and this top fan was pulling out all the stops.

Eleanor casually folded her arms, eyeing Nolan with an amused, knowing look.

When their eyes met, Nolan's lips twisted into a sly grin, a playful glint lighting up his expression.

For a moment, his usual polished expression vanished, replaced by something far more irreverent.