Chapter 224

Weddings in high society were often seen as more than just celebrations. They were opportunities to make valuable connections. Joyce's wedding was no different. The grand hall was filled with influential figures from Olisvine's business circles, all eagerly awaiting the arrival of Daniela, the CEO of Elite Lux.

Guests craned their necks, glancing towards the entrance in anticipation. But as the wedding drew to a close, Daniela was still nowhere to be found.

Whispers of discontent began to circulate among the guests. Finally, one man approached Caiden, his tone sharp. "Ms. Harper isn't coming, is she? You promised she would be here."

The wedding had attracted all the big players from Olisvine's business world. Even a hardware mogul,still recovering from a broken leg, had managed to hobble in with an extravagant gift.But why? They had come for Daniela. Not for Caiden.Not for Alexander.

Caiden was fully aware of this. Yet, to help Alexander build connections, he had shamelessly used Daniela's name to attract the guests.

With a forced smile, Caiden responded, "Of course,she'll be here. Daniela is always so dedicated to her work that she's probably caught up with something.In the meantime, if there's anything you need to discuss, you can always talk to Alexander. It's pretty much the same thing."

He motioned for Alexander to come over. The young man approached with a wine glass in hand. Caiden gestured toward the guest and introduced him."Alexander, this is one of the top export distributors in the country."

Alexander offered a polite smile and raised his glass in greeting. But the guest's expression instantly hardened.

The guest refused to clink glasses with Alexander,cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "Mr.Harper,this is unacceptable. Using your daughter's wedding to boost your son-in-law's status is one thing,but claiming Daniela would attend when she's not here? That crosses the line."

Another guest, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, stepped forward. "Exactly. We're not here for the wedding-we came to meet Daniela. The gifts we brought weren't for Joyce; they were investments in forging a connection with Daniela.If this was just any wedding, I would've shown up with a thousand bucks. But instead, I brought a priceless antique. If Daniela doesn't show up, you'd better return it to me."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.

"Exactly!" someone chimed in from the gathering crowd. "Isn't this straight-up deception? Everyone knows the Harper family doesn't get along with Daniela. Before I came, I asked multiple times if she'd be here, and you assured me she would. You said she's family and wouldn't miss her sister's wedding. So where is she? Where is Daniela?"

Caiden's face turned red with embarrassment.

He had warned Katrina that this plan was bound to fail.

These were people who couldn't be easily fooled. If Daniela didn't appear, there was no chance they would simply let it go.

But Katrina had brushed off his worries, saying,"They've already brought the gifts. Do you really think they'll take them back?"

Caiden wanted to retort, "Why wouldn't they?" A thousand-dollar gift was one thing,but a priceless antique worth millions was another. Did Katrina think they brought these gifts for Joyce out of generosity?No, they were here for Daniela. Now, realizing that Daniela's bond with them had become so strained that she wouldn't even show up to the wedding,how could they possibly accept this without protest?

Seeing the growing chaos, Katrina rushed over to Caiden, leaning in close. "Call Daniela. Now!" she whispered urgently.

What should have been a joyous celebration was quickly turning into a public spectacle, all due to Katrina's insatiable greed.

Meanwhile, Alexander and his father sat with blank expressions, clearly humiliated. They had never felt so ashamed. The Bennett family's relatives around them kept their heads down, whispering quietly.

"Alexander was meant to be the pride of the Bennett family. How did he end up marrying someone like her?" one of them muttered.

"Who knows? She's nowhere near as impressive as Daniela. Joyce looks like trouble-mark my words,the Bennett family will regret this in the future."

"This is a disgrace. Should we leave now? We're all businesspeople. Imagine the fallout if word gets out that the Bennett family used deceit to collect expensive gifts. Who would trust us then?" The relatives shared looks of agreement before quietly slipoping out through the back door.

Watching this, the Harper family's relatives did the same,quickly leaving the wedding in large numbers.

By the time two-thirds of the event had passed, the majority of both the Harper and Bennett families'relatives had already left. The tables in front of the stage now stood eerily empty.

Caiden hadn't expected things to spiral so badly.Even reporters had arrived to cover the unfolding chaos.

In his panic, he rushed to the hallway, desperate to reach Daniela.

But his calls were met with silence-his number had been blocked. Growing more desperate, he flagged down a passing waiter and borrowed his phone.Dialing again, he held his breath as the phone rang.

After a few rings, the call finally connected. Daniela's voice came through the line, sharp and clear. "Hello?"

For a moment, Caiden couldn't find the words. The silence stretched on until he felt Daniela's growing impatience. He swallowed his hesitation, forcing a stiff "Hello" from his lips.

"What do you want?" Daniela replied, her tone cold and distant.

Caiden finally managed to ask, "Can you come to your sister's wedding?"