The host onstage raised his voice with passionate enthusiasm. "Now, let's welcome our esteemed President of Dongfang Corporation and his lovely wife!"
A round of thunderous applause erupted across the banquet hall.
Ethan Yu stepped onto the stage with Hailey Tang at his side, both emerging from backstage with quiet poise.
The spotlight fell on them—
In an instant, their combined presence stunned the entire room.
Ethan Yu was already known for his noble status and striking good looks, tall and commanding, exuding an unmatched aura of authority and charisma.
But no one had expected his wife to be so delicate and beautiful—every move she made carried the elegance and composure of a true socialite.
Together, the two of them were like a divine match, a perfect couple out of a dream. The phrase "winners in life" seemed to have been coined just for them.
Status, family background, looks, wealth—they had it all.
Even their life partners were flawless.
There wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't envious of them.
Everyone—except for Lin Xiner, who stood silently in the corner, consumed by jealousy.
She tightened her grip on her wine glass, unable to suppress the bitterness swelling in her chest.
Tonight… she should have been the one at his side.
She should have been the one dressed in finery, standing proudly next to the president.
But fate had played a cruel trick on her. She had thought the goddess of luck had finally smiled upon her—only to realize, in the end, it was all just a fleeting illusion.
She knew, logically, that it was natural for the president to attend events with his wife.
But her heart… just couldn't accept it.
No matter how hard she tried to suppress her feelings, the pain remained.
Lin Xiner took a long sip of her wine, trying to hypnotize herself with silent warnings.
He's married. He has a wife. You shouldn't have fallen for him.
You must not fall for him…
…
Ethan Yu delivered a short but powerful speech, and then led Hailey down the steps of the stage.
"Careful," he murmured as he reached out instinctively to support her down the high platform steps.
Hailey was briefly caught off guard. When she looked up, she gave him a gentle, grateful smile.
That sudden, radiant smile momentarily froze Ethan in place. His reaction was so subtle and brief that no one else noticed the shift in his expression.
But Hailey noticed.
And she was quite pleased with it.
Hmph, if he wanted to act, she could play along too!
Let's see who ends up taking whom seriously.
To everyone else in the room, unaware of their private thoughts, the scene was simply that of a loving, harmonious couple.
After all, such natural chemistry and tenderness couldn't be faked—not unless there was real love behind it.
That meant the divorce rumors must be false! A deliberate attempt to smear the Dongfang name!
Even if the two were getting a divorce, there was no way they'd allow the news to spread during such a critical time.
So clearly, the rumors were false…
Ethan had achieved exactly what he wanted: their intimate, cooperative display tonight would soon make the rounds, and the gossip would dissolve on its own.
Hailey had played her part flawlessly—gracefully holding onto his arm, staying beside him as they greeted guest after guest, toast after toast.
But standing for so long had taken a toll. Her calves ached badly, and she was starting to struggle just to stay upright.
And then, out of nowhere, a wave of dizziness hit her. Her vision blurred slightly, and her head felt light, as though it was deprived of oxygen. Her reactions dulled.
She'd never had to deal with this many people at once, and it was becoming too much for her.
Ethan turned toward her and immediately noticed something was wrong.
"What's the matter?" he asked in a low voice, his tone tinged with concern.
Hailey's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the chandelier above—its crystals were swaying strangely. Her dizziness worsened.
"I…" she started to say, but she never got the words out.
With a sharp creaking noise, the chandelier above them suddenly broke loose—
"Watch out!"
A powerful force shoved both Ethan and Hailey away in the blink of an eye—just as the massive crystal fixture came crashing down.