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Novel Catalog
Chapter 53
The two deals that had been successfully closed earlier called for a grand celebration. The board members, eager to showcase Universe Group’s growing influence, decided to host a lavish banquet. Rose Manor was selected as the venue, a place synonymous with elegance and grandeur.
The night was alive with energy, the venue packed with luxury cars that lined the entrance. Inside, the guests mingled and sipped champagne, the air filled with chatter and laughter.
The women in attendance were dressed to impress, their dinner gowns flowing gracefully, each trying to outshine the other. It was a competitive atmosphere, with everyone eager to be noticed.
Marco, a man who controlled nearly half of the city’s economy, was, unsurprisingly, among the invited guests. His entrance commanded attention. The moment he walked into the room, heads turned, and many women began to eye him like bees to honey, eager to catch his attention.
But just as they were about to swarm him, something unexpected happened. Marco was not alone.
Keely, dressed in a beige gown that accentuated her slender figure, stepped in beside him. Her hair was styled to perfection, her smile radiant, and her posture regal. She walked beside Marco with an air of confidence, as though she owned the room.
As soon as she entered, all eyes were on her. She was aware of the intense gazes that followed her every step, and she couldn’t help but smile brighter, basking in the attention. She loved it.
Keely had cried in Marco’s presence after her fiancé’s death, and the sympathy he had shown her made her feel closer to him. She had been playing the victim, and it had worked. Now, she was using the opportunity to show the world that she was a woman of importance—his woman.
The moment they walked in together, the whispers began. Everyone who saw them, locked arm in arm, immediately assumed they were more than just acquaintances. The rumors from a few weeks ago about Marco’s divorce were still fresh in everyone’s minds, and the gossip about Keely being the mistress who had torn apart his marriage seemed to be gaining momentum.
Now, with Marco by her side, it seemed as though the relationship was more than just a rumor—it was real. The onlookers couldn’t help but wonder if marriage was in their future.
Keely soaked up the envy-filled stares, walking taller with every step. She imagined herself in a white dress, walking down the aisle toward Marco, who would be waiting for her at the altar. It was a fantasy she clung to, a dream she was desperate to make come true.
But as she reveled in the attention, she failed to notice Marco’s discomfort.
His expression had darkened, and his frown deepened as Keely, oblivious to his mood, kept her arm tightly wound around his. It wasn’t the attention she was receiving that bothered him, but the way she was acting—the way she was almost smug about it.
And then, just as they were about to continue through the crowd, Marco froze. His eyes locked onto something—or rather, someone—across the room.
His gaze hardened, and a wave of unease rippled through him.
