Chapter 5

He began to read the list.

Three luxury penthouses in Manhattan, valued at three hundred million.

A private island in the Maldives, valued at two hundred million.

Ten limited-edition supercars, worth fifty million.

Five percent of the Sterling Group's global shares, valued at one billion.

Along with rare diamonds, jewelry, and art, totaling another few hundred million.

The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Victoria’s jaw literally hit the floor, her eyes bulging with greed.

Chloe’s eyes welled with tears, her hand flying to her mouth as her voice trembled. "He... he really is doing this for me..."

She actually thought this was all for her.

After finishing the list, the butler looked up. "Is Miss Scarlett Vance here?"

Chloe instinctively took a step forward, smiling warmly. "I am Chloe Vance."

The butler’s face remained completely stoic. "I asked for Scarlett Vance."

The smile on Chloe’s face instantly died.

I stood up from my dark corner. "I’m here."

The butler looked at me, his eyes softening with deep respect. "Miss Scarlett, Mr. Sterling will arrive in ten minutes. Please be ready."

Chloe’s face drained of all color.

Victoria rushed forward, grabbing the butler's sleeve. "Wait! You must have made a mistake! The one Julian wants to marry is my daughter, Chloe!"

The butler frowned, pulling his arm away. "Madam, Mr. Sterling made it crystal clear last night that he is marrying the second daughter of the Vance family. Do you have another second daughter?"

Victoria choked on her words, speechless.

Chloe stood frozen on her own red carpet, her expensive gown suddenly looking utterly ridiculous. Just minutes ago, she was gloating in front of the mirror, thinking she was the star of the show. It turned out none of this was for her.

She bit her lip, tears finally spilling over.

Looking at her pathetic face, I felt absolutely zero pity.

Chloe, this is the trap you set for yourself.

Ten minutes passed in a flash.

The roar of another engine echoed outside. This time, it was a sleek, pitch-black Maybach with a custom license plate. Everyone in the city knew that was Julian Sterling’s personal ride.

The car stopped, and the door opened.

Julian stepped out. He wore a bespoke black suit, the diamond cufflinks gleaming in the morning sun. Two assistants followed closely behind, carrying leather briefcases.

Chloe rushed to the door, forcing a weak smile. "Julian, welcome to our home."

Julian didn't even look at her. He walked straight past her into the living room, his sharp eyes scanning the space. "Where is Scarlett?"

I stepped out from the corner. "Right here."

The moment Julian saw me, his brow furrowed.

He stared at my face for three solid seconds before whipping around to glare at Chloe. His voice was like ice. "Who did her makeup?"

Chloe stammered, "I... I just had the makeup artist..."

"Wash it off," Julian cut her off, his tone leaving no room for argument.

His assistant immediately stepped forward, handing me a pack of luxury makeup-removing wipes.

I blinked in surprise, took the wipes, and slowly wiped away the heavy, dull foundation. My pale skin was revealed once more, and without the muddy eyeshadow, my sharp, bedroom eyes shone with their natural, captivating charm.

Julian looked at me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Much better."

He waved his hand, and his assistant handed over a document. "Did you review the gift list?"

I nodded. "I did."

"Are you satisfied?"

Before I could answer, Victoria burst forward. "Julian! You can't do this! Scarlett... she’s not a respectable girl! Her mother was—"

"Shut up," Julian said.

Just two words, but they cut Victoria off like a blade to the throat. She gasped, instantly silenced.

Julian turned back to me, his voice softening. "Scarlett, I told you last night I would bring a proposal gift today."

He paused, reaching into his breast pocket, and pulled out a black velvet box. Then, he dropped to one knee.

The entire room gasped.

Chloe stood on the side, biting her lip so hard it began to bleed.

Julian clicked the box open, revealing a flawless, pink diamond ring the size of a quail egg. "Marry me."