Chapter 183

Isabella stood poised at the grand entrance of the ballroom.

Her heart raced as she caught Nathaniel's intense gaze fixed upon her.

"Nathaniel." Her cheeks flushed crimson as she approached him with eager steps.

Then the air shifted.

A intoxicating wave of rose perfume enveloped the space - bold, dangerous, utterly captivating.

Click. Click. Click.

The sharp staccato of designer heels echoed through the hall. Isabella froze, her breath catching in her throat under the sudden oppressive atmosphere.

Every eye in the room widened. Even Nathaniel stood transfixed, his dark gaze locked onto Seraphina's striking features.

Her arched brows could've been painted by Renaissance masters. Frosty eyes contrasted sharply with lips like burning embers that seared Nathaniel's soul.

Seraphina's tailored black suit should've made her blend in.

But that face - that impossible, breathtaking face - commanded attention like a queen among peasants.

Murmurs spread like wildfire through the crowd. Seraphina's sudden appearance was the social equivalent of a lightning strike.

Margaret and Victoria exchanged uneasy glances at this unexpected arrival.

"That's her!" someone gasped. "The CEO of Vanderbilt Hotels! She's been all over financial magazines this month!"

"Seraphina Vanderbilt! Daughter of Reginald Vanderbilt himself!"

"The one who's been going head-to-head with Nathaniel Kingsley? She's stunning but looks absolutely ruthless!"

"I study physiognomy - that bone structure screams old money aristocracy."

"Who cares about all that? Look at them together! They're like some power couple straight out of a romance novel!"

Nathaniel usually ignored such gossip. Today, it unsettled him.

Yet that last comment made the tension in his shoulders ease slightly.

Oddly... he didn't hate the idea.

Isabella watched helplessly as Seraphina stole every ounce of attention. Rage blurred her vision, turning her eyes bloodshot.

But what truly shattered her was the way Nathaniel looked at Seraphina.

In all her years knowing him, his gaze had always been as cold and fathomless as the Arctic.

Never like this - burning with barely restrained intensity.

Did he still...?

Could he possibly...?

"Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Prescott," Seraphina's voice cut through the murmurs like velvet-wrapped steel. "I hope you don't mind my crashing your little soirée."

"The pleasure is ours, Ms. Vanderbilt." Nathaniel's lips curved slightly. "Had I known you were coming, I'd have sent a personal invitation."

Seraphina's smile could've powered cities. "No need for formalities, Nathaniel. You know perfectly well I'm not here for the champagne and canapés."

His expression darkened instantly.

Behind him, Lawrence discreetly texted security: [How the hell did she get in?]

[Sir, we have no idea! She just materialized!]

[You had one job!]

[We'll remove her immediately!]

[Are you suicidal? That's Reginald Vanderbilt's daughter! Stand down and monitor the situation!]

"Oh my!" Charlotte gasped dramatically, zeroing in on Seraphina's jewelry. "Is that... Twilight from L'Amour Éternel?"

Seraphina's fingers brushed the exquisite brooch. "Indeed it is."

The crowd had been too mesmerized by her face to notice the seven-figure masterpiece pinned to her lapel.

"L'Amour Éternel! I'd kill to touch that!"

"That yellow diamond alone is worth millions! It's literally museum-worthy!"

"Typical Vanderbilt heir - casually wearing a fortune."

"Margaret's necklace looks cheap in comparison!"

Margaret choked on her champagne.

Cheap? That auction piece had cost Harrison a small fortune! She cursed the Sterling family internally - if not for bailing them out, she wouldn't be suffering this humiliation tonight.

"Ms. Vanderbilt," Charlotte gushed, "I've coveted Twilight since its exhibition debut two years ago! To think it ended up with you!"

Isabella's glare could've melted steel. She couldn't decide what infuriated her more - Seraphina's beauty, her obscenely expensive jewelry, or how Nathaniel couldn't look away from her.

"Two years ago was... difficult." Seraphina's voice softened unexpectedly. "I needed something beautiful to remind me life still held wonder. When I saw Twilight, it felt like... salvation. So I claimed it."

Nathaniel's throat tightened. Two years ago, he'd been commissioning exclusive pieces for Isabella.

Anything Isabella wanted, he'd move heaven and earth to obtain.

Yet for Seraphina... he'd offered nothing.

His constant gaze met only her turned back.

She still resented him.

That resentment meant she still cared.

"L'Amour Éternel pieces aren't just bought with money," Charlotte sighed admiringly. "Your philanthropic work must have impressed them greatly."

With effortless grace, Seraphina unpinned Twilight and placed it on a silk scarf from her pocket.

Then she extended it toward Charlotte.

"Ms. Vanderbilt?!"

"It suits you better." Seraphina's tone brooked no argument. "Consider it a token of our new acquaintance."

The collective gasp could've sucked oxygen from the room.

Margaret, Victoria, and Isabella gaped like fish.

She'd just gifted a million-dollar brooch like it was a Starbucks coupon!

Nathaniel's palms grew damp.

What game was she playing now?

Charlotte looked ready to faint from euphoria.