Chapter 4

By the next morning, the Astor family estate was buzzing.

Every politician, business mogul, and socialite worth knowing in the city had shown up.

Camera crews had their equipment lined up along the estate gates, flashbulbs going off in waves.

"Elias, CEO of Vance Group, set to marry the Astor family heiress in the wedding of the century!"

"Astor Group on the brink of a major shakeup — new heiress makes her debut!"

Headlines like these were already flooding every corner of the internet.

I was dressed in a server's uniform, moving through the glittering crowd with a tray of champagne flutes.

"Martha, congratulations! Hannah is so lucky — marrying a man like Elias!"

A cluster of wealthy socialites had gathered around Martha, tripping over themselves to flatter her.

Martha was dressed in a crimson haute couture gown, the imperial green jade pendant at her throat catching the sunlight with every move she made.

She was smiling so wide, the fine lines on her face had crinkled into full bloom.

"Oh, please — our Hannah and Elias have been inseparable since they were children. That Grace is just a bookworm. Rigid as a plank of wood. What made her think she was ever good enough for a man like Elias?"

Martha made no attempt to lower her voice. She clearly wanted to be heard.

"Exactly," someone nearby chimed in. "I heard Grace was unlucky from the start. Died in some lab explosion overseas. A family legacy like the Astors' deserves to go to someone like Hannah — someone blessed."

The others murmured in agreement.

I carried my tray over to Martha and dipped my head slightly.

"Madam. Your champagne."

Martha didn't even glance at me. She reached out and grabbed a glass without looking.

"Move faster," she hissed under her breath, her smile never wavering for the guests nearby. "If anything goes wrong today, I will end you."

Then she turned away, snapping back into her gracious hostess act as the next group of guests approached.

I watched her go, a cold smile pulling at the corner of my mouth.

Enjoy it, Martha. Savor every last second of this.

At ten o'clock sharp, the ceremony began.

An extravagant crystal stage had been erected on the estate's lawn.

Elias stood at the center of it, dressed in a white custom-fitted suit, looking every bit the part.

As the first notes of the Wedding March rang out, Hannah appeared at the end of the aisle on Martha's arm, moving slowly toward the altar.

She was wearing the one-of-a-kind wedding gown — the one that had been altered beyond recognition — and my mother's heirloom tiara rested on her head. Her face was radiant with the pride of someone who believed she had already won.

"Today, I want to thank everyone for joining Hannah and me on this special occasion."

Elias took the microphone, his gaze warm and full as he looked at Hannah.

"And today marks something else as well. Given Mrs. Astor's declining health, the family cannot remain without clear leadership. By unanimous decision of the Astor board of directors, sixty percent of Astor Group's shares will be officially transferred to Hannah — effective today."

The crowd erupted in applause.

Hannah trembled with excitement from head to toe. She was finally going to become a billionaire heiress in her own right — everything she'd ever wanted.

A lawyer in a black suit stepped onto the stage, carrying a thick stack of documents.

"Hannah and Elias, please sign the transfer agreement."

Hannah snatched the pen before he'd even finished speaking. Her hand was shaking.

The moment she signed, everything the Astors had built would belong to her.

The tip of her pen hovered over the signature line—

"Stop."

A voice cut through the air — clear, calm, and completely certain. It came through the estate's hidden sound system, carrying into every corner of the grounds.

The entire crowd went still.

Hannah's hand jerked violently. The pen dragged a sharp black line across the agreement.

Elias's expression darkened in an instant. He spun toward the direction of the broadcast room.

"Who is that?!" Martha shrieked. "Who the hell is playing tricks?!"

I slipped off the waitress uniform, revealing the sharp black blazer I had on underneath.

From the back of the crowd, I walked toward the stage — one step at a time.

The crowd parted for me automatically.

When everyone finally saw my face, the room filled with sharp gasps.

"G… Grace?! Isn't she dead!"

"Oh my God, it's really the Astor heiress! What on earth is going on?"

The guests erupted.

I kept walking in my heels, each step steady and deliberate.

I stopped in front of the stage and stared up at the two pale-faced figures standing on it.

"Elias. Hannah." My voice was ice. "Did you really think you could put your hands on anything belonging to the Astor family?"