Chapter 5

Time flew by, and before I knew it, the school's annual Spring Ball had arrived.

This was the biggest event of the semester, and all the campus celebrities would be there.

This year, all eyes were on Kael and Stella.

Half a month ago, Stella had been telling everyone that Kael would make their relationship official at this ball—in front of the entire school. Maybe even propose.

The whole campus was buzzing. Everyone was waiting to see the fairy-tale ending between the wealthy heir and the ordinary girl.

After all, Kael's special treatment of Stella over the past few months had been obvious to everyone.

Everyone thought this proposal was a done deal.

On the night of the ball, Stella wore a pure white couture gown with flawless makeup.

She looked exactly like a female lead straight out of a werewolf novel.

My parents showed up too, dressed in rented formal wear. They flanked Stella, unable to hide the smugness on their faces.

The moment they walked in, they were surrounded by a crowd of flatterers.

"Stella, you look stunning tonight! No wonder Kael is head over heels for you!"

"Congratulations! When Kael proposes later, you have to say yes! We're all waiting for the wedding!"

"Once you're the mistress of the Hale family, don't forget about us old classmates!"

Drowning in praise, Stella completely lost her grip on reality. She lifted her chin, striking a pose worthy of the Hale family matriarch, waving her hand with a smile:

"Don't worry, everyone. Once Kael and I are married, I'll make sure he gets you all internships at Hale Group!"

The flattery grew even louder.

I stood in a corner of the ballroom, wearing my mask and baseball cap, hiding myself in the shadows.

I looked up at the stage. There were plenty of people around Kael,

but his gaze cut through the crowd, landing precisely on the corner where I was hiding.

The moment our eyes met, my heart skipped a beat.

I quickly ducked my head and slipped behind a pillar. When I looked up again, he'd already looked away and was speaking quietly with Jasper beside him—as if that moment of eye contact had been my imagination.

Before long, the host walked onto the stage with a smile:

"Welcome to Boston University's Spring Ball! Now, let's give a warm round of applause for our hockey team captain, Kael, to come up and say a few words!"

Kael set down his glass, straightened his suit jacket, and strode onto the stage.

He swept his gaze across the audience, his eyes landing on Stella at the very front of the crowd.

His lips parted slightly as his deep voice carried through the speakers across the room:

"Thank you all for your trust and support of the hockey team. But tonight, I'm not just here to express gratitude. I also want to give Miss Stella a very special gift."

The moment he finished, the entire room erupted!

"Propose! Propose! Propose!"

"Get together! Get together! Get together!"

A spotlight instantly found Stella. Her face flushed crimson, tears welling in her eyes. She covered her mouth with both hands, trembling with excitement.

Kael looked at the crowd below, his smile deepening. He extended a hand toward Stella, his voice dripping with allure: "Miss Stella, would you come up on stage and accept my gift?"

"Yes!"

Stella screamed the word, gathering up her white gown and running toward the stage amid everyone's cheers.

She stood beside Kael, gazing at him with utter adoration, as if she could already see herself as Mrs. Hale.

Just as everyone waited for Kael to get down on one knee and pull out a ring,

Kael suddenly stepped back, putting distance between them, and snapped his fingers at Jasper backstage.

The next second, the massive LED screen behind the stage lit up.

When the content on the screen became clear, the cheering instantly died.

The entire ballroom fell deathly silent.