"You look more like your father every day. How is he? I haven't had the pleasure of speaking to him yet."
Cole glanced at her, his eyes unreadable. "Mother and Father are just making the rounds, you know how it is."
"Of course," Sophia nodded, shifting slightly closer. "It's such a grand night, isn't it? The Rosettes have worked so hard to make it perfect for everyone."
Cole's face remained stoic, but he nodded politely. "It's certainly . . .
grand
."
Sophia's smile widened. This was her mont. She had spent months carefully orchestrating every aspect of Sophie's introduction to society, and tonight was the culmination of those efforts.
But the most critical piece of this puzzle was standing right beside her—Cole Fay. If she could secure his hand in marriage for Sophie, the Rosette family's future would be unstoppable.
"I must say, Cole," she continued smoothly, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial tone, "My
daughter
speaks so highly of you. It's clear she values your friendship deeply. It's rare to see such a strong connection between two young people these days."
Cole's eyes flickered with sothing unreadable, but before he could respond, Sophia pressed on. "You know, both of our families have always been close, and I think that connection will only grow stronger in the years to co. Don't you agree?"
It was subtle, but Cole knew what she was insinuating. His face tightened, but he maintained his composure.
"Tonight is the night we officially announce your engagent to my daughter," Sophia added, her voice low but with an edge, her gaze piercing through Cole. "I trust that you'll take care of her from now on."
Cole's brows furrowed together, and opened his mouth to respond, but before he could utter a word, the grand doors at the top of the staircase creaked open.
A collective gasp rippled through the room as Sophia Rosette appeared, stepping into view.
She was breathtaking. The gown she wore shimred under the grand chandelier, each intricate layer of fabric reflecting the light like spun gold.
Diamonds glittered at her throat, cascading down in delicate strands, each one worth more than most could ever dream.
The dress—lavish and bold—was a statent, an undeniable claim of power and status. Sophia wasn't just beautiful; she was radiant, her presence stole attention like a queen descending from her throne.
Sullivan, standing tall beside her, began to guide her down the grand staircase. Each step they took was deliberate, slow, as if giving the crowd below ti to absorb what they were witnessing.
The whispers began as murmurs, quiet and disbelieving at first, but quickly growing louder, spreading through the room like wildfire.
"Isn't that . . . the maid?"
"Where's Eve?"
"Wait—what's happening?"
"Could it be . . .? Is the maid the real Rosette?"
"What's going on here?"
Confusion gripped the guests as their eyes darted between Sullivan and Sophie.
The shift in atmosphere was instant, tension threading through every corner of the grand hall.
For years, they had believed Eve was the heir, the future of the Rosette legacy. But now, as Sophia descended the stairs, her face as beautiful as her mothers, the truth beca glaringly clear.
The real heir, the true Rosette, wasn't Eve. It was Sophie all along.
Voices buzzed with excitent as the revelation swept through the room like a shockwave. The dia, already poised for a story, could barely contain themselves, eager to capture the unfolding drama.
The guests stood frozen, stunned by the realization. This wasn't just an announcent—it was a seismic shift, a dramatic reshuffling of everything they thought they knew about the Rosette family.
And Cole, standing silent, his jaw set, was the only one who seed unsurprised.
Sophia's heart swelled with pride. Tonight was perfect. The most important families in the country were here, and all eyes were on Sophie.
This was not just her daughter's coming-of-age—it was the first step toward securing her future as the wife of Cole Fay, ensuring the Rosette legacy would be bound to the powerful Fay family.
She turned back to Cole, her voice soft but firm. "I believe our families are destined to accomplish great things together. Don't you think so? Isn't Sophie beautiful? You're a lucky man."
Cole t her gaze, his expression cold and impenetrable. "The jewelry she's wearing," he said, his voice low but edged with steel.
Sophia glanced at Sophia, his tone casual as if discussing a minor detail. "Ah, that. Sophie ntioned you gifted her those."
"They were for Eve." Cole's voice cut through the air like a blade, each word enunciated with precision, the underlying threat unmistakable. Respect, or any trace of decorum, had vanished from his deanor, and his eyes narrowed into icy slits.
The shift in his gaze sent a chill down Sophia's spine. Those eyes—they weren't just cold. They were lethal. She had seen that sa look before, in Cain Fay, the man whose reputation could crush empires without lifting a finger.
No matter how seasoned or shrewd Sophia was in the ruthless world of high society, facing that icy glare now was like standing before a predator.
It was Cain's legacy staring back at her—dangerous, unyielding, and capable of destroying everything in its path. Her heart skipped, her confidence wavering for the first ti.
She involuntarily took a step back, a shiver racing down her spine, but she quickly caught herself, masking the brief flicker of fear.
"Well, I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding," Sophia forced a laugh, trying to mask her unease. "I'm certain you ant them for the birthday celebrant. After all, Sophie is the real heir, Cole. Eve is just . . . a nobody. And she's gone now."
That was the trigger. Cole's eyes narrowed dangerously, the tension in the air thickening to an unbearable weight. His presence turned cold, an icy rage simring just beneath the surface.
For a split second, Sophia felt a genuine fear ripple through her—a primal instinct to flee. The way Cole was glaring at her, it seed like he might reach out and strangle her then and there.
Her breath caught in her throat, her pulse quickening. It was only Sullivan's tily intervention that stopped her from crumbling under the intensity of Cole's gaze.
"Ladies and gentlen," Sullivan began, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd, attempting to regain control of the spiraling situation. "I'm sure you're all surprised by this sudden revelation, but as you can see, Sophia is the true heir of the Rosette family."
BaAaAmM!
The door opened with a loud bang and ca in Sinclair, Victor and . . . a gorgeous woman.
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