*****After about two hours of nonstop driving through the city, the BMW 3 Series finally rolled into a massive private territory.The moment the vehicle passed through the towering black gates, Nicholas lazily lifted his gaze and looked outside the window.Within the estate stood several luxurious buildings spread across a vast stretch of land.A beautifully maintained garden stretched across nearly five acres, illuminated by soft golden lights that gave the flowers and trimmed hedges an almost dreamlike appearance.There was even an artificial lake reflecting the lights around it like a mirror, while farther ahead sat a private grocery store and a fully equipped security barracks occupied by armed guards.Every vehicle entering the estate was carefully inspected.The guards moved with trained precision, scanning plates, checking identities, and inspecting for potential threats or trespassers without missing a single detail.The place resembled a miniature city more than a family est

*****Watching Nicholas sauntering behind Kelly at an almost careless pace, the two guards felt as though he were deliberately mocking them.Without even realizing it, their expressions darkened with suppressed anger, yet neither Kelly nor Nicholas paid them any further attention.The couple just calmly crossed the threshold into the banquet hall, and instantly, the atmosphere shifted entirely.It was as though they had stepped into a different world.Outside had already carried traces of celebration, but inside was on another level altogether.The hall stretched wide and luminous, filled with at least a hundred guests dressed in refined, aristocratic attire.Small groups stood scattered across the space, each cluster immersed in its own conversation.Every face wore the same practiced expression… a polite, elegant smile that never quite reached the eyes.Glasses of wine moved between hands, soft laughter floated through the air, and yet beneath it all lay something far less gentle.H

*****The hall gradually fell silent, and soon, nearly two minutes that felt like a long time went by.Yet throughout all of it, the Palmers’ Matriarch neither looked at Kelly nor acknowledged her existence even once.It was as though she hadn’t heard a single word.Then…“Tsk.”Tongues began to click around the hall again, another wave of whispers spreading instantly.“How embarrassing.”“Honestly, if I were her, I would’ve dug a hole and buried myself already.”The ridicule flooded the hall once more, heavier than before.Yet Kelly neither flinched nor reacted.She simply remained there quietly for another moment.Then, with the same composed elegance and detached indifference she had maintained since entering the hall, she kowtowed once again before finally rising to her feet.Her face remained expressionless… cold, calm, and untouched.Then she turned around, seemingly prepared to return to the congregation area, when suddenly…“Sister, it seems you have forgotten your place and n

*****The instant the Matriarch’s words echoed through the hall, silence rapidly spread, every gaze turning toward Kelly.Some were instantly curious, some were amused, but most were filled with contempt.Most of the C-rank leaders leaned back leisurely, enjoying the spectacle unfolding before them like nobles watching entertainment during dinner.Several women even smirked openly, and through all of it…Kelly stood alone.Then suddenly…“Grandmother,” Romeo spoke again, his smile widening slightly.But now, that smile no longer looked warm. It looked ruthless, playful, and mocking.His eyes remained fixed on Kelly the entire time, brimming with schadenfreude.“What explanation could Elder Sister possibly have for bringing a servant into tonight’s banquet?” he asked lightly. “Unless…” He paused for a moment, a faint chuckle escaping him afterward. “She’s started thinking she’s too important to follow the same rules everyone else does.”Silence fell once more, everyone staring at Romeo

*****Only a handful of people in the hall couldn't help but finally feel a trace of pity for Kelly.‘But she is a victim too,’ someone contemplated, unable to completely stomach the treatment she had been receiving since she arrived.‘She didn't choose how she was born.’‘This is going too far...’Unfortunately, such a realization existed only among a tiny minority. As for everyone else...They appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the spectacle unfolding before them, most of them seeing Kelly as nothing but entertainment.The moment she stepped into the hall, she had become the center of attention, and now that attention had transformed into something sharp and vicious.Then, just at that moment…“Why are you making things difficult for your elder sister, son?” Maggie asked softly.Her voice was so gentle and warm that she appeared like someone who couldn't even bear to hurt an ant.The concern on her face looked genuine, the slight reproach in her tone sounding sincere.For a moment,