By the time Adrian arrived at the Sterling family's birthday celebration, the bitterness that had consumed him for days had almost completely disappeared. The truth Stanley had uncovered had changed everything. Evelyn had never betrayed him. Instead, she had spent years quietly protecting him while he foolishly believed she wanted nothing to do with him.Stanley stepped out of the vehicle behind him, but Adrian barely noticed. His thoughts were fixed on Evelyn. She was somewhere inside the luxurious venue, probably surrounded by people who had spent years making her life more difficult. Tonight, however, Adrian wasn't entering that place as the helpless live-in son-in-law they all looked down on. He had finally discovered what his wife had sacrificed for him and Lily.The birthday celebration was already in full swing when Adrian entered. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the enormous banquet hall, while elegantly dressed guests gathered around tables covered with expensive dishes and w

The elevator continued climbing in complete silence. The soft hum of the machinery seemed unusually loud because nobody inside the cabin dared to speak. Adrian stood near the front with his hands relaxed at his sides, while Evelyn remained beside him, staring at the illuminated floor numbers.The display changed again.Sixth Floor.Charlie’s confident expression finally disappeared.“This has to be some kind of mistake,” he muttered.Nobody answered him.The elevator continued upward.Seventh Floor.Margret swallowed nervously. She glanced at Adrian, then at the control panel. She had spent enough time around the Sterling family to understand how exclusive the upper levels of the Grand Meridian Hotel were. Ordinary guests could not simply select them.“Adrian,” she said cautiously, “who exactly gave you access to this elevator?”Adrian didn't look at her.“I already told you. I prepared something for Evelyn.”Charlie scoffed. “Stop pretending. You must have bribed someone downstairs.

The elevator doors opened, and Stanley Carlson stepped into the ballroom with a solemn expression. The noise that had filled the room moments earlier died almost instantly. Every pair of eyes turned toward him, especially when he ignored the surrounding guests and walked straight toward Adrian.Clayton's face lost what little color remained in it.Stanley stopped in front of Adrian and lowered his head slightly. "Mr. Hale."The simple greeting created an uncomfortable silence. Adrian merely nodded. "Stanley."The Sterling family stared at them in disbelief. Stanley Carlson was not an ordinary businessman. His position within Carlson Group placed him far above Clayton, and his appearance alone had been enough to send Clayton rushing downstairs moments earlier. Yet he was standing before Adrian with unmistakable respect.Clayton swallowed hard before forcing himself to step forward. "Mr. Carlson, I didn't know you were here. I was just handling the project with Miss Sterling."Stanley f

The elevator doors opened onto the ninth floor, and Evelyn stopped in her tracks. The entire floor looked nothing like the hotel she had entered earlier. Soft lights illuminated the polished marble, elegant floral arrangements lined the walls, and a long dining table had been prepared beneath a ceiling decorated with crystal fixtures. Everything appeared impossibly expensive, yet strangely intimate.At the center of the room stood a magnificent nine-tiered cake. Each layer had been decorated with delicate crystal ornaments, while two small figures rested at the top. A woman in a white dress stood beside a man kneeling with a ring box in his hands. When Evelyn noticed the diamond inside the miniature box, she instinctively covered her mouth."Is this... for me?"Adrian smiled. "Who else?"Evelyn looked around again. There wasn't a trace of the Sterling family's patriarch's birthday celebration here. No crowded ballroom, no relatives competing for attention, no cruel jokes disguised as

The elevator doors opened onto the ninth floor, but Adrian barely noticed the breathtaking decorations around him. The birthday celebration was already underway, with soft music filling the spacious hall and elegant lights reflecting across the glass walls. Evelyn stood beside him, taking in everything with disbelief, while Stanley remained a short distance away. Adrian, however, kept thinking about his last words. Clayton isn't the only person connected to the scheme.Evelyn noticed his distraction almost immediately. She had spent years learning to read Adrian's smallest changes in expression, even when they rarely spoke about their feelings. She gently tugged his hand. "What's wrong?" Adrian looked at her and forced a faint smile. "Nothing." Evelyn frowned. "Don't lie to me. You've barely looked at the decorations since we came upstairs."Stanley approached them with a serious expression. "Mr. Hale, there is something you both need to know." Evelyn's fingers tightened around Adrian