The most bewildered person in the room was Emerald. She had come here with a plan, but Rice was never part of it. When Les first spotted her in the crowd and heard her name, a rush of emotions flooded his mind.

Emerald had always carried herself with grace and composure in front of others, but right now, she looked like a lost child. Her wide, beautiful eyes shimmered with uncertainty, as if on the verge of tears.

She had no idea how to react—so she simply stood there, frozen.

I knew that everyone here today had come for Samantha. She was dressed impeccably, her gown alone worth a small...