Chapter 7 up
“Make sure there isn’t a single mistake tonight.”
The command carried through the grand ballroom of the seven-star hotel owned by the Wibisana family, heavy and absolute. Staff members moved faster at once, backs straight, eyes lowered. No one questioned the order. In this world, a single sentence from Adrian Wibisana could determine whether a company survived—or vanished overnight.
Vanesa stood a few steps behind him.
She wore a simple cream-colored gown, tailored but unadorned. No diamonds. No signature family emblem. Her hair was swept into a neat chignon, revealing a calm face that betrayed nothing—except for the faint tremor in her hands as she clasped them together.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
“Dad,” she said softly, leaning closer. “I can still step away if you change your mind.”
Adrian turned. The sharp, intimidating gaze that had made ministers hesitate softened the instant it landed on her.
“You are not being tested,” he said, his voice firm but steady. “You are being welcomed.”
Vanesa swallowed. Her fingers tightened against the fabric of her dress. “But this world… it doesn’t feel like mine anymore.”
Adrian raised a brow. “It has always been yours. You’re the one who wandered too far from it.”
The crystal chandeliers ignited overhead, light cascading across polished marble floors. A string quartet began to play, smooth and restrained. The ballroom filled with power—CEOs, cabinet members, foreign investors, industry titans, and members of the international press.
The headline had spread since morning:
“Adrian Wibisana Hosts a Private Family Gala: His Only Daughter Returns.”
Yet no photographs accompanied it.
No name was listed.
And that absence fueled curiosity like gasoline on fire.
“Who is she?”
“Why has she never appeared before?”
“Is she the sole heir?”
Whispers drifted through the air like smoke.
Vanesa heard every one of them. Standing beside Adrian Wibisana, she felt exposed—measured, weighed, dissected by a hundred invisible eyes.
“Easy,” Adrian murmured without looking at her. “They’re only staring at a shadow. Not you.”
The ballroom doors opened again.
Axel Armand stepped inside with Selina at his side.
Axel wore a perfectly cut black suit, his posture rigid, his expression controlled. Selina, in contrast, commanded attention in a scarlet gown that clung to her figure. Her smile was bright, practiced, and hungry.
“Look at this place,” Selina whispered, her eyes gleaming as she took in the room. “If we secure a partnership with the Wibisanas, your company will leap two tiers overnight.”
Axel nodded. “That’s why we can’t afford a single misstep.”
But his stride faltered.
Near the main podium stood a woman he recognized instantly—though he hadn’t seen her in months.
The curve of her shoulders.
The stillness in her posture.
His chest tightened.
“What is it?” Selina asked, noticing his hesitation.
“Nothing,” Axel said quickly.
Selina followed his line of sight—and her lips curled.
“Oh,” she murmured. “The world really is small.”
Axel said nothing. He hadn’t expected to see Vanesa here. Not at an event hosted by Adrian Wibisana—a man whose name alone could make billionaires stand straighter.
“What is she doing here?” Selina whispered, her tone sharp. “Don’t tell me she’s still chasing you.”
Axel didn’t answer. A strange unease settled in his gut.
At the front of the room, Adrian Wibisana stepped onto the podium.
The murmurs died instantly.
“Thank you all for being here tonight,” he said, his voice carrying effortlessly. “This is not a business event.”
He paused.
“This is a family occasion.”
Guests exchanged glances.
“My daughter,” Adrian continued, “has returned.”
Cameras flashed. Heads turned in unison.
Vanesa felt the pressure crash into her like a wave. She drew a slow breath, grounding herself.
“For now,” Adrian added calmly, “she will remain our guest of honor. No name. No spotlight.”
A ripple of whispers surged again.
Vanesa stepped forward, inclining her head slightly. No smile. No performance.
And then her eyes met Axel’s.
There was no shock in her expression. No anger. No longing.
Just distance.
Something hollow opened in Axel’s chest.
Selina felt it instantly.
“Axel,” she whispered tightly. “Don’t tell me you’re surprised to see your ex-wife trying to climb social ladders.”
Axel’s jaw hardened. “Watch your tone.”
Selina smiled thinly. “I’m only saying—this world isn’t for women who fail to hold onto their marriages.”
Several nearby guests glanced over, sensing tension.
Vanesa turned to Selina, her gaze calm and steady. “I wasn’t invited for either of you.”
Selina laughed softly. “Of course. As what, then? A spectator?”
Vanesa’s eyes flicked briefly to Axel—then away. “I’m here because I was asked to be.”
Selina leaned closer, her voice honeyed and cruel. “How pitiful. Coming to an event like this just to relive the past.”
Adrian’s gaze sharpened from across the room.
Vanesa inhaled slowly. “You’re right,” she said quietly. “I failed to protect something.”
She lifted her chin. “Something that was never truly mine to begin with.”