A trace of malice flashed in Emily's eyes as she clenched her fists, vowing to win back Raymond's heart.
Melinda, however, didn't want to get entangled with her anymore and turned to walk towards the less crowded terrace. Just then, a loud male voice suddenly echoed in the hall. It was the special host for the evening, and he was calling her name.
"Ms. Sharp, please come to the stage. You have dropped something valuable."
Melinda was stunned. She saw the guests whispering to each other, curiously guessing what it could be that made the host call her out in such a setting.
She instinctively touched her bag. Everything that should be there was there!
"Ms. Sharp, please come to the stage." The host's voice sounded again, with a hint of urgency.
Melinda had no choice but to walk to the center of the stage.
The host greeted her with a smile, "Are you Ms. Sharp?"
"I am," Melinda nodded awkwardly.
"Please stand in the middle," the host said mysteriously. At the same time, the music suddenly changed to a romantic and melodious tune, with a deep male voice echoing throughout the hall.
Melinda's mind buzzed. Who played this song?
At that moment, a tall figure slowly walked in from the side of the stage.
He stood tall and straight, attracting everyone's attention. The crowd held their breath, curious about who this mysterious person was. He had a confident smile on his face, and his gaze was as sharp as a knife.
It was William!
His eyes were locked on her with deep affection.
Melinda's cheeks flushed, and she felt a strange sense of unease.
What was William doing? In front of so many people? However, William didn't seem to care about any of that.
He walked up to her, suddenly knelt on one knee, took out a large diamond ring from his suit pocket, and carefully held it out to her.
The audience erupted in astonishment, with guests exclaiming in surprise.
Isn't he the young master of the Barnett Family? Is he proposing?
At this moment, Raymond, standing at the staircase on the second floor, was also frozen.
His pupils contracted as he looked at the scene on the stage in disbelief.
William proposing to Melinda?
Melinda on the stage was also stunned. She looked at William kneeling in front of her, momentarily forgetting to react.
Until William took the microphone from the host, he slowly began to speak, his voice deep and magnetic: "Melinda, I love you. This love is as vast as the stars and the sea, never to be extinguished. Marry me, and let me protect you for a lifetime!"
Melinda stood there in a daze, her heart racing, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes filled with astonishment.
She had never thought that William would propose to her in such a setting. This sudden surprise left her at a loss.
Her mind buzzed, and she stared at William, dumbfounded.
His eyes were so serious, so determined, with not a hint of jest.
"William, you..." Melinda was stunned, standing there helplessly.
Tiffany, who had just walked out of the lounge, was shocked to see her beloved William proposing to Melinda on stage.
She hurriedly took out her phone and informed her parents and William's parents about William proposing to someone else in the hall.
Raymond's gaze was cold as he stared at Melinda on the stage. He hoped she would refuse because he would never allow her to marry someone else, even if it was his cousin William.
A strong sense of possessiveness surged within him. He wanted her.
At this moment, Larry also saw the proposal on the stage and squinted his eyes, asking, "Who is proposing on the stage?"
"Mr. Thomas, it's your grandson William proposing to Ms. Sharp!" someone beside him answered loudly.
"What?" Larry was equally shocked as he looked at the stage.
He had intended for Melinda to marry his grandson Raymond. How did the proposer become William?
In the crowd, Emily also couldn't believe her eyes as she looked at Melinda. She was being proposed to by the young master of the Barnett Family, William? How was that possible?
Melinda's face on the stage was already flushed red. She shyly wanted to find a hole to hide in.
William's sudden proposal caught her off guard, and she didn't know how to respond.
"William, this is too sudden. Let's find a place to talk it over," Melinda said, slightly bending down, trying to pull William down.
However, William did not back down. His gaze was firm, and his voice carried an undeniable determination: "Melinda, I am sincere. From the moment I first saw you, I silently vowed in my heart that no matter what, I would marry you. I will not only be a good husband but also a good father."
"William!" Melinda's voice echoed in the air.
She keenly sensed the change in the atmosphere around her. The onlookers' eyes were filled with eager anticipation, and even deep-seated resentment and hatred.
These complex emotions pierced Melinda like sharp blades.
But William stood as still as a rock, his gaze unwavering, and the diamond ring in his hand seemed to carry a certain magic, inching closer to her.
"Just say yes!" The crowd began to cheer, applause thundered, and the urging voices rose one after another, "Don't hesitate, marry him."
Melinda's face instantly turned red to her ears. She reached out to pull William's sleeve. William thought she was shyly agreeing. Seeing this, a flash of joy appeared in his eyes. He suddenly stood up and hugged her tightly.
He was about to put the ring on her right middle finger.
Melinda was startled by his sudden action and instinctively took a step back.
Her head buzzed.
"Melinda, I was just worried you would reject me, so I planned this proposal. Surprised? Unexpected? Hahaha!" William said happily.
His voice was so loud that even without a microphone, everyone in the room could hear it.
At this moment, Larry had already walked to the front of the stage and was stunned.
Did he make a mistake?
Did Melinda like William, not Raymond?
But in his heart, as long as Melinda could marry into the family, it didn't matter which grandson it was.
Now, he had fulfilled his long-cherished wish.
Raymond witnessed the entire proposal process, his cold face expressionless, but his tightly clenched hand on the railing betrayed his inner anger and unwillingness.
Melinda took the opportunity to break free from William's embrace, "Let's go down! Stop making a scene." She wanted to find a quiet place to explain things to William.
However, William excitedly shouted, "Thank you all for witnessing this!" Melinda rolled her eyes speechlessly, thinking, I'll deal with you later!
In another private room, Tiffany's parents looked very upset.
"What do you mean by this? William already has a fiancée, why didn't you tell us?" Tiffany's mother couldn't help but question.