Chapter 42: William Didn’t Take a Fancy to Her

Charles moved to block her path, forcing Victoria to come to a sharp, frustrated halt. She glared up at him, her patience wearing thin.

"Fine, you win. I'm staying," she snapped. "What do you want from me? Just spit it out already."

A wave of helpless frustration washed over Victoria. No matter how hard she tried to distance herself, he always seemed to find a way to keep her right where he wanted her.

Charles glanced at her, his voice tight with authority. "Mr. Ashford is visiting our home today—that is a profound honor for this family! As my daughter, it is only right that you stay home to receive him."

He didn't wait for her to respond before doubling down. "Besides, he is here to discuss Sarah’s wedding. Just look at Sarah’s prospects, and then look at yourself," he added, his eyes full of disappointment. "Stay home and recognize what an honor this is.You should learn from Sarah and start thinking about the long-term prosperity of the Hughes family."

Charles relished the opportunity to parade Sarah’s success in front of Victoria, seemingly intent on twisting the knife of her own perceived inadequacy.

Even though they were both his flesh and blood, Victoria simply couldn't compete with Sarah in his eyes. In Charles’s skewed world, Victoria—the daughter born of his marriage—paled in comparison to Sarah, the illegitimate child he had always preferred.

With her father’s command echoing in the hall and no way to gracefully exit, Victoria found herself trapped, forced to witness a triumph that was designed to make her feel like a failure.

Victoria stood apart from the excitement, her expression a mask of indifference. She felt nothing but cold apathy toward this so-called "honor" her father was so desperate to claim.

Ten minutes later, the Ashford family’s sleek motorcade swept into the Hughes Villa courtyard When Charles and Jade saw such a motorcade, they immediately gasped.

At the head of the convoy sat a rare, world-limited-edition luxury vehicle —a masterpiece of engineering that radiated sheer wealth. Rumor had it that in this entire country, only a man as powerful as Wayne possessed such a machine.

Most ordinary families would consider themselves lucky to even catch a glimpse of a car like that. Yet, there it was, idling right in the Hughes' own courtyard. It was a silent, gleaming testament to the prestigious connection Charles had managed to forge—and a sign that the Ashfords were here for his daughter.

The moment the motorcade came to a halt, a small army of staff began parading a staggering array of valuables into the Hughes Villa.

Everyone from the Hughes family stared wide-eyed at these priceless things.

There were exquisite ornaments, bolts of shimmering silk, and rare vintages of wine. Most shocking of all, however, were the several property deeds presented ceremoniously on velvet-lined trays—a display of wealth so casual it was almost intimidating.

Such a generous gift list was enough for Charles to be proud of for half his lifetime.

The moment Wayne stepped from the vehicle, Charles was there, hovering with an almost desperate eagerness to be noticed.

Jade and Sarah, adorned in their most flamboyant finery, trailed closely behind him like colorful shadows, their smiles practiced and bright. Meanwhile, Victoria was unceremoniously shoved to the periphery. She stood far behind the group, a forgotten figure watching the spectacle of her family’s blatant social climbing from the shadows.

"Mr. Ashford, a pleasure to welcome you," Charles began, his voice thick with a forced, reverent formality. "Your presence here is a true honor, casting a bright light upon our modest home."

Watching him, Victoria felt a wave of nausea. Charles’s obsequious fawning and constant bowing reminded her of a desperate lapdog, a performance so transparent it made her stomach churn with disgust.

Jade quickly joined in, her features stretched into a practiced, artificial smile. "Mr. Ashford, we are truly touched that you would visit personally to discuss the children's union," she chimed, her tone dripping with calculated sweetness. "We know how valuable your time is, and we are deeply grateful for the trouble you've taken."

"Sarah, darling, come forward and greet Mr. Ashford properly," Jade urged, her voice trilling with excitement.

She took Sarah by the arm, ushering her to the very front of the group with a proud, expectant beam.

A polite, genial smile had initially graced Wayne’s face as he stepped toward them. However, the moment his eyes landed on Sarah—adorned in her garish, over-the-top finery—his expression went cold. The smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of unmistakable disapproval.

Wayne had never met Victoria in person, but he had memorized every detail of the photograph Quinn had sent him.

Consequently, the gaudy woman currently being thrust toward him was certainly not the daughter-in-law he had been promised.

He had traveled here with a singular purpose: to meet his true daughter-in-law. Cold fury began to simmer beneath his polite exterior. What game was the Hughes family playing, trying to palm off this ostentatious stranger in Victoria’s place?

Wayne narrowed his eyes, fighting back a surge of disbelief as he looked at the "butterfly" before him. "She is?" he asked, his voice dripping with icy doubt.

Charles scrambled to answer, sensing the sudden chill in the air but choosing to plow ahead with desperate optimism. "Mr. Ashford, your presence here today for Ethan and Sarah’s union is a mark of immense prestige for the entire Hughes family," he stammered.

"We are deeply moved by your personal interest in their marriage. Thank you, truly, for your gracious support."

As he listened to Charles, Wayne's expression shifted once more.

Ethan and Sarah? The mention of their wedding struck a discordant note in Wayne’s mind.

Only hours earlier, William had summoned him to the Hughes Villa to finalize a date for his own marriage to Victoria. Where did Ethan fit into this?

He’d heard rumors that Ethan had stepped out on his relationship with one of the Hughes daughters. Could it be the vulgar woman standing right in front of him?

If so, Ethan’s taste was more than questionable—it was abysmal.

Wayne wanted to stop the misunderstanding before it escalated further. Once Charles and Jade had ushered him into the Hughes Villa, he finally clarified why he was there.

“I’m not here for Ethan’s wedding,” he stated firmly.

At his words, Charles and Jade traded a look of pure confusion.

“Then what brings you here today, Mr. Ashford?” Charles asked, his brow knitting together in confusion.

Wayne offered a thin smile. “I am here for the wedding of my son, William.”

The words had an instant effect; Charles’s face lit up with a grin, while Jade beamed with newfound delight.

Sarah’s expression brightened further, her smile widening with newfound joy.

The same assumption took root in all three of them: William had finally fallen for Sarah.

Clearly, Wayne had come to formally request Sarah’s hand in marriage on behalf of his son.

It seemed William and Ethan shared the same taste in women. Even if her social standing didn't quite measure up to his, being chosen by a man of William’s caliber was a staggering honor.

After all, William was the heir to the Ashford legacy. Backed by Wayne’s blatant favoritism, the fortune he was destined to inherit would be vast enough to rival the wealth of entire nations.

Ethan's power could only be crushed in front of William.

Regardless of whether she wed William or Ethan, the title of Mrs. Ashford would be hers—a victory that secured her future once and for all.

Jade’s grin was so wide and unrestrained that it seemed her face couldn't contain her joy.

She addressed Wayne eagerly, “Mr. Ashford, Sarah is beautiful, talented, and beyond reproach. She is truly blessed to have caught William’s eye.”

"My husband and I have no objections!"

With that single sentence, Jade had proven she was once again completely mistaken.

Wayne’s brow knit together, a flash of unmistakable disdain crossing his features. What was wrong with these people? Were they truly so intent on foisting this common girl upon the Ashford house?

They were desperate to bridge the gap, but the Ashfords had no intention of welcoming her.

Wayne’s expression grew thunderous. He cleared his throat, his voice cutting through their excitement. “I believe there has been a mistake. My son has done no such thing.”

Wayne’s words struck like a physical blow, leaving Charles and Jade frozen in a state of utter bewilderment.

Sarah shrank back, her face burning with shame, while Victoria watched the scene unfold from the shadows behind the servants. A surge of dark delight washed over her; she couldn't wait to see just how deep the Hughes family’s humiliation would go.

He had come to propose, yet he’d flatly rejected Sarah. If not her, then who on earth had William set his sights on?

Could it be Victoria? That ill-tempered woman with such unremarkable features?

The idea was preposterous; even the Nelsons had seen fit to reject her. William was no fool—he would sooner wed a servant than pick someone like her.

Plagued by uncertainty, Charles pressed further. “Then may I ask, Mr. Ashford, exactly who in our family has William set his heart on?”

Wayne looked up, his keen gaze sweeping over the room. When he finally spotted Victoria lingering behind the servants, a genuine, knowing smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

He lifted a hand, beckoning her forward.