Haley looked at the diamonds in her hand, clear and dazzling, radiating colorful lights. It was obviously an antique passed down from the previous generation.
This priceless item couldn't be bought even with wealth. Grandma actually gave it to her.
Haley felt moved from the bottom of her heart. "Thank you, Grandma."
She put away the jewelry and paused before asking, "Grandma, will the DeRoss family attend tomorrow night's banquet?"
"Invite those despicable pieces of trash from the DeRoss family? Wouldn't that tarnish the reputation of our Martínez family?" Madam Martinez’s eyes flashed with cold anger. "Back then, they tried every possible means to take your life. Now, the more radiant and splendid you are, the more it slaps their faces!"
Haley tightly held Madam Martinez’s hand, feeling a sense of tranquility in her heart.
...
Night fell, and the lights were just beginning to illuminate.
Before it was even 8 o'clock at night, a long line of luxury cars had already parked outside the Martínez family's gate in Cuenca.
The influential figures with faces and the ladies in the prominent circle have all received invitations.
However, the Martínez family kept the news very tight, and no one knows why tonight's banquet is being held.
Groups of VIPs are drinking and chatting in the courtyard, while Haley, the guest of honor for tonight is getting ready in the upstairs dressing room.
Madam Martínez had chosen the gown for Haley. She is wearing a dark green vintage gown. It is an elegant dress with delicate camellia embroidery on the neckline.
The neckline is slightly tightened with a delicate sash, accentuating her waist. Below the waist, the skirt spreads out.
The dark green skirt is also adorned with numerous camellias, and the hem of the skirt is decorated with star-like sparkling gemstones.
When the light shines on it, the dress glows.
And Haley is also shining.
A pair of crystal diamond earrings hang from her earlobes, and she wears a diamond necklace around her neck. The jewelry and the dress complement each other, making her stand out and look absolutely stunning.
Barbara pushes open the door and sees this stunning Haley.
Her jealous eyes turn red.
The jealousy in her chest keeps pouring out, and she wants to rush over and tear Haley's dress apart.
But she dares not.
If her grandmother sees her, she will probably be publicly expelled by her grandmother.
Then her face will be completely lost.
Barbara's eyes turn, holding a glass of champagne, and smiles, "Haley is truly deserving of being Cuenca's number one beauty. Even in any dress, she looks so beautiful... Oops!"
Before she could finish her sentence, the glass in her hand tilts.
The glass of wine spills onto the dark green dress.
"Haley, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."
Barbara pretends to apologize, but there is a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.
This dress is ruined, and this little bitch Haley definitely won't be able to find a suitable dress at such short notice!
Four years later, returning to Cuenca for the first appearance, wanting to astonish everyone? She's dreaming!
She wants Haley, this little bitch, to become just like four years ago, a scapegoat that everyone despises!
However!
"Barbara, it's alright." Haley smiles gently, "When I was still Cuenca's number one beauty, every time I attended a banquet, someone would intentionally pour wine on me to embarrass me. So today..."
Haley lifted the hem of her skirt.
The champagne rolled off the skirt and dripped onto the floor.
Not a drop of wine stain remained on the dark green dress.
"There are too many people who envy me, so I had to use brocade as the fabric, and no alcohol can penetrate it." Haley smirks, "Of course, my beloved cousin wouldn't be jealous of me. It must have been an accident."
Barbara's face turned green.
What kind of dress is this that can't even be stained with wine?
"Barbara, if you cause any more trouble, you can go back to the Miller family.”
Justin was also in the dressing room and witnessed this scene himself. Anyone with clear eyes could see that Barbara intentionally caused all of this.
Justin couldn't understand why his sister would do such a foolish thing. Barbara, on the other hand, couldn't understand why her own brother would defend someone from a different family.
She wanted to explode in anger, but with others present in the room, she reluctantly suppressed the fury in her chest. Haley applied lipstick in front of the mirror, making herself even more beautiful.
She walked up to Justin and smiled, saying, "Let's go outside."
Justin nodded, and the two of them walked side by side.
Meanwhile, the guests had all arrived. The Martínez family's banquet hall was filled with glamorous people, creating a lively atmosphere. Everyone speculated about why the Martínez family was hosting this banquet tonight.
Suddenly, there was a commotion at the entrance, and everyone turned to look in shock. "Oh my goodness, why are people from the Winston family here?"
"What exactly is the Martínez family up to? Why did even Ivan come?"
"Ivan rarely attends these kinds of banquets, so his presence must mean something very significant."
Amidst the discussions, Ivan slowly entered the banquet hall. Today, he wore a black suit that accentuated his imposing presence. Wherever he went, the temperature seemed to drop by several degrees.
"Ivan, you've gone too far!" Louis couldn't help but complain, "You're like a walking refrigerator. Whenever I stand next to you, no socialite comes over to flirt with me."
Ivan glanced at him coldly, "Wasn't it you who forced me to accompany you here?"
Mark disdainfully remarked, "Louis here has his eyes set on the second Miss Versta from the Versta family. He brought us here today to boost his confidence. Ivan, you're just idle, and you got tricked into coming too."
Ivan lowered his eyebrows without saying a word. He came here today not because Louis forcefully dragged him along, but because he had seen that woman enter the Martínez family's villa yesterday.
That woman should be affiliated with the Martínez family. So when the Martínez family sent the invitation, he declined his work and came.
However, since he had been here for a while already, why hadn't he seen that woman? Ivan's presence in the banquet hall immediately caught the attention of numerous people.
The gazes of Cuenca's prominent socialites all fell upon him. Countless women wanted to go and strike up a conversation, but this man's aura was intimidating, making them hesitant to approach him.
The atmosphere on the stage was icy, as the crowd of socialites hesitated and missed the perfect opportunity.
A light illuminated the staircase on the second floor.
A couple descended from the staircase.
The first thing that caught everyone's eye was Justin, the son of the Martínez family.
Upon seeing Justin, the crowd immediately understood something.