Chapter 40 The Spiked Drink
Laura was dressed extravagantly, her outfit glittering with embedded diamonds. The massive teardrop necklace at her throat alone spoke volumes about the thought and expense she'd put into tonight's ensemble.
William spotted Isabella at the same moment, and his already stern expression darkened further.
Isabella wasn't adorned with any jewelry, yet she looked noble and elegant.
By comparison, Laura looked like a beautiful but soulless trophy wife.
In this important setting, Laura was the only one who'd dressed like a walking jewelry showcase, practically begging everyone to notice her sparkle.
When Laura's eyes met Isabella's, a flash of surprise flickered across her features.
Then, as if putting on a show, she thrust out her chest proudly.
'Even more like a trophy wife now...' Isabella thought, keeping her expression neutral. She didn't show even a hint of the envy Laura was clearly hoping for.
Her inner desire to show off went unfulfilled, so Laura quickly came up with a plan.
Her stiletto suddenly slipped on the polished floor, sending her tumbling backward off-balance. The surface was mirror-smooth, and the diamond hair clip adorning the back of her head would make the fall even more dangerous.
A fall like that could easily crack her skull against the hard gemstones, leaving Laura seriously injured or worse.
But her backward stumble caught William's attention.
His reflexes were lightning-fast. Seeing Laura about to hit the ground, he quickly reached out and caught her around the waist, pulling her safely into his arms.
This classic damsel-in-distress scene drew gasps of admiration from nearby guests.
Laura nestled in William's embrace, covering her face in feigned embarrassment while stealing glances at Isabella, as if showing off just how much William cared for her.
However, Isabella couldn't even be bothered to spare them a second glance.
Beside her, Richard noticed the commotion. After a brief look, he smiled and extended his hand to Isabella.
"The event organizers are over there. Shall we go say hello?"
Richard naturally offered his arm for Isabella to take, guiding her toward the other side of the room and away from William and Laura.
William caught their movement as well, his expression growing even more thunderous, his eyes flashing with barely concealed coldness.
Through conversation with the organizers, Isabella learned that all proceeds from tonight's charity auction would go to children in impoverished communities.
Isabella wanted to contribute to the cause, but after considering her savings, she felt a bit overwhelmed.
Her financial resources couldn't compete with a room full of wealthy businesspeople and social elite.
A single piece of their casual jewelry probably costed more than Isabella made in months.
Trying to keep up with them would be absolutely laughable.
Richard noticed Isabella's predicament. When no one was paying attention to them, he leaned over with a reassuring smile.
"I've already arranged everything for tonight's auction items. Don't worry about it."
As a boss, Richard was absolutely top-tier—he'd invited Isabella as his guest, so he took care of every detail without requiring any concern from her.
After chatting with the organizers' representatives for a while, Richard spotted some friends across the room.
"Ms. Capulet, I'll just go chat with them for a moment. Feel free to mingle on your own."
Isabella wasn't a child and didn't need to cling to Richard's side.
After he left, she wandered over to the dessert station.
The pastries at events like this were usually exceptional. Even though few people actually indulged, organizers always hired the finest pastry chefs to maintain appearances.
The macarons tonight were a delightful surprise when Isabella took a tentative bite.
While they couldn't completely escape that cloying sweetness inherent to such confections, the rich almond fragrance helped balance the overwhelming sugar rush.
Isabella managed about half of one before the sweetness became too much.
Just then, a server appeared at precisely the right moment, offering her a glass of sweet white wine.
Isabella accepted the glass gratefully, taking a sip to cleanse her palate before giving the server a thankful smile.
"Thank you."
"If you're not particularly fond of sweet pastries, we also have Valrhona chocolate and brownies available over there," the server suggested politely.
With that, he lifted his tray, placed his free hand over his chest in a slight bow, and departed.
Moving to the other side of the ballroom, the server quickly dropped his pleasant demeanor and gave Laura a serious nod.
"Miss Smith, as requested, I've delivered the drink to her."
Laura narrowed her eyes, glancing in Isabella's direction, her smile growing wider.
"You're certain she drank it?"
The server nodded again. "Absolutely."
His gaze swept over Laura's figure with undisguised greed.
The dress she wore was easily worth over a hundred thousand dollars by his estimate.
How many years would he need to work to afford even one outfit like that?
Laura caught his look with cool indifference, then slipped off the diamond ring from her ring finger and tossed it to him carelessly.
"What happened tonight better stay between us. I can't guarantee what might happen if word gets out."
The server eagerly caught the ring, holding it up to the light. The brilliant sparkle nearly blinded him.
Having received his payment, he quickly turned and disappeared into the crowd.