Chapter 53 His True Identity

Laura's breathing quickened, her perfectly manicured nails digging into her palms as rage took over. Her high heels clicked sharply on the marble floor, each step bringing her closer to Valerie, her voice dripping with venom.

"You just can't stand to see me succeed, can you? Today, I'll show you that in this circle, you're nothing!" She spat, her expensive evening gown rustling with every aggressive move. "I'll put you in your place!"

Laura lunged forward, her pricey bracelet catching the light under the chandelier, reaching to grab Valerie's hair. The surrounding socialites instinctively stepped back, watching the drama unfold with barely concealed interest, their champagne glasses forgotten in their hands.

Valerie barely managed to dodge, her heart pounding wildly. The whispers of the crowd felt like needles piercing her skin, their judgmental gazes almost tangible in the opulent ballroom. Some wore masks of concern, others smirked behind their champagne flutes, but no one dared to intervene.

"Stop it, Laura!" Valerie's voice trembled, betraying the fear she tried so hard to hide.

"Stop?" Laura let out a sharp, brittle laugh. "This is just the beginning, darling." She shoved Valerie with force.

Valerie stumbled backward, her high heels catching on the thick carpet. She fell to the ground, her carefully chosen outfit tearing at the seams. Her meticulously styled hair became a mess, and tears of humiliation nearly ruined her perfect makeup.

Laura looked down at her, eyes gleaming with triumph. "Look at you now. Do you still think you belong here?"

At that moment, the soft hum of an electric wheelchair broke the tense atmosphere, and the crowd parted to make way. Howard appeared, pushed by his assistant Joseph, his presence immediately commanding the room's attention. As his cold gaze locked onto Laura, the temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

The clinking of crystal glasses and the murmur of social chatter ceased instantly. Even the string quartet in the corner stopped playing. Howard's reputation as one of the most powerful figures in the business world made his presence formidable, even from a wheelchair.

He went straight to Valerie, his expression softening as he gently extended a hand to help her up, treating her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

Valerie looked up at Howard through tear-filled eyes, shock and realization mingling on her face. The murmurs of "the Carter Group's CEO" around her hit her like a sledgehammer.

Howard's voice was soft but clear in the silent ballroom. "Ms. Johnson," his tone was icy enough to freeze the air, "I believe you were just assaulting my wife."

The color drained from Laura's face, her previous arrogance deflating like a punctured balloon. She stepped back, her voice trembling, "Mr. Carter... I didn't... I wasn't..."

"Really?" Howard's smile was as sharp as a blade. "Maybe you should do more thorough research before trying to humiliate someone from the Carter family." He turned to Joseph, "Cancel all projects with the Johnson Group, effective immediately."

The statement hit like a thunderclap, causing the business elites present to gasp. The Johnson Group's projects with the Carter Group were worth billions, and this single sentence pushed the Johnson Group to the brink.

At that moment, Wayne hurried over. Realizing Howard's true identity, his face showed shock, then he looked at Laura with a hint of displeasure.

Laura seemed to have grasped at a lifeline and quickly said, "Wayne, you're just in time. Valerie was the one who tried to drive a wedge between us!"

Wayne frowned, not immediately responding to Laura, but instead addressing Howard, "Mr. Carter, Laura acted impulsively. Please forgive..."

"Mr. Smith," Howard interrupted, his voice calm but with an underlying warning, "I suggest you keep a tighter rein on your fiancée, or the consequences might not be something an apology can fix."

Wayne's expression darkened further, but under Howard's pressure, he could only press his lips together, remaining silent.

Joseph pushed the wheelchair, and Howard escorted Valerie out of the ballroom. It wasn't until they exited the hotel that Valerie found her voice again. She stopped abruptly, "So, this is the real you? The CEO of the Carter Group?" Her voice was filled with hurt and anger.

Howard turned his wheelchair to face her, his gaze gentle. "Valerie, I can explain..."

"Explain what?" Valerie cut him off, "Explain how you've been deceiving me for months? Explain how you watched me like a fool, playing with my feelings?" Her voice began to tremble, "Do you know how much I trusted you? I thought... I thought I finally found someone I could spend my life with..."

Howard reached out to take her hand, but she pulled away. Pain flickered in his eyes, "I just wanted to make sure you loved me for who I am, not for being the CEO of the Carter Group."

"Did you ever think," Valerie struggled to hold back her tears, "that your lack of trust is the biggest betrayal?"

Howard pressed his lips together, momentarily at a loss for words. He continued, "My grandmother didn't mean to deceive you. It was my idea, but she genuinely likes you and supports us. She knows how I feel about you, so she went along with it."

The night breeze carried a hint of early autumn chill. Valerie took a deep breath, trying to calm her turbulent emotions, "I need time, Howard. This is all too much for me."

"Valerie..." Howard began, but Valerie shook her head, cutting him off.

"Just leave me alone." She turned and walked to the curb, hailing a cab. As the car door closed, tears finally streamed down her face.

Howard sat in his wheelchair, watching the cab disappear into the night, his clenched fists revealing his inner turmoil. Joseph stood by, speaking softly, "Mr. Carter, should I send someone..."

"No," Howard interrupted, his voice low, "Give her some time and space." He looked up at the dark sky, murmuring to himself, "I believe she'll come back..."