Chapter 155: The Banquet Begins

Chapter 155: The Banquet Begins



"Brooke is such a liar." Cordelia's teeth clenched in fury. "She's wasting her talent—Hollywood's missing out on one hell of a screenwriter."

Claire's expression remained unchanged as she scrolled through the live comments on her phone.

So this was Rowan's backup plan?

First, play the victim—sweet and pitiful—to win sympathy.

Then use public pressure to strong-arm the production team?

If it were true, it would actually be a smart move.

Too bad it was all fake.

This little stunt would only make her fall harder.

"I have to comment and expose her." Cordelia reached for her phone, but Claire stopped her.

"Why bother?" Claire pulled out her own phone and handed it to Cordelia. "Check this out first."

Cordelia examined it carefully, then lit up with excitement. "You have this? Send it to me right now—I'll post it from my burner account."

Claire smiled mysteriously. "Not yet."

"Let's wait a bit longer."

Just then, Katya knocked and entered. "Ms. Montague, the reception has started. Mrs. Montague asked you to come down."

Claire headed downstairs with Cordelia to the ballroom.

All the guests had arrived. The ballroom glittered with lights, filled with elegant figures in designer gowns.

Sarah and Brian waited at the entrance. Together, they each took one of Claire's hands and slowly walked her through the crowd.

The guests, who had been chatting quietly, fell silent and turned to look.

When they saw Claire, their expressions filled with awe.

She was stunning.

Beautiful face.

Exquisite gown.

That necklace...

"Oh my God, is that the Azure Oath?" someone suddenly gasped.

"Yes, yes, it's the Azure Oath! I was at the auction—I saw it in person."

Instantly, the luxury-loving socialites stared at the necklace around Claire's neck, their eyes filled with longing.

Claire felt like a zoo animal on display. Uncomfortable.

But she maintained her graceful posture, wearing an appropriate smile as she followed Sarah and Brian's lead.

Her appearance was so striking that people didn't immediately recognize her as the woman being torn apart online.

Everyone began speculating about her identity.

Gradually, someone recognized Claire.

Whispers spread through the crowd. People pulled out their phones, comparing her to the photos circulating online.

The more they looked, the clearer it became—though the Claire before them was even more beautiful, breathtakingly so.

Soon, people stopped wondering about her identity. Instead, they wanted to know if she was really the person from those online posts.

Sarah and Brian led Claire onto the stage at the front of the ballroom.

Guests craned their necks, barely containing their curiosity.

The family of three stood on the flower-adorned platform. Brian wore a tailored suit, projecting both military discipline and scholarly refinement.

Sarah's custom gown showed off her elegant figure, radiating sophistication.

Claire stood between them like a perfectly bloomed tulip—fresh and refined.

Brian smiled and nodded to the guests, his voice resonant as he spoke.

"It's an honor to have you all here at The Montague Manor. We've invited you today to introduce you to my daughter."

"Daughter?"

A wave of disbelief rippled through the crowd.

When Claire had been lost years ago, concerned it might have been the work of enemies, the Montague family had publicly claimed the child had died.

So now, hearing 'daughter,' everyone was caught off guard.

"That's right. This is our biological daughter." Sarah raised Claire's hand slightly.

Claire felt uncomfortable but still bowed gracefully to the guests with a smile. "Hello, everyone. My name is Claire."

Her poise and elegance immediately won over some of the guests.

Someone chimed in, "Sarah, she's definitely your and Brian's daughter. Her looks and bearing—even better than yours back in the day."

"Absolutely. Ms. Montague is gorgeous." Others joined in agreement.

Vincent stood in a corner, his eyes fixed on Claire, lips curving unconsciously.

Today, Claire finally had her true identity.

And soon, she'd have another one.

Mrs. Thorne!

Vincent savored the title, his smile deepening, his gaze growing more intense.

Claire felt that burning stare. She glanced over and locked eyes with Vincent. The heat was so intense it felt like a physical touch. She quickly looked away.

Sarah's close friend Rebecca couldn't help asking, "Sarah, what on earth happened?"

Sarah continued, "After I gave birth to Claire at the hospital, someone stole her away. We only recently discovered she'd been taken in by the Blackwell family."

"That's outrageous! What kind of monster steals a newborn? Did you find the person responsible?" As a close friend, Rebecca was furious thinking about Claire being stolen right after birth.

Daphne entered the ballroom just then. Hearing Rebecca's words, she froze mid-step, her body trembling.

To Rebecca's question, Sarah's radiant expression dimmed, tinged with regret. "It's been over a decade. There were no security cameras back then. It's nearly impossible."

Daphne quietly exhaled in relief. She didn't enter immediately, staying at the back of the crowd instead.

She'd wait for the right moment to make her appearance.

"Fine, you can't investigate the past. But what about the recent online attacks? You have to look into those, right?" Rebecca, as Sarah's friend, looked indignant. "Claiming Claire's birth parents were poor farmers is one thing, but accusing her of having an old sugar daddy? That's vicious."

This time, Sarah's expression remained cold and composed. "Of course we will."

Rebecca fumed, "They need to apologize to Claire in front of everyone."

The guests launched into another round of discussion.

"Who has such a vendetta against Ms. Montague to spread those rumors?"

"Who knows? But one thing's certain—whoever did it is finished."

"Looking at Ms. Montague's face, she doesn't seem like someone who'd bully her adoptive parents' biological daughter."

"She looks pretty wholesome, doesn't seem the type. But there's video evidence."

"What about stealing Vincent away?"

Rebecca heard the chatter and said coldly, "Vincent was the final buyer of the Azure Oath. What do you think that means?"

The group fell silent, realizing the implication.

Vincent spent $200 million on a necklace for Claire. His intentions were crystal clear.

Several people instinctively looked toward Vincent.

They caught him staring at Claire without blinking, his eyes tender and adoring.

What more proof did they need? Eyes don't lie. Vincent's gaze was more devoted than any TV drama hero's.

If that wasn't love, what was?

Claire, blessed with sharp hearing, caught the whispers and smiled faintly.

"There have been many rumors about me online lately. I won't address them individually—rumors die in the presence of wisdom. For now, let's simply enjoy the evening."

The guests, impressed by Claire's maturity and grace at such a young age, felt their opinions of her improve further.

Just as everyone began to disperse toward the dining area, Daphne pushed through the crowd to the front of the stage.

Her voice rang out sweetly, "Dad, Mom, Claire."