Chapter 126: Engagement

The day after the show aired, the Jones and Smith families issued a rare joint statement, publicly standing up for Ophelia.

The Jones family's official account took the lead, posting an announcement that formally confirmed Ophelia's identity as the family's heiress. The Smith Group quickly followed, posting on their official account to announce that Ophelia was Mason's fiancée.

The two powerful families joined forces and put an end to the ridiculous media circus.

What moved the entire internet most was seeing all of Ophelia's brothers — each with his own very different personality — publicly come to her defense.

Brandon had always been cold and reserved, rarely making personal statements in public. But this time, he broke years of silence, personally reposting the announcement with the message: "Ophelia is and always has been the only daughter of the Jones family. From now on, anyone who spreads baseless rumors or tries to smear my sister will be held fully accountable — I will make sure of it."

Geraldo had always been warm and gentle. Because of the nature of his work, he couldn't post publicly, so he quietly told Ophelia in private: "I let Emily's words cloud my judgment and misunderstood you for so long. That was my fault. From now on, I'll take on every problem for you."

His steady promise eased years of pain and hardship that Ophelia had carried alone.

Jeremy and Terry were both serious and meticulous by nature. The two of them reposted the announcement together in formal, measured language: "Anyone who spreads rumors, defames, or maliciously attacks Ophelia will be pursued by the Jones family's legal team indefinitely. No exceptions will be made."

Last came David, whose style was light and playful. He defended his sister in front of the whole internet with a teasing tone: "I just got back from my world tour, and I'm already out here setting the record straight — all for my favorite sister. She's got the looks, the talent, the character, and the family background. She's more than a match for Mason. Everyone needs to back off."

But beyond all the public statements, something even more thrilling was unfolding within the Jones family itself.

Once the storm had fully settled, Jeremy and Terry, wanting to make sure no one could ever use the past against Ophelia again, decided to compile a complete record of her achievements and submit it to the national scientific research archives. Their goal was to permanently document her contributions so no one could twist the story later.

The two of them went to Ophelia and spoke gently: "Ophelia, we'd like to put together an official record of your research contributions — everything you did to block the theft of genetic data by foreign groups, crack the poison code, and develop the antidote. Could you share some materials with us?"

Hearing this, Ophelia felt a wave of warmth. She nodded softly. "Thank you, Jeremy, Terry. I'll get the files together and send them to you."

She sent the documents over without giving it much thought. But those seemingly ordinary files completely shook two of her most composed brothers.

The data, experimental models, and research logic in the files were identical to the work of "Dawn Walker" — the anonymous figure who had been quietly and freely supporting the country's scientific research for years. The files even contained core data that had never been made public.

For the first time, Jeremy's usually calm eyes showed something close to shock. "Dawn Walker... is Ophelia?"

Terry, who was always the steady one, lost his composure entirely. "It's Ophelia! All this time, we already knew her without realizing it. She's been helping us all along!"

The two brothers were stunned and overjoyed, bursting with pride. They immediately shared the news with everyone in the family.

From that moment on, all five Jones brothers knew without a doubt — their sister was the most extraordinary, most precious person in the world, and she deserved every bit of love they could give her.

To make up for twenty years of hardship, to announce her identity to the world, and to give back everything she had missed, the Jones family spared no expense and threw a celebration that shook the entire city.

The event was held at the most prestigious estate hotel in Harmony City. The venue was decorated in gold, with flowers covering the floor from wall to wall. Countless celebrities, business titans, and members of elite society were invited. The guest list was unlike anything seen before.

That evening, every camera and every eye in the room was fixed on Ophelia as she walked onto the stage.

She wore a simple, elegant gown and carried herself with effortless grace.

Brandon took the microphone and spoke with great solemnity: "Today, the Jones family formally announces to everyone present — Ophelia is my long-lost sister, separated from us for nearly twenty years. She has endured more than enough hardship. From this day forward, every bit of love and protection this family has to offer belongs to her and her alone."

The moment he finished, the room erupted in applause that went on and on.

Every eye, every camera, every light in the hall turned to Ophelia standing on the stage.

She stood tall and composed, her voice clear and steady. "Every storm I've been through has made me who I am. Going forward, I will be the same person I've always been — I won't let my family down, and I won't forget where my heart belongs."

The hall broke into thunderous applause.

Then Mason walked slowly onto the stage.

To the outside world, he was the cold, hard-edged king of the business world — someone who showed warmth to no one. But right now, those eyes that were always so distant and unreadable were looking at Ophelia with a tenderness that existed nowhere else in the world.

"Ophelia is the only woman the Smith family has ever accepted as its future mistress. One month from now, I will formally become engaged to her."

Two of the city's most powerful families announcing their union in front of everyone instantly placed Ophelia at the very top of Harmony City's social world.

Over the following month, the Smith family poured every resource they had into planning an engagement celebration grand enough to stun the entire upper class — all to give Ophelia the most unforgettable moment of her life.

On the day of the engagement ceremony, the scene was breathtaking.

Over ten thousand rare blue roses filled the entire venue. The lights blazed and shimmered across every surface. Outside, luxury cars lined the streets, and the city's most powerful and prominent figures were all in attendance.

All five of Ophelia's brothers stayed by her side the entire time, never leaving for a moment.

With the eyes of the world upon them, Mason, dressed in a tailored black suit, walked up to Ophelia step by step and slowly slid a custom diamond ring onto her finger.

He looked down at her, his voice more sincere and reverent than it had ever been. "Ophelia, from today on, I will spend my life keeping you safe. For every year that comes, you will be the only one in my heart. I will never let you down."

Ophelia looked up at him and answered softly, "We have a long life ahead of us. Let's walk through it together, year by year."

Petals drifted slowly through the air as camera flashes lit up the room without end, all capturing this most magnificent moment.

(The End)