Chapter 166 The Illegitimate Daughter with the Stingy Gift
Amelia had been standing quietly in the crowd, so unobtrusive that most people hadn't even noticed she was there.
That changed the moment Anna casually dropped her name into the conversation. It was as if every gaze in the room snapped toward her, drawn like iron filings to a magnet.
She wore a pale green evening dress, simple in its lines yet elegant enough to make her seem both refined and striking. Her features were delicate, her eyes holding a natural, unforced brightness. For a heartbeat, several guests simply stared, their expressions betraying surprise.
"My God…" someone murmured under their breath. "Who is she? Which family's daughter looks like that? I've never seen her around River City."
A man beside him gave a small laugh. "You didn't attend the Williams family charity gala last season, did you? She's Amelia—the one who played piano on stage."
"Beautiful, and talented too," the first man admitted, lowering his voice. "But I heard she's the illegitimate daughter of the Martinez family, raised in the countryside for seventeen years before they brought her back."
"Illegitimate… and raised in the countryside?" The man's tone shifted instantly, laced with disdain. "Pretty face, sure, but you can tell she hasn't had the polish of the upper class. She's missing that refined edge."
Amelia felt the weight of those curious, assessing stares settle on her. She lifted her gaze—and met Anna's eyes, catching the faint gleam of malice there. In that instant, she understood exactly what Anna was doing.
It wasn't hard to guess. Anna must have seen the gift registry and noticed that Amelia's entry consisted of a single word: "cup."
Clearly, Anna thought such a gift was laughably inadequate, and now she was trying to force Amelia into embarrassment in front of everyone.
Amelia's brow tightened ever so slightly, but her expression remained calm.
She spoke evenly. "Ms. Williams, I'm still a student. My gift may not compare to yours, but it's meant simply as a token of appreciation for Mr. Williams."
"Oh, Miss Martinez, don't say that," Anna replied, her smile warm but her tone carrying a hidden edge. "Even if you're just a student, and only recently returned from the countryside, I've heard your brothers in the Martinez family dote on you. I'm sure your allowance isn't exactly small."
She paused, as if adding an afterthought. "And since my grandfather is so fond of you, I'm certain you'd have prepared something special."
Amelia hadn't planned on saying more, but Anna pressed on, deliberately reminding the crowd of Vaughn's affection for her. The result was predictable—curiosity about her gift began to swell.
Before Amelia could respond, a man standing near the cart reached for the gift list.
"Why are you both being so secretive? Let's just take a look."
He scanned down the page, his finger trailing along the entries until it stopped. His eyes lit with recognition. "Found it! Amelia's gift is—"
He broke off, brows shooting upward. "A cup? And the price column is blank?"
"A cup?!" someone exclaimed.
The murmurs began at once.
"You've got to be kidding. What is this, a child's tea party?"
"With Vaughn's status, everyone here tonight is from River City's elite. Even the casual gifts run into tens of thousands."
"Look at the others—antiques, famous paintings, rare vintages… all worth hundreds of thousands or more. And she brought a cup?"
"Even if she's an illegitimate daughter, she's still part of the Martinez family. This is embarrassingly cheap."
"Especially after Miss Williams said Vaughn adores her. This is downright ungrateful."
Anna watched the disdain ripple through the crowd, satisfaction curling in her chest. She remembered how Amelia had humiliated her during the school festival. Tonight, it was her turn to make Amelia squirm.
Feigning regret, she stepped forward. "Oh dear, so Miss Martinez only brought a cup? I was expecting… something else."
She shook her head lightly, voice tinged with false sympathy. "Perhaps I assumed too much. After all, you've only just returned to the Martinez family, and your position there is… delicate. Maybe you don't have much at your disposal, or perhaps you're reluctant to spend too much."
Her smile softened, the picture of graciousness. "Still, a cup can be nice. You know the saying—gifts are about the thought behind them. I'm sure my grandfather will appreciate it."
Dorian nearly rolled her eyes. Every word out of Anna's mouth was wrapped in politeness but barbed with insult, painting Amelia as poor, stingy, and socially awkward.
But Amelia wasn't just anyone. She was a six-star figure in the K.A. network, with top-tier skills in multiple fields. Between her combat training and pharmaceutical expertise, she could walk into an underground fight or sell a handful of custom pills and walk away with millions.
The idea that she couldn't afford a gift—or wouldn't spend on Vaughn—was laughable.
Dorian didn't know what kind of cup Amelia had chosen, but she trusted her friend's character. Amelia wouldn't give something meaningless.
She was about to speak up when Amelia touched her arm lightly.
"It's fine. No need to explain for me."
Amelia's gaze slid away from Anna, her tone cool. "There's no point wasting words on someone like that. As long as Mr. Williams is happy with the gift, that's all that matters."
Dorian swallowed her retort, though her eyes still burned with irritation.
Anna, seeing Amelia's silence, took it as proof she was flustered and unable to defend herself. Her satisfaction deepened.
"In that case," she said, lips curving with quiet triumph, "let me show you what I've prepared."
She signaled to the maid behind her.
The maid stepped forward, carefully opening the velvet-lined presentation case and lifting out the item within. She placed it on the display table with deliberate precision.
Every head turned toward it.
The centerpiece was a marble sculpture of a rose in full bloom, its petals carved with such meticulous detail that one could almost sense their velvety texture. The heart of the flower formed the neck of an elegant vase, encircled by several tightly furled buds ready to open.
At the base, the stems intertwined into a graceful knot, the marble subtly veined with shades of soft blush and ivory. The polished surface caught the light like still water, casting a gentle glow across the table.
The composition was masterful, the realism so striking that for a moment, no one breathed.
From the crowd came a sharp intake of breath. "Good Lord… isn't that Ivan's white jade magnolia vase? The one that's been missing for years?!"