Chapter 147
"Our Arthur is of the right age now, so naturally we need to select a suitable wife for him," Tiffany added.
As soon as these words left Tiffany's mouth, the expressions of several society women shifted.
The Windsor family's status spoke for itself—they were Sovereign City's premier aristocracy. Even with Arthur's two children, that fact alone warranted serious consideration.
Seeing no response, Tiffany returned her attention to Caroline, who had recently arrived. She found herself increasingly pleased with what she saw.
The woman had a good figure—clearly built for childbearing. Highly educated—no doubt excellent at raising children.
Her career was impressive—perhaps she could even help the Windsor Group reach new heights.
But poor health? That simply wouldn't do.
Tiffany immediately dismissed the thought. Taking care of two children was exhausting; a daughter-in-law with health issues was out of the question. She needed someone young and robust.
Just then, she spotted Becky holding Layla, and something clicked in her mind. Smiling, she walked over.
Caroline, who had been about to approach Becky herself, hesitated and remained where she was.
She failed to notice another pair of eyes in the ballroom that hadn't looked away since she entered.
Arthur was watching her intently.
The play of light and shadow created a flickering silhouette around Caroline. In that moment, her image completely overlapped with his memories of the real Caroline.
Arthur's fingers tightened slightly around his wine glass. When he glanced at her again, his gaze grew inscrutable as he approached, extending his hand with gentlemanly grace.
"Dr. Q, may I have this dance?"
Caroline met those dark eyes filled with unreadable scrutiny. Arthur truly deserved his reputation as the Windsor Group's CEO—he was certainly suspicious.
"Of course," she smiled, placing her hand in his palm as Arthur slipped his arm around her waist.
Their steps perfectly synchronized as they glided to the center of the dance floor. Their near-perfect coordination left onlookers in awe.
"Dr. Q, you dance very well," Arthur remarked, his lips pressed into a thin line. The oppressive aura surrounding him would make most people uncomfortable, even struggle to breathe normally.
Caroline, however, seemed completely unaffected. "Thank you for the compliment."
The original Caroline hadn't known how to dance. But as her illness began to heal, she had started learning things she'd never tried before—dancing, painting.
All the things she had once envied Heidi for having, she was now acquiring on her own, bit by bit.
Tiffany froze, noticing something off about Arthur's behavior.
"Mrs. Windsor, it seems Mr. Windsor has already found someone new," a society matron deliberately remarked nearby.
Everyone in Sovereign City knew that Arthur didn't allow women to get close to him. For years, only Heidi had remained by his side.
Now Dr. Q had arrived and immediately captured Arthur's attention—it was difficult not to speculate.
Tiffany calmly explained, "Dr. Q is a vital researcher for the Windsor Group. The success of the cancer drug is entirely due to her work. Naturally, Arthur would show her special consideration."
The society ladies, thinking about the profits from the cancer drug, suddenly found nothing to smile about.
---
Meanwhile, on the second floor, Heidi had just stepped away from Arthur when she received Connor's message. Her expression instantly darkened.
"No, you can't hurt him," she insisted.
Connor's voice turned sinister. "What's this? Feeling sympathetic toward Arthur's child? Don't forget, once the Windsor Group releases that miracle drug, everything we've planned will be ruined! If I can't have what I want, I won't let anyone else have peace either!"
"But how can you use Arthur's son as leverage?" Heidi challenged.
She knew how much Arthur cared for his children—that's why she had targeted them in the first place.
If Connor had taken the disobedient Layla, she would have been pleased, but he'd taken Logan—her ticket to staying close to Arthur!
"His son is exactly what we need!" Connor replied coldly. "What use is a little girl? Only his son can throw Arthur off balance. You'd better do as I say, or if I go down, you're coming with me."
Heidi reluctantly agreed, Connor held too many of her secrets. Her eyes drifted toward the ballroom below, and what she saw made her blood boil.
In the center of the dance floor, Arthur and Caroline moved with perfect grace.
As the dance ended, Arthur finally released Caroline's hand, the scrutiny in his eyes replaced by his trademark coldness that kept everyone at a distance.
Resentment and fury coursed through Heidi as her nails dug into her palms until they bled, though she seemed completely numb to the pain. The bitterness in her heart spread like poison.
This time, she was determined to destroy this Dr. Q completely.
---
After parting with Arthur, Caroline headed upstairs to find Becky. Though she'd been dancing, she'd kept an eye on her surroundings and knew Becky had returned to her room after handing Layla to her grandmother.
Today, Becky showed little interest in the party. Caroline hurried after her. "Becky, wait."
Becky looked into her eyes and seemed momentarily disoriented. "Caroline..." she murmured.
"What?" Caroline asked.
Becky's gaze instantly cleared. "Why are you following me?"
Her eyes turned cold. "Don't think that just because you resemble Caroline you can attract Arthur's attention. He didn't even care about Caroline—he certainly won't care about you, her substitute!"
Caroline smiled gently, about to speak when Heidi approached with reddened eyes, grabbing her and attempting to kneel.
"Dr. Q, where is Logan?" Heidi cried. "Please tell me—where is Logan? He's so young, he doesn't understand anything. Please let him go."
Caroline's heart sank, though her expression remained composed as she held Heidi back. "Ms. White, what are you talking about? What do you mean by asking me to 'let Logan go'? I have no idea what you're referring to."
Seeing that more people were noticing the scene, Heidi seized the opportunity and continued her tearful accusations.
"I just asked the servants, and they said Logan disappeared after speaking with you. You were the last person to see him. I just want to know where Logan is!"
Seeing Arthur approach, Heidi cried even harder. "Dr. Q, I'm begging you to spare Logan. If you don't like me, you can take it out on me—I only ask that you don't hurt him!"
Becky's frown deepened. This tactic seemed familiar.
She disliked both women and decided to remain silent. As far as she was concerned, the bigger the drama, the better.
Caroline remained calm. "Ms. White, I'd appreciate some evidence for that accusation, otherwise I have every right to consider this deliberate slander."
She smiled slightly. "I can have my lawyers sue you for this."