"Uncle."
Deanna followed Lance's cue and obediently greeted him.
The two little ones also sweetly called out, "Hello, Granduncle."
"Hello, hello, hello, nice to meet you all."
Colton looked very pleased, smiling kindly at Deanna and the two children.
He then took out three exquisite gift boxes from his briefcase and said politely, "I wasn't sure what you would like, so I had my wife pick these out. I hope you like them."
Deanna instinctively looked at Lance for guidance on how to handle the situation.
"Accept them; it's a token of Uncle's goodwill," Lance whispered as he held her.
Deanna nodded, accepted the gifts, and thanked him politely.
The two children followed her example and thanked him sweetly.
The group then sat in the living room, chatting about various topics until the butler came to announce that lunch was ready. They moved to the dining room.
During the meal, the atmosphere was very warm.
The two children, in particular, with their innocent chatter, kept everyone laughing.
Everyone's fondness for the children grew visibly, as evidenced by their bowls being filled to the brim by the adults.
Since the banquet was in the evening, everyone returned to their rooms to rest after lunch to be in good spirits for the event.
Around three in the afternoon, the entire old mansion became lively.
Amy and her team personally did Deanna's makeup.
From facial treatments and skincare to makeup application, changing into her dress, and styling her hair, it took nearly three hours.
Looking at the stunning girl in front of her, Amy's eyes were filled with amazement and pride.
"Anna, you never cease to surprise me. Tonight, you'll definitely be the most dazzling hostess at the banquet!"
"Amy, stop flattering me. If you keep going, I'll feel like I'm floating," Deanna said shyly.
Amy insisted, "I'm not flattering you; I'm telling the truth. Just wait until Lance sees you. He'll confirm you're the most beautiful tonight."
"Amy!" Deanna blushed with embarrassment.
Seeing this, Amy knew she should stop teasing and said with a smile, "Alright, wait here for a bit. I'll go check on how they're entertaining the guests."
"Go ahead," Deanna nodded and watched her leave.
As Amy closed the door, Deanna turned to look at herself in the mirror. She could hardly believe that the happy person smiling back was her.
She couldn't help but clutch the sapphire necklace on her chest and whispered, "Mom, I've found happiness. Can you see it?"
This sapphire necklace was one of Olivia's favorite pieces of jewelry.
To make up for her mother's absence on this grand occasion, Deanna decided to wear something her mother loved, as if her mother were there with her.
Meanwhile, outside the Mercer family villa, it was bustling with activity.
Both sides of the street were lined with top-tier luxury cars.
Of course, anyone stepping out of these cars could make waves in various industries with just a word.
Naturally, such a lively event attracted media attention. However, apart from selected media outlets, other reporters were blocked by Mercer family security halfway down the road.
Julia arrived with Landon.
Both knew the purpose of tonight's banquet and had prepared gifts.
Seeing Lance greeting guests at the door, they walked over immediately.
"Mr. Mercer, congratulations on your double happiness. And don't forget about me, your matchmaker," Julia joked with a wink as she handed over her gift.
He loved Deanna, so her best friend's teasing did not repel him. Lance's smile warmed slightly as he said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I won't forget."
"That's good. By the way, where's Deanna?" Julia looked around but didn't see her friend.
"Deanna is getting her makeup done in a room on the third floor. She should be ready soon. I'll have a servant take you up to keep her company," Lance explained.
"Don't worry; I'll make sure Deanna is happy," Julia promised playfully.
Lance smiled and called a servant to take Julia upstairs.
Watching Julia leave, Landon handed over his gift and said sternly, "Congratulations. But if you ever wrong Deanna, even if it exhausts the Sherman family's wealth, I won't let you go. And I'll take Deanna away!"
"Thanks. But what you're worried about won't happen. You won't get that chance," Lance replied as he accepted the gift and looked directly at Landon.
The tension between them was palpable, drawing the attention of those around them who wondered who dared cause trouble at such an important Mercer family event.
Many recognized Landon and were surprised.
Those friendly with the Sherman family quickly took out their phones to contact Landon's father.
Mr. Sherman hurried over after receiving numerous messages from friends and saw his son confronting Lance. The tension in the air was unmistakable.
"You troublemaker! Apologize to Mr. Mercer right now!"