Emily could barely hide her disdain as she watched Deanna focus solely on eating at such an important banquet. Fortunately, she remembered she was not alone and quickly composed herself. She thought to herself that Deanna could enjoy her last moments of happiness without worry, for after tonight, she believed Deanna would never be in such a good mood again.
Later, Lance and Eula finished their discussion and came down to see his fiancee sitting leisurely in the lounge area of the banquet hall with a plate of snacks in hand. He walked over with a slight smile. "I was worried you might be bored or nervous alone down here, but it seems you're the most relaxed of everyone."
"You're back," Deanna said, her eyes filled with joy as she looked at the man standing beside her.
Lance nodded and asked, "Did anyone bother you while I was away?"
"No," Deanna shook her head in denial. She didn't tell the truth because she didn't want Lance to worry or for it to affect the Mercer family. Earlier, while she was sitting alone, two socialites had approached her, bluntly asking about her identity and how she became Lance's fiancee, their expressions full of arrogance. Knowing their intentions, Deanna had responded assertively. Due to her status and not wanting to cause a scene at the banquet, the socialites had left dejectedly.
Unaware that Deanna had concealed such a significant incident from him, Lance's worries disappeared when he saw no one had bothered her. He chatted with Deanna for a while until someone came looking for him, clearly for business matters. Deanna, not fond of socializing, leaned closer to Lance and whispered, "I'm going to the restroom."
Lance nodded and watched as Deanna left the banquet hall. A foreign tycoon nearby noticed and teased, "Lance, this is the first time I've seen you care so much about a woman. You seem different from before-more... I don't know how to describe it."
"Are you trying to say I have more humanity?" Lance asked, turning his gaze to his business partner.
The tycoon nodded. "Exactly, humanity. You have no idea; before, if you weren't breathing, I would have thought you were a work-only robot with no emotions."
Lance couldn't help but smile as he thought about how much he had changed over the past year. "You're right. She is very important to me. All my changes are because of her."
"Oh, my friend, you've completely fallen in love. Congratulations on finding your soulmate," the tycoon said, raising his glass as if celebrating Lance.
Meanwhile, Emily watched as Deanna walked out of the banquet hall alone. Her eyes flickered but she didn't follow. Unaware of this, Deanna washed her hands and was about to return to find Lance when she saw a waiter approaching from the opposite direction. Thinking he was just passing by, she stepped aside to make way.
To her surprise, the waiter stopped in front of her and politely asked, "Are you Miss Deanna Jones?"
"I am. What do you need?" Deanna nodded, looking puzzled.
Instead of answering immediately, the waiter took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. "Someone asked me to give this to you."
"For me?" Deanna was even more confused. She took the envelope and was about to ask more questions when the waiter said, "My task is complete. I have other duties at the banquet, so I won't disturb you further." With that, he bowed slightly and turned to leave.
Watching him walk away until he disappeared from sight, Deanna finally looked down at the envelope in her hand and frowned as she opened it. A folded A4 paper fell out. As she unfolded it and read the contents, her pupils involuntarily contracted.
The paper read: If you want to know the cause of your mother's death, go to the innermost room on the top floor. There you will find the answers you seek.
Deanna stared intently at the last sentence, gripping the paper so tightly that her knuckles turned white and her hands trembled. Her mother's death had always been her weak spot. She took a deep breath and put the note away, already making plans in her mind.
Regardless of the writer's intentions or whether this note was a trap, she decided to go. Not for anything else but to avenge her mother! Of course, she wouldn't go without making any preparations.
Deanna took out her phone and sent a message to Lance: "Lance, if I'm not back in ten minutes, come find me in the innermost room on the top floor!"
Almost immediately after sending the message, Lance called her.