Chapter 138 Chapter 138

Chapter 138 Chapter 138


Greer's POV

The host’s voice rang out clearly through the grand hall. “And now, for the highly anticipated awards — Best Rookie CEO, Most Innovative Beauty Brand, and Rising Entrepreneur of the Decade — please welcome Greer of Lumina Bloom!”

The applause was immediate and thunderous. It washed over me like a wave as I stood up from my seat, smoothing down the luxurious royal blue silk of my halter neck gown. The crystal beading on the bodice caught the light beautifully with every movement. My silver strappy heels clicked softly against the polished floor as I made my way toward the stage. Cassey gave me an encouraging smile and a subtle thumbs-up from our table. I tried to smile back confidently, waving gracefully to the audience, but my heart was racing.

This was supposed to be my moment. A celebration of how far I had come despite every obstacle. But as I ascended the steps to the stage and the applause continued, something felt terribly wrong. I noticed Indira and Veda sitting at their respective tables. They were not clapping. While the rest of the room cheered loudly, they sat there with cold, almost satisfied expressions. As the applause grew even louder, they exchanged a quick glance and began to laugh — low, mocking laughs that sent a chill down my spine. I couldn’t hear them, but I could see it clearly. The unease settled deep in my stomach. Something was wrong. I didn’t know what it was, but I had never felt this level of discomfort in my entire life. It was as if the air had suddenly become thick with impending disaster.

I accepted the three awards with a grateful smile, my hands slightly trembling. Cassey joined me on stage to help carry them, taking two while I held one. The crowd cheered even louder. The projector behind me changed to display my brand logo and beautiful pictures from my journey — me at the trade fair, product shots, and images of women blooming. I was backing the screen, focused on the audience, so I didn’t see what had changed.

But I felt the shift instantly.

The applause started to falter. Whispers spread like wildfire through the hall. Then came the gasps. People began pointing at me. Disgust twisted their faces. Murmurs turned into audible insults — “homewrecker,” “disgrace,” “shameless,” “how could she?” — hitting me like physical blows.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I turned around slowly to see what they were all staring at.

The projector had changed.

Instead of my brand visuals, it was now displaying private, intimate moments between Calder and me. The footage wasn’t fully explicit, but it was damning enough. Clips of us kissing passionately, his hands on my waist, stolen tender moments captured and edited to look far worse. One particular still image showed us locked in a deep kiss, his hand resting possessively on my lower back. It was enough for everyone to understand the truth.

The award I was holding slipped from my fingers and crashed onto the stage floor with a loud, echoing clang.

But it got worse.

The screen then displayed something even more devastating — confirmation of my pregnancy. Medical documents, a sonogram image, and text stating I was carrying Calder’s child. The shame and embarrassment crashed over me like a tidal wave so powerful I thought I might collapse. I felt my face burn with humiliation. The ground should open up and swallow me whole, but nothing happened. I stood there, frozen, completely exposed in front of the entire elite world.

Reporters surged forward like vultures, cameras flashing rapidly, microphones thrust toward me. The irritation and judgment on people’s faces were overwhelming. I felt dizzy, the room spinning around me. My vision blurred with hot tears.

I couldn’t stay there.

I turned and ran.

I fled the stage, pushing past security and confused guests, taking the wrong route in my blind panic. Instead of heading toward the main exit, I found myself in a dark, quiet hallway away from the crowd. Cassey’s voice called after me desperately, “Greer! Wait! Greer! Come back!”

But I kept running, my silver strappy heels clicking rapidly against the marble floor, the royal blue silk of my dress flowing behind me. Tears streamed down my face, ruining my makeup. The humiliation burned hotter than anything I had ever felt before. My biggest night had turned into my worst public nightmare.

The pregnancy, my relationship with Calder, everything was now public in the most damaging way possible. And I knew exactly who was behind it.

Veda and Indira.

I ran deeper into the dark hallway, heart pounding, mind reeling, wondering how I would ever recover from this devastating blow.

I kept running, gasping desperately for breath. My silver strappy heels clicked frantically against the cold marble floor of the dark hallway, the royal blue silk of my halter neck dress flowing behind me like a wave. Tears streamed down my face, blurring my vision as I pushed forward, my chest burning with every ragged inhale. The humiliation from the stage still echoed violently in my mind — the projector displaying those private, intimate moments with Calder, the pregnancy reveal, the disgusted faces of the audience, the whispers turning into open insults. “Homewrecker.” “Disgrace.” “Shameless.” I couldn’t breathe properly. Everything I had worked so hard for was crumbling in front of the entire elite world.

I turned another corner, desperate to escape the noise and lights of the main hall. The hallway grew darker and narrower, the sounds of the ball fading into a distant hum. My legs felt weak, but I kept moving, driven by pure panic. I just needed to get away. To find somewhere I could collapse without thousands of eyes judging me. My heart pounded so hard it hurt. The pregnancy, the secret I had been protecting, was now public in the most devastating way possible. How would I ever come back from this?

Suddenly, a strong hand shot out from the shadows and wrapped tightly around my neck from behind.

I gasped sharply, trying to scream, but the sound was instantly muffled as a white handkerchief was pressed firmly against my nose and mouth. A sweet, chemical smell flooded my senses, making my head spin instantly. I struggled wildly, clawing at the powerful arm holding me, my nails digging into skin, but my limbs were growing heavy and uncoordinated within seconds. My vision blurred rapidly. The world tilted violently.

The last thing I registered was a black fold being quickly placed over my eyes, covering my face completely as consciousness slipped away.

My body went limp.

Darkness swallowed me whole.