Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Marilyn stood at the entrance adjusting her outfit. When she caught sight of Kane standing nearby, looking relaxed and unhurried, her brow furrowed in annoyance. She snapped at him immediately.

"Kane, quit standing there like a statue! Guests are about to arrive in droves—get to the entrance and start greeting people!"

"Today is a big day for our family. All our relatives are here. Look sharp and don't give anyone a reason to say we have no manners!"

Isabelle's chest tightened at her mother's words.

She stepped forward without hesitation, slipping her arm through Kane's. Looking up at Marilyn, she spoke gently but firmly, defending him.

"Mom, greeting guests doesn't mean singling Kane out. If anyone's going, we're going together."

Without waiting for a reply, Isabelle pulled Kane toward the hotel's main entrance.

The afternoon sun blazed overhead, merciless and blinding. There wasn't a hint of shade at the outdoor greeting area.

Within minutes, beads of sweat dotted her delicate forehead, trailing down her flushed cheeks. Her temple hair grew damp.

Kane watched her face turn pink, watched the sweat gather, and his heart ached. "The sun's brutal out here. Go back inside where it's cool. I can handle the greeting."

Isabelle shook her head, her small hand clutching his sleeve tightly. Her eyes were unwavering. "I'm not going back."

"If you're out here in the heat welcoming guests, how could I go inside and relax? No matter what, I'm staying with you. We'll greet our relatives together."

Kane looked at her stubborn, tender expression, warmth spreading through his chest. He stopped arguing and stood beside her silently under the scorching sun.

Before long, family members began arriving in groups of twos and threes.

Everyone wore crisp formal attire, carrying carefully chosen gifts—elegant fruit baskets, upscale wines, beautifully wrapped floral arrangements.

The moment they spotted Isabelle at the entrance, faces lit up with broad smiles. They hurried forward with effusive greetings.

"Isabelle, you look absolutely stunning today!"

"Congratulations! The new project launch was a huge success—you're the pride of the whole family!"

"You've been exceptional since childhood, and now your business is thriving. What an achievement!"

The older relatives surrounded Isabelle with nonstop praise, voices warm and earnest—though tinged with flattery.

No wonder. Isabelle now controlled a project worth over three billion dollars. Who wouldn't want a piece of that?

One middle-aged relative sidled closer, rubbing his hands together ingratiatingly. "Isabelle, your company's growing so fast, expanding into new markets, right?"

"Our kid just lost his job and can't find anything decent. Is your company hiring? Any chance you could prioritize family? We're not asking for anything fancy—just something stable with good pay!"

Another chimed in eagerly, "Exactly! We're all family! With so many projects, you could spare one position. It'd beat working for strangers any day!"

Within moments, every relative crowded around Isabelle, angling for connections and favors.

Isabelle maintained a polite smile, offering gracious platitudes. "Thank you all so much. The company is expanding. If suitable positions open up, I'll definitely keep family in mind."

Hearing this, the crowd beamed even brighter, heaping more praise on her.

Just as the relatives prepared to head inside, suddenly—

A deep, guttural engine roar erupted like a beast unleashed!

A top-of-the-line limited-edition Maybach came barreling forward, screeching to a stop right at the hotel entrance. Its presence dominated the entire scene.

The doorman immediately rushed forward, bowing as he opened the door.

Evelyn emerged, tall and striking in designer luxury wear, makeup flawless and bold. She stepped out gracefully, her hand draped over Jeremy's arm.

Jeremy wore a high-end tailored suit, his expression arrogant, radiating confidence.

Seeing them appear, Isabelle blinked in clear surprise. "Evelyn? What are you two doing here?"

Evelyn arched an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in her smile. "What? You're throwing a celebration and we're not welcome?"

"Of course you're welcome."

Despite her surprise, Isabelle remained courteous and gracious, smiling in reply.

Jeremy raised a hand slightly.

A black-suited bodyguard immediately stepped forward, holding an exquisite, luxurious European-style vintage gift box with both hands.

The box opened, revealing a pure gold embossed portrait sculpture.

The craftsmanship was stunning, dripping with opulence.

Gasps rippled through the crowd!

"Oh my God, that's solid gold! Must cost a fortune!"

"Look at those diamonds embedded in it—of course it's expensive!"

"I saw a much smaller one at an auction once—three hundred thousand dollars. This one has to be at least a million!"

"A million-dollar gift? Mr. Jones is incredibly generous!"

A million dollars?

Surprise flickered across Isabelle's face.

Kane frowned slightly.

Since when was this guy so generous?

Jeremy's gaze turned contemptuous, his tone dripping with undisguised mockery. "Just a small token. Not worth much."

"A million-dollar sculpture is pocket change to me, but for ordinary families from small places like yours, I imagine it's quite the grand gesture. Should be enough to make an impression."

With those words, Jeremy's provocation couldn't have been clearer!

The area fell silent. Relatives exchanged glances.

Facing the deliberate jab, Kane remained calm, speaking evenly. "You're right. A mere million dollars really is just a trinket. Hardly worth mentioning."

Kane's tone was matter-of-fact, his words simple truth.

Jeremy's expression froze instantly.

He never expected Kane to talk back to him in public.

"Without your wife, could you come up with a million dollars?" Evelyn spat.

Jeremy let out a cold laugh, patting Evelyn's back condescendingly. "Don't get worked up. He's just an ex-con who's never seen real money and only knows how to talk big. Didn't you have an announcement? Let's get to the main event."

Evelyn's smile widened. She cleared her throat, projecting her voice. "Everyone, we're not just here to show support today—we also have wonderful news to share publicly!"

All eyes immediately turned toward her.

Evelyn nestled against Jeremy, her face alight with triumph and showing off. "Jeremy just finalized an exclusive partnership project for me worth four billion dollars!"

"Not only that, but over the next ten years, the Jones family will continuously invest ten billion dollars in me personally, fully supporting my career!"

The announcement hit like a thunderclap!

Every relative erupted in disbelief, shock and fervor written across their faces!

"A four-billion-dollar project? Ten billion in future investment? My God! That's insane!"

"No wonder Jeremy carries himself like that—this is real top-tier dynasty power!"

In an instant, the same relatives who moments ago had swarmed Isabelle with flattery completely changed their tune.

They turned en masse, crowding around Evelyn with fawning expressions.

"Evelyn, you're amazing! So young and already controlling billions in resources! Your future is limitless!"

"You're so lucky! Being valued by Mr. Jones is like hitting the jackpot!"

"We were blind earlier! We'll be counting on your support from now on!"

"Isabelle doesn't even compare to you!"

The speed of their about-face was stunning, their opportunism laid bare.