Skip to content
Novel Catalog
Chapter 26
“Oh, who do we have here? What’s a delivery girl doing at the engagement party? And look—food all over the floor, it’s pungent!”
“Today’s the engagement of Young Master Matthew and Miss Larson. Didn’t they already book the whole place? Why is someone ordering food delivery?”
“Who knows? Is she trying to sneak in?”
“Where’s security? Throw her out!”
A group of wealthy onlookers, many from elite families or high society, passed by Veronica with sneers, criticizing and mocking her for being out of place at such a grand event. One person even called for security to escort her out.
As two security guards approached, they immediately saw her delivery vest and noted how out of place she seemed. Without a word, they grabbed her by the arm. “Get out quickly. This place is reserved.”
Veronica jerked her arm free, fury burning in her chest. “Let go!” she snapped.
She was livid. If she wasn’t pregnant, she wouldn’t care about Matthew and Tiffany’s engagement. It was none of her business. But things had changed.
She was over two months pregnant now, and Matthew had made her a promise just four days ago—if she kept the baby, he would help her adoptive father get the surgery he needed, and find out the truth behind the car accident. That was why she’d agreed to keep the child.
But now, seeing the couple together, Veronica felt the weight of the situation crashing down on her. After the baby was born, she could already imagine what would happen—she would be cast aside, and her child would call Tiffany “Mom.”
Mom? How ironic.
“Miss, I’m warning you now. Get out of here quickly, or don’t blame me for being rude,” one of the security guards threatened, pointing a finger at her.
As the crowd gathered, some stopped to watch the commotion. The wealthy and famous had always enjoyed seeing drama unfold in front of them.
“You don’t have to chase me out, I can—”
“Roni, what are you doing here?”
Before she could finish, Xavier appeared, squeezing through the crowd to pull her behind him. He glanced coldly at the security guards and said, “I brought her in with me. Is there a problem with that?”
Dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, Xavier looked just as out of place as Veronica amidst the sea of formal attire. But his confident, easygoing demeanor made him stand out all the same.
“Young Master Xavier, she’s a delivery girl,” one of the security guards said, gesturing to the food scattered on the floor.
Xavier glanced down at the takeaway box, then at Veronica. He crouched down and picked it up, pretending to be displeased. “Roni, what’s wrong with you? I asked you to bring me some food, and you can’t even hold it properly?”
Veronica felt a rush of gratitude for Xavier, but her relief was short-lived as the crowd around them began to snicker and whisper.
“My god, something’s seriously wrong with Young Master Xavier. He’s friends with someone like her?”
“She’s so ugly, I almost threw up. Desperate, much?”
“Xavier really is the infamous useless bum of Bloomstead. What a sight to see today.”
“Don’t bring her out in public. What an embarrassment.”
The remarks came like daggers, sharp and biting. But Xavier didn’t flinch, laughing it off with his usual carefree attitude. Veronica, too, took it in stride, her face impassive despite the cruel words.
The two of them, more often than not, shared the same resilience in the face of ridicule.
Just as the murmurs grew louder, a husky voice broke through the noise.
“What’s going on here?”
“Oh, Young Master Matthew is here.”
“Congratulations, Young Master Matthew! Your engagement to Miss Larson is quite a surprise! You two make a perfect match.”
“Congratulations, Young Master Matthew and Miss Larson.”
The crowd parted as Matthew and Tiffany made their entrance. Matthew looked every bit the handsome, untouchable heir—tall and composed in a royal blue suit, his sharp features accentuated by his slicked-back hair. Tiffany, radiant in a long white dress adorned with sequins that shimmered like stars, stood at his side, a vision of beauty.
Together, they made a striking pair, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.
Veronica couldn’t help but feel small in comparison. Standing there, her presence almost seemed like an afterthought, a reminder of how out of place she was in this world.
“Veronica, you’re here too?” Tiffany’s voice rang out with fake warmth as she stepped forward, releasing her grip from Matthew’s arm.
She approached Veronica with an exaggerated smile and grabbed her hand. “I thought you were still busy with deliveries. I was going to call you later.”
“How do you know her, Miss Larson?” someone from the crowd asked, intrigued.
With the grace of a trained socialite, Tiffany smiled sweetly and said, “Let me introduce her. She’s a friend I made when I was experiencing life as a delivery girl—Veronica Murphy.” Then, she pulled Veronica into a hug, adding, “Earlier, I arranged for a private nurse to take care of your parents. Enjoy yourself here this afternoon.”
The crowd gasped. It was already impressive for a woman of Tiffany’s stature to openly hug someone as “ordinary” as Veronica, let alone arrange for a nurse to care for Veronica’s parents. Tiffany’s behavior appeared so gracious, so generous, that it seemed impossible for anyone to think ill of her.
But Xavier and Veronica saw through it.
The anger inside Veronica flared, but she held it in. She couldn’t act impulsively. Not here, not now.
The Larsons were crafty and manipulative, but she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of making her lose control.
Her gaze locked with Matthew’s. His brow furrowed slightly, and he cast a brief glance at Thomas, who stood nearby. His look was a silent question: Didn’t I tell you to keep Veronica Murphy away from this?
Thomas subtly shook his head. He’d taken precautions—installed interceptive software on Veronica’s phone—but this surprise had slipped past him.
“Congratulations!” Veronica spoke up suddenly, her voice loud enough to be heard over the chatter. “Of course, I have to be here to watch the fun at your engagement party.”
She said it with a smile, but inside, she was seething. She understood now—this was all part of the Larsons’ plan to humiliate her.
But she wouldn’t play into their hands. Not now. Not ever.
