Unbelievable!

How could William Levine be this strikingly handsome?!

Sophia and Amanda stood frozen, forced to accept the undeniable truth—the man who had been constantly appearing around Elise was none other than William Levine himself!

Now it made perfect sense why she carried herself with such confidence, and how she obtained an invitation to the prestigious Levine banquet. William must have personally sent her that invitation!

Still, they couldn't comprehend how Elise could possibly be connected to the undisputed king of Crestwood.

Around them, excited whispers filled the air. "He's nothing like the middle-aged businessman I imagined!"

"Those features could melt glaciers."

"Definitely Crestwood's most eligible bachelor."

"He exceeds every expectation."

"And his son looks like he stepped out of a fairy tale—an absolute princeling!"

The entire banquet hall buzzed with astonished murmurs. Everyone seemed captivated by William, whose appearance shattered all their preconceived notions.

Elise stood quietly among the crowd, observing the tall, composed man with his sculpted features as he delivered his speech. His voice resonated through the hall—measured, controlled, yet carrying undeniable authority that commanded everyone's attention.

His natural regality was simply impossible to ignore.

When his brief address concluded, thunderous applause erupted once more.

Even Henry Levine, typically reserved, beamed with pride amid the enthusiastic response.

William gracefully wheeled Henry off the stage, leaving him in the care of his valet.

Then, as all eyes followed his movements, he made a direct path toward Samuel, whose ears had turned bright red.

Samuel nearly stumbled backward when he saw William approaching him purposefully.

The entire hall watched William's every move—now that his identity was confirmed, everyone hung on his slightest gesture and word.

Soon, William stood before Samuel, his height and presence dwarfing the other man.

He extended his hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mitchell. I'm William Levine."

Samuel's face cycled through shades of red and pale simultaneously.

Under different circumstances, this greeting would have been the highlight of his life—if only he hadn't already mistaken another man for William.

His earlier showboating now made this moment utterly soul-crushing.

The amused and disdainful glances from those around them only deepened his humiliation.

Clearly, William had done this intentionally.

William wanted to publicly shame him.

"Hello," Samuel finally managed, reaching out.

But William withdrew his hand just before Samuel could grasp it, leaving Samuel's hand suspended awkwardly in the air.

William offered a cool smile. "I may appear ordinary, but I trust you won't make the same identification error in the future."

With that elegant dismissal, William turned away, completely unconcerned about the profound embarrassment he'd just caused Samuel.

He returned to Henry's side—there were still many guests requiring his attention tonight.

Even after William departed, Samuel continued to feel the weight of contemptuous stares burning into him.

Struggling to maintain composure, he turned to leave the hall when he spotted Elise nearby, her dazzling smirk unmistakable.

He stormed toward her, fury nearly driving him to violence. "You knew!" he hissed through clenched teeth. "You knew exactly who he was! You set me up for this humiliation!"

"Your vanity created this situation," Elise retorted, her smirk unwavering. "If you hadn't been showing off, none of this would have happened. Pride always comes before the fall!"

And tonight, Samuel hadn't just fallen—he had been completely and utterly destroyed.