The Collins Villa was lit up like a Christmas tree.

Wendy, in a simple yet olegant gown, arrived at the grand mansion she had called home for the past three yours.

Ethan, who was greeting guests at the door, did a doúbole-take when he saw her, a mix of emotions flashing in his cyes.

Lydia quickly stepped forward, a perfectly measured smile on her face.and took the gift from Wendy's hands.

"Wendy,you made it Sarah's upstairs getting ready. Come on in."

As Wendy entered the grand hall, she saw it was already packed with guests.

She had to admit, Lydia had organized the event meticulously, rivaling any of the previous events Wendy had managed herself.

Most of the guests had some connection to the Collins family, and many of them recognized Wendy. As soon as she appeared, she drew numerous glances and whispers.

Wendy, however, seemed unfazed, her gaze calmly sweeping the room. She didn't see Lyndon anywhere.

With the event set to start in about ten minutes, she assumed he was still on his way.

T'he guests were mingling in small groups, the atmosphere lively and bustling.

Wendy stood quietly to the side, feeling a sense of isolation despite the familiar faces around her.

Juniper, with her sharp eyes, quickly noticed Wendy and strode over. "You actually dared to show up? I thought you'd be too scared to face everyone!"

"But let me warn you, behave yourself today. If you cause any trouble, don't expect any mercy from me!" Juniper's voice was loud and filled with sarcasm.

Feeling even more alone, Wendy watched as Juniper walked away. Lydia then approached her again, gracefully. "Wendy, do you like how the party is set up?"

Lydia had put a lot of effort into the event, even hiring the city's most renowned pastry chef to prepare the desserts on-site.

Every detail, from the arrangement of the drinks to the floral decorations,had been personally overseen by her.

"Is that all you wanted to say?" Wendy's tone was cold, unimpressed by Lydia's pretense.

Lydia, who appeared gentle and understanding, was actually cunning and deceitful. Who knew what she was plotting behind that innocent facade?

Lydia smiled softly, maintaining her innocent demeanor.

"Wendy, I genuinely think you worked hard in the past. Organizing these events takes a lot of energy. Now you can finally relax."

"Using Lyndon as bait to get me to come to this party, that was your idea,wasn't it?" Wendy's lips curled into a faint. mocking smile as she stared

directly at Lydia.

Lydia's eyes widened in feigned innocence. "Wendy, it was Sarah's idea to invite you. I had no idea! I've always wanted to invite you,but I was afraid you'd refuse. I didn't expect Sarah to succeed."

"Lydía, you should go attend to the other guests. I wanteto be alone for a while." Wendy cut off the conversation, not wanting to engage further.

Lydia's smile faltered slightly, but she turned and walked away.

Wendy looked around the spacious, luxurious hall. A large screen had been set up in the center, likely to show a slideshow or video of Sarah's life.

The room was filled with guests from various social circles,and several reporters were busy capturing every moment.

The guests, dressed to impress, were all eager to stand out.

As the room filled up, there was still no sign of Lyndon.

Just as Wendy was lost in thought, a commotion erupted at the entrance.

A young man in a light blue suit entered first. Chris, despite his blindness,exuded a natural confidence and vitality.

Following him was Alexander.

Wendy's heart leaped with joy and surprise. Chris immediately had Eddy find Wendy's location.

"Wendy, I'm here!" Chris eagerly had Eddy push him towards her.

Alexander, surrounded by a swarm of reporters, struggled to break free

and join them.

"What areyou doing here?" Wendy hurried to meet them, her tense expression finally relaxing.

"I dragged Alexander along. The Collins family sent us an invitation. Since you were coming,we couldn't miss it."

Chris looked proud, as if he had accomplished something significant.

Alexander reached Wendy's side in a few strides, his gaze soft. "Wendy,it's been a while."

"We just saw each other two days ago," Wendy replied, raising an eyebrow with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Chris chimed in with a grin, "A day without seeing you feels like a year!"

Alexander smiled indulgently and agreed, "Chris is right."

Wendy couldn't help but burst into laughter at their playful banter, her smile blooming as brightly as spring flowers.

The arrival of Alexander caused a stir among the guests.

Although the Collins family was considered prominent in Aurora City,most of the guests at this event were from second-tier families or were new up-and-comers in the business world. Truly top-tier elite figures were rare.

Someone like Alexander, who was considered a top figure even in Eldoria,was not easily persuaded to attend such events.

These guests usually exhausted every means to break into higher social circles, hoping to meet influential figures like Alexander.

Now that he had appeared at the Collins family's banquet, everyone was eager to seize this golden opportunity.

Ethan was also taken aback. He had sent the invitation as a formality,never expecting Alexander to actually attend.

Seeing Alexander and Wendy chatting happily, Ethan's eyes darkened with jealousy and anger.

Lydia.observing everything, bit her lip and whispered to Ethan, "Wendy really seems close to Alexander. She seemed very cold to mne earlier. Do you think she still holds a grudge?"

"Lydia, it's not your fault. It's mine. Maybe she was never faithful during our-marriage. Don't let it bother you. Just ignore her." Ethan patted Lydia's shoulder reassuringly.

Meanwhile, several guests tried to approach Alexander,hoping to make a connection, but he remained aloof, clearly, uninterested.

After facing rejection, they had no choice but to retreat to the sidelines.watching from a distance, not daring to disturb him further.

With just two minutes left before the banquet officially started, the person Wendy had been eagerly anticipating finally arrived.

Lyndon, in a dark gray suit, walked into the hall with a steady stride.

Despite being over fifty, he exuded the calm and wisdom of a scholar.

Wendy was about to go greet him when Lydia intercepted, leading Lyndon away with a bright smile.