Chapter 274

Half a month flew by in the blink of an eye. On the day of the banquet, Alice Sterling slipped into a loose dark red gown, making sure to arrive at the hotel entrance before the event kicked off at eight in the evening. Getting out of the car, she declined Peter Reynolds' offer to accompany her, instead lifting the hem of her dress and walking in alone. Initially, her plan was simple: drop off the gift and leave as quickly as possible. But the image of Mr. Hawthorne’s red-rimmed eyes that day weighed on her conscience. After all, the one at fault was Edward Hawthorne, not the old man. Still, Alice wanted to lay low, avoid drawing attention. That should’ve been simple enough—if it weren’t for the "wife of Edward Hawthorne" title that clung to her like glue. The moment she stepped into the hall, she found herself surrounded by a small group of women. A few of their faces were familiar—wives of business associates from GrandVerse Group. “Mrs. Hawthorne, I heard you’re pregnant! How far al