Chapter 7

In the ballroom, a group of youngsters chattered and laughed among themselves until Tamara and Mildred stepped through the door. Then, all eyes turned to them. "Tamara, is this your long-lost sister?" A young lady in a pale pink dress flounced over and grabbed Tamara's arms. Her eyes swept over Mildred from head to toe before she scoffed. "She's completely lacking in class compared to you." Tamara chuckled. "Don't say that, Pearl. Mildred suffered so much all these years in the slums, and our family owes her so much." Pearl Luzon's expression twisted in more disdain. "Are you saying that she did grow up in the slums for real? That's gross!" Tamara turned to take Mildred's arm and said, "Don't mind her, Mildred. Pearl just speaks her mind. "She's Arthur's cousin, so you two will be seeing each other often. She'll come to understand you better." "Oh, please, no." Pearl scowled. "She hasn't said a single word of greeting since she walked in; what kind of lady acts like that?" Truth be told, Pearl didn't care who Arthur married. He'd been sickly all his life, and they were never close anyway. But the thought of Mildred from the slums becoming her cousin-in-law made her skin crawl. "Hey, I'm talking to you! You can't even say a decent word, so what makes you think you're fit to marry into the Luzons? Arthur would never settle for a stone-faced person like you. "Also, you—" Mildred suddenly cut her off. "Do you have the guts to say that again, in front of all the guests?" Pearl froze, intimidated by the sharp look in Mildred's eyes. Then, she snapped, "Are you trying to scare me? What makes you think I don't?" "Good." Mildred turned and walked toward the sound room. Moments later, a harsh, shrill voice cut through the soft music in the ballroom. "...Grow up in the slums for real? That's gross! "Oh, please, no… What kind of lady acts like that? "...What makes you think you're fit to marry into the Luzons? Arthur would never… stonefaced person like you." Pearl had just said a handful of lines, but now they looped over and over. Throughout the ballroom, heads turned in her direction while she clutched her designer gown tightly. The exquisite makeup on her face was now flushed an ugly shade of crimson. Now, she wanted nothing more than for the ground to swallow her up. The door to the sound room was kicked open as Nox stormed in. "Mildred, are you insane? Come out and apologize to Ms. Luzon right now!" As Mildred stepped out, all eyes instantly locked on her. She wore an emerald-green gown with her long hair loose down her back. She wore no jewelry, yet all it took was one glance that made it impossible to look away from her. In a corner, Zoey grabbed Dorian's arm and excitedly whispered, "Dorian, it's Ms. Ginger!" Dorian nodded. "I see her." Zoey's eyes went round in realization. "Oh, so she's the real daughter of the Gingers they lost all those years ago… But look at Nox glaring when he talks to her; why does he look so ready to bite her head off?" Behind them, Miguel chimed in, "They say Ms. Ginger grew up in Westbury and was supposed to spend months learning etiquette before any public appearance. But the Gingers rushed her to tonight's banquet because there was an engagement switch, replacing Tamara with Mildred." Zoey frowned. "What? Everyone in Riverdale knows Arthur's gravely ill. They just found her, and now that they're dumping her on a half-dead man, that's like sending her to the slaughterhouse." Dorian coolly said, "Half-dead? The Luzons' hosting such a grand banquet sounds more like they're announcing some good news." "So, is Mildred really gonna marry Auther then?" Zoey panickedly asked. Dorian set his glass on the bar with a sharp clink and replied in a cool, icy voice, "No. She's not." Before she could react, he strode through the crowd toward Mildred. … "Apologize, Mildred! Didn't you hear me?" "I didn't," Mildred flatly replied as if she never took Nox seriously. Feeling utterly humiliated in front of the crowd, Nox seethed and raised his hand to slap her. But just as it snapped up, another hand clamped his wrist mid-air. Mildred's view was abruptly cut off by a man's dark, patterned suit, and his stormy presence overwhelmed her. Shielding Mildred behind him, Dorian's gaze was dark and unfathomable. "If you're looking for a fight, Mr. Ginger, I'd be happy to oblige." "What's going on, Mr. Sheppard? This is a family matter, so why are you getting involved?" Nox frowned. Dorian was a business prodigy in Riverdale. Though the old-money nobles might sneer behind closed doors, they had to admit that the Sheppards now dominated the city, and no one would be foolish enough to cross Dorian outright. Tamara's eyes lit up. She quickly stepped forward and blinked pitifully at Dorian. "You've misunderstood, Mr. Sheppard. Nox wasn't going to hit her; he just wanted to pull her over to apologize to Pearl." Zoey trotted over and chimed in in a loud voice, "Apologize for what? Mildred's the one who got humiliated here. As her family, not only did you not protect her, but you also sided with outsiders to gang up on her. That's just absurd! "As for you, Nox, how do you have the nerve to demand an apology? The Gingers didn't raise her, and now, you drag her home just to marry her off on Tamara's behalf. You're just trying to bleed her dry!" Mildred almost wanted to applaud Zoey for her sharp tongue. Then, the latter turned around and shot her a reassuring look. "Don't be scared. With me and Dorian here, no one's laying a hand on you." Dorian glanced back with a soft smile. "She's right. You don't have to be afraid." For a moment, Mildred found the scene a little surreal. In her previous life, she'd fallen for such warm and protective moments, just to end up burned alive for it. So, why were the Sheppard siblings standing up for her tonight? What did they want? … Before Zoey could spit out another retort, a commotion spread through the crowd. "It's Arthur! He's here!" Everyone turned to the entrance to see Arthur dressed in a white suit, walking at an unhurried pace. The crowd parted around him with surprise and dread. Arthur had collapsed in public more than once, and rumors said he was on his deathbed. No one could afford the fallout if he keeled over now. Yet although Arthur's face was pale, he didn't seem as haggard as before, and his steps were steady. He even greeted the curious stares with a polite nod and a faint smile. Behind him, Margaret beamed proudly, and her voice rang out loud. "Thank you all for taking the time to attend the Luzon family banquet. This is such an honor. "Tonight, I'm pleased to announce that Arthur Luzon will inherit my 20% stake in the shares and become the sole heir of Luzon Corporation. I trust all our old friends in business will watch over him well." A chorus of congratulations rang out. "Mrs. Luzon Senior, has Mr. Luzon truly recovered? That's wonderful news!" "I wonder which doctor worked this miracle. You must give me their name; my sick brother could use their treatment, too!" "Weren't they saying the real Ginger daughter will marry him instead of the adopted one? Looks like she's in for some real luck because she's about to be the next lady of the Luzons!" Tamara stared at the healthy, energetic Arthur and instinctively searched the room for Kieran. He sat near the back in his wheelchair with confusion and shock in his eyes. Arthur had been weak since birth and more than once at death's door. How could he have recovered from such a perilous state? That was, unless the rumors were true, that the Luzons had found themselves a miracle doctor. Kieran's gaze dropped to his knees as he secretly rubbed his knees. If that was the case, his legs… Then, he put on a smile and said, "This is a day full of blessings, Mrs. Luzon Senior. Tamara and Arthur's engagement has been delayed for years, and now that he has recovered, shall we settle on a date for the wedding tonight?" Margaret replied with a snort, "Oh, you clearly don't know your coffee, do you? Once the coffee's poured out, there's no brewing with the same ground a second time." A cold glint flashed in Kieran's eyes, though he maintained a smile. "Fine coffee beans can always handle a double brew; don't you agree?" The implication behind his words was that Tamara would always outshine Mildred. Margaret secretly rolled her eyes at him before turning to Arthur. "Arthur, what do you think about the engagement we've discussed endlessly?"