Chapter 5

To save face, the Vance family made this gala incredibly grand.

They invited everyone who was anyone in the city.

When I arrived with Sebastian, Julian was at the entrance greeting guests.

His eyes widened when he saw me.

When we were married, I always dressed in modest, elegant pastel tones. Now that I was divorced, I wore a fitted, silk red dress that hugged my curves, making me look bold and dangerous.

Julian didn't expect me to show up. He walked over, his eyes filled with admiration and excitement.

He was a completely different person from the cold man who had demanded a divorce.

I sneered inside. Men are always like this. They don't value you when they have you, but they crave you the moment you leave.

"Serena, I didn't think you'd actually come."

"You look beautiful tonight. I..."

Before he could finish, Sebastian took a step forward, wrapping his arm intimately around my waist.

Julian froze, looking between us.

"And this is...?"

I smiled, introducing him warmly.

"My boyfriend, Sebastian Cole."

Julian’s face instantly twisted.

"Boyfriend?" he hissed, his voice cracking. "Serena, we barely got divorced, and you already have a boyfriend? Isn't that a bit much?!"

Looking at his furious face, I found it hilarious.

I knew what he wanted. He wanted to see his ex-wife miserable, lonely, and pining after him forever.

Keep dreaming!

I replied smoothly, showing no mercy. "Yes, Mr. Vance. We did just get divorced..."

"But you already have a whole baby."

Julian was rendered speechless, his face turning pale.

Not far away, Victoria Vance noticed the commotion. She hurried over, cradling the baby.

She fake-smiled at me.

"Serena, you're here."

"Perfect. Let Grandma’s little angel see our... oh, I guess you're Aunt Serena now!"

As she spoke, she tilted the baby toward me on purpose.

She was trying to make me jealous.

She sighed dramatically. "A woman is only complete when she has a child."

"Our family is blessed to get a healthy baby boy on the first try. Unlike some people who will never know what it feels like to be a mother. How sad. Don't you think so, Serena?"

Before I could reply, Lacey walked over from the VIP lounge.

Before she could even get close, Victoria glared at her.

"What are you doing out here?" Victoria muttered under her breath. "Stop embarrassing us and get back to the lounge."

Lacey went pale.

But she pressed on, clearly trying to win points with her mother-in-law. She immediately targeted me.

"Personally, I think divorced women should have some self-respect. Dragging around some young, broke guy who just wants to live off your money... how embarrassing."

"Once you get old and your money is gone, you won't even have a child to care for you."

"These young boys run faster than anyone."

I listened quietly, not angry at all, just annoyed by the noise. But Sebastian, next to me, tightened his grip, looking ready to defend me.

I squeezed his wrist, telling him to stay calm.

I didn't waste my breath on them.

Instead, I sighed and acted weak. "Whatever. Let's not ruin the night. Isn't it time for the toast?"

Seeing me back down, Victoria looked satisfied. She nodded at Lacey and didn't tell her to go back anymore, even letting her hold the baby on stage.

Julian, seemingly regaining his pride from Lacey's words, straightened his posture and walked past me.

He led his mother, Lacey, and the baby onto the stage.

Julian stood before the microphone. The lights dimmed, the giant screen lit up, and all eyes in the room turned to him.

He cast a smug, confident glance at me.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate this wonderful milestone for the Vance family."

"The birth of my son is a true blessing. I wanted to share this joy with everyone. Next, let us—"

According to the schedule, the moment Julian finished speaking,

Upbeat music should have started playing, and the giant screen behind them should have shown a heartwarming video of their family of three.

But there was no music.

Instead, a loud screech of static echoed through the speakers, and the screen flickered to life.

It was a secretly recorded video.

In a dimly lit hotel room, Marcus Kane was holding Lacey tight, whispering suggestively, "Oh, my little angel. You finally came. I missed you so much!"

"How is it going? Did those idiots at the Vance house find out anything?"

Lacey in the video laughed smugly. "Don't worry. The old lady just found out I used to work at The Velvet Room, so she immediately took the baby for a DNA test. Lucky for us, you were smart enough to bribe the private clinic."

Lacey waved a paper report in Marcus’s face, laughing hysterically.

"Now, it's black and white. The paper says the baby is Julian's."

"That idiot Julian will spend his whole life raising your kid, and he'll never even know!"