Chapter 305


    Chapter 305


    The birthday celebration for two high societydies was upon them.


    Elspeth was so excited the night before that she couldn’t sleep, fantasizing about outshining all the


    others at the party the next evening. She chuckled at the image ying in her mind.


    Not only that, she had her staff put together clips from her acting career, along with some morous


    photos from hér modeling days, preparing to y them on loop at the party to impress the guests.


    However, the next day, Elspeth looked haggard, her eyes bloodshot, and dark circles nearly touching


    the ground. Without makeup, she resembled a ghost from an old horror movie!


    Getting old was inevitable. She used to stay fresh even after filming for three days and nights straight.


    Now, just one sleepless night had her looking worn out. “Call my beautician toe over for an


    emergency beauty treatment! Now!” Elspeth anxiously paced around the room.


    She was so enraged that she smashed an expensive ss.


    Her husband, Frederic, was blissfully ignorant of her tantrums.


    The servants waiting outside the door, terrified, immediately scrambled away to call for help.


    Elspeth checked herself in the mirror, a raging fire burning inside her.


    Today, she was celebrating her birthday alongside Myra, a friendlypetition of sorts.


    Even though she hadn’t seen Myra in years, and despite feeling superior as Frederic’s wife, she was


    still nervous. Myra used to be the leadingdy, the fantasy of men countrywide. Elspeth feared she


    might not be able to outshine her.


    “Mom! Mom!”


    Glynnis rushed in, startled by Elspeth’s appearance.


    “What’s the matter? You’re making a racket!” Elspeth snapped.


    “I just called Grandpa again to confirm, and he said he still won’t be attending your birthday party”


    “So what? I never expected that old man to show up anyway. I couldn’t care less if hees or not. I’d


    rather not have his old man smell ruin the atmosphere!” Elspeth scoffed, not bothering to hide her


    disdain for Hamilton from her daughter.


    “But, but he also told me,” Glynnis swallowed hard, “he and Thaddeus will attend the Ashbourne


    family’s party instead.”


    “What?” Elspeth was livid, her eyes burning with rage.


    “He said that he received a video call from Chairman Emeric and Evadnest night, and they had a


    great time chatting. So, he decided to visit Chairman Emeric for old time’s sake and have a few drinks.”


    “Damn it!”


    Elspeth was furious, her chest heaving, sweeping everything off her vanity!


    “Mom! What are we gonna do now? If people find out that Thaddeus and Grandpa are attending the


    Ashbourne’s party instead of yours, it will be humiliating!”


    Glynnis had been harboring resentment towards Elspeth for supporting Mari and Jareth’s


    rtionship. She took this opportunity to vent, “They never epted you as the rightfuldy of the


    Abernathy family. They think attending your birthday party would be a disgrace!”


    “Enough. Shut up!” Elspeth was so angry that she could barely breathe, her blood pressure


    skyrocketing.


    “Mom! What do we do now?” Glynnis pretended to be worried, but secretly she was gloating.


    “No matter, that old man is just trying to provoke me. If I let this ruin my birthday, then I’d be ying


    right into their hands.”


    Elspeth sat on the couch, starting her Ptes routine. “Someday, your grandpa is retired, and my


    husband is his only son. Everything he owns will be Frederic’s, I couldn’t care less about that old


    geezer. I’ll outlive him.”


    At exactly six in the evening.


    A line of ck luxury cars neatly parked outside the mansion. Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy, along with their


    two daughters, got into a limo escorted by bodyguards, making a grand procession towards the


    Abernathy Hotel.


    Frederic stared expressionlessly out the window, showing no unusual attitude towards Elspeth, even


    though it was her birthday.


    The Abernathy sisters sat facing their parents. Mari was the same as always, hunched over,


    clutching the teddy bear Evadne gave her, which provided her somefort. Glynnis, dressed in an


    expensive Chanel suit, sat next to Marija, treating her like a handmaid in front of Frederic.


    “Oh dear Mari, it’s Mommy’s big day. Why don’t you dress up a bit?”


    Glynnis wore a fake smile, pretending to care for her sister. “Don’t you know how to dress up? Why


    didn’t you tell me? I could help you.”


    Mari kept her lips sealed.


    “Remember the hairstyle I did for youst time? It looked so good on you. I could have done it again


    today.” Glynnis was barely hiding her amusement.


    Suddenly there was a smack!


    Mari raised her hand and shoved Glynnis away!


    Mr. and Mrs. Abernathy were taken aback. They had never seen their younger daughter lose her


    temper before.


    “Mari! That hurt! What’s wrong with you?” Glynnis yed the victim.


    never asked for your help with my dressing. You always forced me.”


    Mari hugged her teddy bear, her eyes welling up with tears. Somehow, she found the courage to


    confront her sister.


    Frederic looked at Glynnis, puzzled.


    “What did you just say?” Glynnis‘ eyes widened, her mouth agape in shock.


    “And, I hate that crew cut. I hate it, stop making me wear it, okay?” Mari gritted her teeth, each word


    laced with resentment towards Glynnis


    “Glynnis, what is your sister talking about?” Frederic asked, his face serious.


    “Oh, Dad‘ She’s not a normal kid. She often talks nonsense. You know that, right? I have no idea why


    she is saying these things, I’m so confused!” Glynnis feigned innocence, her voice sweet and cloying.


    “Frederic, is Thaddeus really going to the Ashbourne’s tonight? He’s noting over?” Elspeth


    changed the subject, gripping her husband’s arm.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    “I don’t know.” Frederic frowned.


    “I mean, I don’t have any ill intentions. I just think it would be better for him toe here.”


    Elspeth assumed a wise demeanor, her voice soft and gentle, “If it was Suri’s birthday, then it would be


    fine for Thaddeus to go. After all, Suri is the Bright family’s darling, having a good rtionship with her


    would be beneficial for us, and it would look good too. But him going to Myra’s birthday, what’s that


    about? Not to mention that Myra is from a poor background, and had caused a scandal in the


    entertainment industry, Thaddeus going to her birthday would just cause the media to write nonsense


    again.”


    Elspeth’s gaze darkened, “Moreover, Myra is just a mistress of Chairman Emeric, calling her his wife is


    already an overstatement.


    Such a vague status, is it worth for our Abernathy Group’s president to go and show goodwill? Isn’t that


    a bit too degrading?”


    For some reason, the word “mistress” made Frederic ufortable, bringing back a memory of


    Thaddeus‘ mother.


    “Myra of the past had no backing. But now she has Emeric. She is not the same as before. And if it


    weren’t for that incident back then, she would have soared high and wouldn’t have fallen into Emeric’s


    grasp.”


    Elspeth was taken aback, she asked carefully, “Frederic, did I say something wrong?”


    “I heard not only Thaddeus will go, my father will also meet with Emeric.”


    Frederic stared ahead, his tone low and t, “The center of tonight’s event is not just Myra. Have you


    overlooked Emeric’s presence? If they are willing to go, let them go. I’m tired and really don’t have the


    energy to bother with these social niceties.”


    What was going on? Why did his attitude change?


    Elspeth choked with anger, could onlyugh along.


    At this moment, Mari found afortable position, slowly dozing off.


    After all, those days spent with Jareth, he would be all over her every night, either kissing or hugging


    her, leaving her no time to sleep properly.


    Glynnis was trembling with rage beside her, her lips twitching, as if she wanted to skin Mari alive,


    tear her flesh apart and drink her blood!


    She thought, “Mari, you think you’re great because you have Jareth backing you up? The more you


    show off, the faster you’ll die!”


    Elspeth’s birthday party was low–key, but she still sent news to the media.


    She believed that she was born to be in the spotlight, how could she exist without attention?


    The journalists who had heard the news were loitering around the hotel.


    Seeing the Abernathy family walking towards the banquet hall, with Elspeth looking morous and full


    of pomp, she really lived up to the image of a wealthy socialite.


    Journalists swarmed over, taking photos of the Abernathy family.


    Frederic was not pleased, but he still handled the situation calmly, facing the media graciously with


    Elspeth.


    “Mr. Frederic, your wife is having a birthday party tonight, and the whole family is here, where is Mr.


    Thaddeus?”


    What kind of journalist would they be if they didn’t ask the ufortable questions?


    “Thaddeus is upied, he couldn’t make it.” Frederic replied with a light smile, brushing off the


    question.


    “Today is also the birthday of Emeric’s wife, Myra. Mrs. Elspeth, your birthday is supposed to be on


    Wednesday, but you moved it to Sunday. Did you do it on purpose to sh with Myra’s birthday? You


    two were rivals back in the day when you were both leading actresses. There were rumors that you two


    werepetitors and didn’t get along. Has the old feud not been resolved after all these years?”


    “Oh my! I didn’t know that today is also Myra’s birthday. I had no idea until now.”


    Elspeth feigned surprise, her hand with the massive diamond ring covering her mouth, “That’s my


    oversight, I should wish her a happy birthday. I chose today because our family and guests were busy


    on Wednesday.”


    She continued with a triumphant smile, “After all, we invited many guests this time. I just want to


    amodate everyone’s schedule, so everyone can have ample time to gather with us.”


    “Guests? You’ve invited that many guests?”


    The journalists looked at each other, “We’ve been waiting here for two hours, and we haven’t seen


    anyonee.”


    Elspeth was taken aback. How could this be?


    She had invited hundreds of guests half a month in advance, and most of them had received the


    invitations and promised toe!


    Why wasn’t there anyone?


    Elspeth forced a smile, her nerves on edge, her heart pounding like a drum.


    “Alright, let’s go in first.” Frederic urged in a low voice.


    As they reached the entrance of the banquet hall, the servant opened the heavy doors.


    The next second, Frederic and Elspeth’s smiles froze on their faces.


    Especially Elspeth, her face turned pale in an instant, biting her lower lip, almost screaming out loud in


    surprise!


    Lo and behold, a banquet hall of such grandeur, yet eerily empty!


    Those guests she’d imagined, draped in finery, perfumed, with neatly coiffed hair, they were nowhere to


    be found!


    Where in the world did they all vanish to?