For the first time, Casey saw Izabe mmed up in a mermaid dress. He had suspected something was up when Bunny had called earlier; her tone was off. Now, he understood.


    The sight of Izabe''s long legs and her bare back was enough to make him want to stitch the dress up, covering every inch of her skin.


    She was doing her hair, nning to put it up to highlight her elegant neckline. Izabe didn''t likeplicated hairstyles. She simply took a hairpin and twisted her waist-length hair into a bun at the back of her head. Strands of her hair fell loosely from her temples, adding a touch of softness to her radiant face.


    Red was a difficult color to pull off, but it suited Izabe perfectly. She reminded Casey of a red rose blooming in the early morning, or a warm me in a cold, snowy night.


    This was the Izabe everyone in R City admired - the once wilted rose, now miraculously revived, as radiant as ever.


    Casey walked up to her and gently removed the hairpin. Izabe''s hair cascaded down her back, covering her bare skin.


    "I think you should leave your hair down."


    Izabe was startled by his sudden action, but when she saw the hint of jealousy in his reflection in the mirror, she instantly understood.


    "Don''t you like me in this dress?" Izabe teased.


    "It''s beautiful," he stammered. It was too beautiful that he wanted to keep her all to himself.


    Casey felt like a kid who got his hands on a precious treasure. He wanted to hide it, yet he also wanted to show it off to everyone. His Be was the most precious treasure in the world. "You look great with your hair down, too."


    Izabe gave him a knowing look. Seeing him blush, she decided not to call him out.


    "Okay, I''ll leave it down." But she didn''t want her back fully exposed either. She took a hair clip and Casey, catching on, skillfully clipped it to her hair.


    Her back was now partially hidden by her hair, still looking sexy yet less exposed. Izabe was slim; her slender waist was even more pronounced.


    "It''s a bit chilly outside, you should take a shawl," Casey suggested.


    "Alright, if you insist," Izabe teased.


    The dress was picked out by Bunny, Wendy had a set of jewelry delivered, and Casey had prepared a pair of high heels for Izabe. He handed her the invitation card from Beck. The invitation was addressed to Izabe, the CEO of the Maple Group.


    Outside the luxury hotel, a red carpet wasid out and reporters were eagerly waiting. The charity g hosted by the Dempsey Group was attended by many high-profile figures including influential figures in the entertainment industry.


    Izabe was Casey''s publicly acknowledged fiancée, would she be attending too?Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    It was no exaggeration to say that ny percent of the reporters were there for Izabe.


    Thest time she made a public appearance was at the award ceremony. After receiving her award, she announced her retirement from the entertainment industry and was quickly whisked away by Casey. She hadn''t appeared in the public eye since.


    The reporters had so many


    questions. When did she start dating


    Mr. Dempsey? How did she feel


    about winning the big award? What was her real reason for leaving the entertainment industry? Now that she''s Mr. Dempsey''s fiancée, when will they announce their wedding? And what about the woman who looked like her in the video that surfaced online recently?


    Some reporters had inside information that Izabe and Casey would be arriving together.


    They sold the news to a marketing ount, and it quickly spread online, causing a stir.


    [Who isn''t a big shot at this event? What is Izabe doing there? Can she afford to make a donation?]


    [Those who attend are truly wealthy, big names in the business world. Even if they''re not from the industry, the big stars who are invited all have strong backgrounds. All are seasoned actors.]


    [Izabe wouldn''t even qualify to be there if she hadn''t retired. She''s only there because of Casey. I wonder what he sees in her.]


    [It''s difficult for an artist to break into the upper echelons of society. Izabe has gone from being a sparrow to a phoenix since getting together with Casey. No wonder she chose to leave the industry.]


    [There''s so much sourness up there.


    Is it so hard to admit that Izabe is exceptional? The youngest actress in history to sweep all the major acting awards, the record-breaking ratings of Blood Ties, Izabe is more than a match for Casey. They''re a perfect pair, an invincible pair, a divine pair.]


    [Mr. Dempsey finally likes someone, and his fans are sour about it. Do you want to drive the sister-inw away and make him be a monk?]


    Online, people fell into three categories: supporters, detractors, and spectators. In the chaos, fights broke out.


    However, the biggest point of contention was that Izabe had leapfrogged into high society because of Casey, not because of her own merits.


    On the way to the event, Izabe leaned against Casey''s shoulder in the car, not ncing at her phone. When they arrived, Casey got out first and extended his hand to her.


    Their eyes met in the dim light of the car. After sharing a smile, Izabe gently ced her hand in Casey''s and stepped out of the car, linking her arm through his.


    Casey leaned in close and whispered to Izabe, "Tonight, I''m your date."


    "You better be on your best behavior, then," Izabe teased, walking alongside Casey on the red carpet under the bright lights.


    As soon as they appeared, the paparazzi who were busy snapping pictures of other guests instantly redirected their cameras. "Izabe and Casey are here!"


    Someone shouted, and immediately, the shes of the cameras converged on them.


    The hotel lobby was decked out in all its splendor, attracting a crowd of influential figures for the evening. Izabe stepped inside, her invitation in hand.


    The doorman examined her invitation, his demeanor shifting to one of utmost respect as he weed Izabe inside.


    The journalists nearby observed this scene with surprise. Typically, it was Casey who escorted Izabe to thesevish dinners. But based on the doorman''s reaction, it seemed Izabemanded more respect?


    As Izabe made her way into the crowd, she was aware of the curious nces thrown her way. She had attended countless dinners like this.


    On the surface, these events were


    marketed as@harity gs. But in reality, they served asworking events for the elite. Business moguls never considered their circle of coborators too big. An invitation to one of these dinners was essentially a stamp verifying your status among the upper echelons.


    Mutual ttery and one-upmanship were the name of the game. To put it bluntly, these dinners were a spectacle for the average folk, showcasing the powerful''s ability to rule the roost.