Chapter 723
Behind the main table stood a backdrop woven entirely from fresh flowers and greenery, framing a massive engagement portrait of Lawrence and Seraphina smiling sweetly as they leaned into each other.
Round dining tables were draped in flawless white tablecloths, set with gleaming silverware, crystal goblets, and exquisite bone china plates.
In front of each seat rested a gold-embossed place card and a meticulously prepared wedding favor inside a delicate, beautifully wrapped box.
The attending guests were nothing short of affluent and powerful. The men wore tailored suits, while the women were dressed in lavish gowns, adorned with dazzling jewelry.
They conversed in hushed tones, their faces bearing perfectly polite smiles.
Waiters in uniform navigated through the crowd with trays in hand, offering seamless service.
In truth, this was a massive high-society networking event.
The most prominent families in Aethelgard attended these types of gatherings almost every year, using them to build connections and discuss business deals.
Lower-status guests considered it an absolute honor just to receive an invitation from the Lance family. It was the perfect opportunity to rub elbows with important figures and secure lucrative contracts.
Lord Leonard Lance sat with the heads of several other major families, chuckling as they complimented each other’s younger generations, though the underlying tone was entirely about outdoing one another.
At their age, most had already handed over the reins of their empires to the younger generation.
If their children were capable, they didn’t have to worry at all and only needed to casually oversee things. Some stepped back entirely to pursue their own hobbies, like the heads of the Voss and Leigh families.
Strictly speaking, Leonard had it the hardest. His own son was a disappointment, though his grandson, Owen Lance, had turned out to be an incredibly brilliant exception.
When Owen first returned from abroad, the other elite families had worried that he would shatter the balance of power in Aethelgard’s business world, allowing the Lance family to dominate completely.
While Owen officially severing ties with his family seemed like an internal Lance issue, the other families had undeniably played their parts in stirring the pot.
“Leonard, why haven’t we seen that brilliant grandson of yours today p>
Lord Silas Voss asked.
“Which one of my grandsons isn’t brilliant? Silas, who exactly are you asking about p>
He knew his own family’s flaws, but he absolutely refused to lose face in public.
“Keep bragging. We all operate in Aethelgard; everyone knows exactly what each other’s kids are like p>
Who was he trying to fool? Did he really think everyone else was stupid?
“Well, Silas, I heard your grandson lost an entire company recently p>
Leonard shot back.
“He’s still not as good at causing trouble as your granddaughter, getting herself locked up in a police station p>
“You p>
Meanwhile, Luna Lance was surrounded by a group of elite socialites, acting every bit the princess.
“Wow, Luna, is that Celine Luxe haute couture you’re wearing? I heard their dresses start in the millions.
I’ve been wanting to order a set for ages, but it’s just too expensive p>
Vanessa Voss looked on with pure envy.
Even though Vanessa acted like a queen bee around Jillian Lowe and her group of ordinary students, she was totally subservient when mingling with high-society heiresses like Luna.
Although she came from a wealthy she belonged to a secondary
famd her father wasn’t the
branch a
head of the Voss estate..net>
Her family received a million dollars in dividends every month, but their expenses were massive and they had a large staff to pay.
Normally, they would spend tens of thousands on a party dress at most; no one casually dropped millions on a single outfit.
“This is nothing. It’s only a million dollars. The one I wore last time was worth six million p>
Luna bragged.