Chapter 584
Laurel hid the icy gleam in her eyes, keeping her tone completely steady. “That’s wonderful. True love always finds a way.”
It was truly a tragedy that Elissa had ever married into such a wretched family. The image of the gentle, patient Elissa flashed through Laurel’s mind, making her chest tighten with sudden anger.
Only Suzanne caught the double meaning in her words.
Carmela was overjoyed. “I’ve already spoken with our event planner for a lucky date. How about we officially announce the engagement at the Winter Charity Gala in a couple of days?”
She couldn’t wait. Announcing this union in front of all of Cresthaven and Vistapeak City’s elite would ensure Elissa and Rowan never looked down on her again. The Atwater family might not compare to the Murphys now, but once they’re allied with the Wilkinsons, everything will change!
Suzanne’s expression shifted, knowing exactly what Carmela was plotting. But Laurel gently patted her mother’s hand to calm her.
Laurel offered a faint smile. “That’s entirely up to Marcia.”
Marcia had been worried the Wilkinsons might find the Atwaters too flashy, but hearing Laurel’s approval made her beam. “Then the Gala it is!”
The tension she had carried for days finally vanished. The Wilkinsons were actually embracing her, allowing her engagement to take center stage at such an important event. She let out a heavy sigh of relief. Thank goodness she had stolen this life first. Otherwise, watching Elissa enjoy this luxury would have made her seethe with jealousy.
Maya Wilkinson had just woken up with a hangover. Coming downstairs to see this joyful scene, she frowned. Her instincts screamed that something was wrong. This wasn’t Laurel’s style. Laurel was too calculating to blindly trust Marcia’s identity so quickly, let alone arrange a high-profile second marriage for her sister.
Maya glanced at Laurel, noticing the cold detachment in her eyes, and felt a chill creep up her spine. But she couldn’t intervene now. Marcia and Carmela were already acting like the wedding was tomorrow.
Carmela stood up to leave. “I’ll head back and start the preparations!” She patted Marcia’s stomach. “Take care of yourself. We can’t wait for the baby.”
This child would cement the bond between the Atwaters and the Wilkinsons. Carmela practically wanted to drag Marcia back to their estate to pamper her.
Marcia nodded, hiding a fleeting trace of guilt. “Alright.” How wonderful. The father of her child could no longer be that filthy thing, Wyatt.
Once Carmela left, Maya grabbed Marcia’s arm. “Mom, Marcia is far along now. I’ll take her out to buy some baby supplies.”
Suzanne nodded, and the two walked out.
The moment they were in the car, Maya exploded. “Are you and your ex-mother-in- law completely brain-dead?! Can’t you see something is wrong?!”
Marcia, still riding her high, looked baffled. “What do you mean?”
“What do I mean?” Maya scoffed furiously. “Use the thing on your neck for once!”
Even Maya hadn’t figured out Laurel’s exact trap, but Laurel never played by the rules.
Marcia, feeling emboldened by her new status, snapped back. “If you’re so smart, why doesn’t anyone in the family like you? Are you just mad because I’m marrying Frank, while you can’t even get Rowan togook at you?”
MS
Maya slammed on the brakes, pulling over with a dark sneer. “Do you really think you’re the true. heiress? When this ship sinks, don’t you dare try to drag me down with you!
Thankfully, Maya hadn’t tied herself too closely to this idiot. If the truth came out, it would be Marcia’s problem alone. Maya could walk away clean, protected by Tristan.
Back at the house, Suzanne turned to Laurel. “Why did you agree to let them announce it at the Gala?”
“Agree to what?” Laurel’s lips curved upward. “The entire conversation was about Marcia Carson marrying into the Atwater family, and the one who agreed was Marcia herself. What does that have to do with our family?”
From the start, Laurel had specifically confirmed the name with Carmela. The engagement was for Marcia, not the Wilkinson family’s fifth daughter.