Chapter 37
Celeste rolled her eyes, feigning annoyance. “You have the nerve to ask me that? I went to the bathroom for one minute, and you vanished.
If I hadn’t squeezed it out of Barrett, I would’ve been completely stranded halfway here p>
Jarred didn’t reply. He turned and took long, brisk strides toward the elevator, moving so fast that Celeste practically had to jog to keep up.
Following awkwardly behind him, she stared at his cold profile and tightly clenched her fists.
The Zellers’ charity gala arrived right on schedule.
Sienna entered the venue on Jonathan Coleman’s arm. Her simple, elegant black evening gown perfectly contrasted her luminous skin. She wore nothing but a delicate diamond necklace, yet she looked far more sophisticated than the sea of women draped in gaudy jewels.
“Sienna p>
Mrs. Zeller’s eyes lit up the moment she saw her. She grabbed Sienna’s hand and proudly introduced her to her circle of wealthy friends.
“This is the Dr. Sloan I was telling you about! She saved my Maxwell’s life. Not only is she an incredible doctor, but she’s also Mr. Coleman’s final protégé. She’s brilliant at absolutely everything p>
The matriarch’s praise was overwhelmingly generous. The elderly women’s eyes sparkled as they immediately started interrogating Sienna about her marital status, practically ready to line up their grandsons for her.
As they chatted happily, the heavy doors of the banquet hall pushed open, instantly drawing the entire room’s attention.
Jarred Sterling walked in, wearing a bespoke black tuxedo, looking as tall and commanding as a king surrounded by his court.
His innate aristocracy and cold demeanor instantly caused the atmospheric pressure in the room to plummet.
And naturally, Celeste was right by his side.
She wore a vibrant, seductive red dress, pressing herself intimately against Jarred’s side as if broadcasting her ownership to everyone in the room.
“Is that Jarred’s foster sister?” someone whispered.
“Foster sister? Everyone in our circle knows that’s his little mistress. They just can’t say it out loud because of her background p>
“But isn’t he married? I heard his wife isn’t in our social circle p>
“That’s just a smokescreen! Have you ever seen him bring his actual wife anywhere? Yet this ‘sister’ is always glued to his side. Rumor has it, The Sterlings have tacitly approved of it p>
“What a shame. How can such an exceptional man be so blind when it comes to women p>
The murmurs drifted directly into Sienna’s ears.
She held her champagne flute, maintaining a flawless, graceful smile.
Only Jonathan, standing right beside her, noticed her grip on his arm tighten just a fraction.
Right on cue, Mrs. Zeller walked over and pulled Sienna into a quiet corner.
“Sienna, I did exactly as you asked. I’ve taken Maxwell up to the VIP lounge on the second floor p>
She glanced around and lowered her voice. “The person you’re going to expose today… are they in this room p>
Sienna gave the older woman’s hand a reassuring squeeze and put a finger to her lips. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you down p>
Mrs. Zeller understood perfectly. She patted Sienna’s hand and melted back into the crowd.
A moment later, Jonathan walked up, shooting Sienna a subtle look. “The fish took the bait p>
Sienna smirked. “Stick to the plan, Jonathan p>
“Yeah. Be careful p>
Jonathan nodded as he watched Sienna head upstairs.
Halfway through the banquet, Mrs. Zeller suddenly announced that they would be screening a charity promotional video.
The massive projector screen rolled down, and the guests paused their conversations, turning to watch.
However, what appeared on the screen wasn’t a charity video. It was a live feed from the second-floor lounge.
In the frame, Celeste was sitting in front of a vanity mirror, her eyes completely glazed over.
“I swapped the evaluation form, so what? I snuck into Director Holden’s office and stole your evaluation file p>
Sienna stood behind her, perfectly calm upon hearing her confession.