Chapter 1581 Terrified Under His Gaze
Her final declaration rang with finality as she drained her glass.
Ann placed the empty glass carefully back on a passing tray and smiled politely at those around her. "Excuse me," she said, making her way toward the exit.
Her candid confession had been crystal clear, and whispers immediately rippled through the crowd. It made sense now—if Connie truly loved her daughter, why would she deliberately create such embarrassing scenes at important events? Everyone could see she was intentionally trying to humiliate Ann.
It was difficult enough for a woman to build a career on her own merit. Everyone knew Ann was a notorious workaholic at S.M Corporation, yet behind her success lurked a biological mother determined to destroy her. Who could endure such betrayal?
Contemptuous glances transformed into looks of sympathy.
Connie's face had drained of color, shocked by Ann's unflinching resolve.
'It's all that damn Selena's fault!' she thought, trembling with rage.
She turned to say something more to Paul, but before she could speak, she felt an icy chill run through her body.
"Get out," Paul said coldly, signaling his security team to remove them.
Connie was terrified of him, feeling as though his gaze could flay her alive. She was so frightened she couldn't utter a single word.
Otha tried to resist but received a brutal kick to the stomach from one of the guards.
This was too much for Connie, who loved Otha to the marrow of her bones and would have gladly taken the blow herself.
"Fuck, are you trying to kill him? Otha, are you okay?" She knelt beside him. "I knew Ann was a little bitch. Now that she's making money, she doesn't want to acknowledge us. Don't worry, Otha, I'll think of something else!"
The guests exchanged incredulous glances. Ann was her biological daughter, yet her heart was so obviously biased. If she could speak this way in public, one could only imagine what abuse Ann endured in private.
What terrible luck to have such a mother!
The hall fell silent. Instead of gossiping about Ann, everyone was discussing Connie—wondering what life experiences could make a woman value a man above her own flesh and blood, as though she couldn't survive without him.
It was incomprehensible.
Elara, disappointed that the crowd wasn't mocking Ann as she'd anticipated, linked her arm through Paul's. When she felt him about to shake her off, she quickly said, "Paul, weren't we going to announce our relationship tonight?"
This successfully halted him—tonight was indeed meant for announcing their relationship.
He allowed her arm to remain. Elara raised her eyebrows triumphantly, carefully leaning against him with a demure expression that immediately caught everyone's attention.
"So there's something between the Reed and Adams families," someone commented.
"Elara just returned to the country and already captured Mr. Adams?"
"They've known each other since childhood, haven't they? The families have always been close."
"Congratulations to you both!"
The guests began offering their felicitations.
Elara gazed at Paul with feigned shyness, her lips curved in a smile, the picture of happiness. She watched Ann's retreating figure with victorious eyes. The night wasn't over yet—she had multiple contingencies planned.
She took a nearby glass of wine, sipping it slowly, inwardly thrilled as the atmosphere in the hall returned to normal. Everyone resumed their conversations as if the earlier drama had never occurred.
Suddenly, Elara doubled over and coughed up blood.
The entire room froze in shock.
Elara stared at her wine glass, her face ashen. "Paul, I think... something's wrong with this drink," she managed before collapsing.
Paul, standing beside her, instinctively caught her before she hit the floor.
He overheard a nearby server whisper, "Ann's mother touched that glass earlier. Maybe she resented Ms. Reed..."
If Connie believed Paul was her future son-in-law, she certainly would have reason to despise Elara.
Paul's expression darkened instantly. He lifted Elara into his arms and rushed directly to the hospital.
Meanwhile, Ann had walked nearly a mile from the venue.
Though she'd appeared composed at the party, inside she felt utterly demolished. Knowing she shouldn't drive in her emotional state, she wandered aimlessly down the street.
Lost in her thoughts, she recalled Paul's incredulous expression at the party, feeling a sharp pain in her heart as if she'd been pierced by an arrow.
Suddenly, a car stopped behind her, and before she could react, someone forcefully pulled her inside.
"Let me go!" she shouted.
Ann couldn't make out her captor's face. The car drove a short distance before she was roughly thrown out. It was raining that night, with heavy fog. She only glimpsed the last two characters of the license plate before being blinded by oncoming headlights bearing down on her.
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