Chapter 98 Antonio Fell into the Trap
Not too far off, Philip hobbled into the venue with a cane, Lisa right there, practically glued to his side.
Lisa was hanging onto Philip's arm like her life depended on it, twisting her waist so much it looked like it might snap.
The crowd, sensing some drama, started whispering.
"Isn't that Philip?"
"Yeah, but what's he doing with Lisa?"
"Is Lisa gonna be the new Mrs. Valencia?"
"That's wild. The Valencias are at odds with each other!"
The four people everyone was gossiping about finally met up. Antonio gave a slight nod to Philip, "Grandfather."
Philip just snorted, his old eyes giving Sarah a frosty once-over.
Lisa had already scoped out Sarah from afar. Seeing Sarah all classy and put-together made her green with envy, but she quickly masked it.
Her face, caked with makeup, showed a hint of fake apology. "Sorry, Antonio, didn't know you'd be here. Maybe I shouldn't have come."
"Why are you apologizing?" Philip's voice was strong and steady. "I brought you. Let's see who dares to say anything."
Philip's eyes drilled into Sarah, making his point clear.
Sarah, having dealt with Philip's crap before, knew he was gunning for her but couldn't care less.
She was set on getting a divorce, so let them talk all they wanted.
Lisa's eyes sparkled with pride. With Philip backing her, Sarah wouldn't get any perks!
So what if Sarah was Mrs. Valencia? Lisa had Philip's blessing, and Ryan was Philip's chosen heir. The Valencia Group would be hers and Ryan's in the end!
Antonio's face darkened, his lips pressed into a thin line.
Seeing this, Lisa's pride swelled. She sidled up closer. "Antonio, how's Ryan been? I miss him so much."
Sarah felt sick watching Lisa's act. She took the chance to slip away from Antonio and walked off, leaving them behind.
Actually, this wasn't so bad. Their arrival had helped her ditch Antonio.
Whatever they talked about, it wasn't her problem.
Antonio noticed the empty spot next to him and saw Sarah heading towards Alex.
He frowned slightly.
Meanwhile, Lisa jumped in front of Antonio again, going on about how much she missed Ryan.
On the other side, Sarah felt a weight lift off her shoulders, her steps lighter.
Away from the annoying crowd, she headed to the side of the banquet hall to chat with Alex.
Alex looked at her, worry and pain in his eyes.
He'd seen the whole scene. Calling Philip's attitude towards Sarah "vile" was putting it mildly.
Philip had humiliated her in front of everyone, treating her like she was nothing.
Was this what Sarah's life was like with the Valencia family?
Alex asked, "I saw everything. You okay?"
"Of course, I'm fine. I don't care at all." Sarah shrugged it off, then smiled. "Didn't expect to see you here. Why didn't you mention it yesterday?"
Alex chuckled. "You didn't say you'd be here either."
Sarah's smile faltered. "True."
Alex knew she was probably here against her will. He thought about it, a small smile playing on his lips. "Actually, Ethan's here with me."
"What!" Sarah's eyes widened with worry. "Why is Ethan here? Are you up to something again?"
The last wedding disaster still haunted her. There were even more guests tonight, and it was Mr. Cox's event. If Ethan caused trouble, it would be a nightmare!
Seeing Sarah's panic, Alex patted her shoulder. "Relax, I just brought Ethan for some fun. He hasn't seen me in ages. He won't get caught. Michael's with him."
Meanwhile, Ethan was hiding in the shadows, clutching a small remote for the venue's screen.
Lucky for him, he tagged along with Alex tonight. He didn't expect Antonio to drag Sarah here too. On a whim, he swapped Antonio's wristband and handed it to Alex. Now, just one more step to go!
He adjusted his fake glasses, ready to control the night's events.
In the bright and spacious banquet hall, dinner was going off without a hitch.
Finally, the host announced the highlight of the evening with excitement.
"Next up, the mystery segment: the wristband lucky draw! Everyone got a wristband when they came in, each with a number. In a moment, the big screen will roll, and Mr. Cox will call 'stop' to pick tonight's lucky winner and give away his prized possession! As for what this treasure is, Mr. Cox will reveal it soon!"
Amidst the loud applause, Kyle took the mic, his old face still warm and kind. "It's an honor to have you all here tonight. I've felt everyone's goodwill. All the donations tonight will go to the charity center. I sincerely thank you all on behalf of the kids in need! To show my gratitude, I've picked something special from my collection."
Two staff members wheeled out a display cart.
Under everyone's eager eyes, Kyle walked over and pulled off the red cloth. A lotus flower carved from amethyst was revealed.
"Amethyst stands for wisdom, courage, and love;the lotus flower, grace and purity. I hope this prize brings the winner enduring love, just as I have been fortunate to experience!"
Kyle beamed, and the crowd clapped and smiled, all hoping to be the lucky winner.
Under the lights, the amethyst sparkled, clearly top-notch. Plus, getting a treasure from Kyle himself would be a big deal.
Sarah gazed at the lotus flower, her eyes wide with wonder.
She didn't know how valuable it was; she just thought it was beautiful and couldn't help but be drawn to it, feeling a bit hopeful but not expecting much.
Little did she know, luck was on her side this time.
With Kyle's call to stop, the screen froze, and the number displayed was: [The lucky winner is number 14!]
Sarah was stunned, looking down at her wristband. Wasn't that her number?
She awkwardly raised her hand, showing everyone her number.
The guests, though disappointed, smiled and congratulated her, clapping politely.
In the crowd, Lisa clutched her handbag tightly, glaring at Sarah with pure jealousy.
Damn it, why was Sarah always so lucky!
Kyle seemed pleased with the result, nodding and handing the gift to Sarah. "Congratulations, this amethyst lotus suits you perfectly."
Sarah smiled gently and said, "Thank you, Mr. Cox. I'll take good care of it."
As Sarah was about to leave, Kyle called her back, "Wait a moment, please pair up with a dance partner to open the first dance of the night."
Sarah bit her lip, looking a bit lost.
They didn't mention this during the draw.
She glanced at her wristband and said, "My matching number is 13."
The male guests all checked their wristbands, while Antonio raised an eyebrow, a rare hint of joy on his usually stern face.
This was the moment he had been waiting for.
Antonio's lips curved into a faint smile as he looked at Sarah, waiting for her to come to him.
But then, his eyes turned cold.
Alex walked past him, calm and graceful, approaching Sarah with his usual gentle smile. "What a coincidence, I'm number 13."
Antonio's eyes darkened, his brows furrowing. Looking at his wristband again, he realized it wasn't the same number as when he entered.
Damn it, someone had switched his wristband!
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