Chapter 96: A Whisper in the Shadows

The Bose Residence was brighter than ever that evening. Crystal chandeliers glowed warmly over the grand ballroom, casting elegant light across the polished marble floors, while a live orchestra filled the estate with sophisticated music that drifted through every corner of the mansion.

Business tycoons from Cracros, political figures from Greendale, and industrialists from Rithol—almost every influential family in the region had gathered tonight for the engagement ceremony of Theodore Ashridge and Eleanor Bose.

The hall hummed with conversation and laughter as champagne flowed freely. Waiters moved gracefully through the crowd, silver trays balanced in their hands and laden with delicate hors d’oeuvres.

Yet beneath the elegant music and cheerful voices, whispers about the previous night continued to spread.

Tori Cooper had been exposed for taking part in an illegal auction, and Jasper Wilson had arrived with the police. Since then, the women of high society had hardly spoken about anything else.

Their voices lowered whenever Tori’s name was mentioned, but their curiosity only grew.

The grand entrance doors opened once more.

Missy, Drake, and Layton arrived, followed by Sebastian Valecroft.

Missy wore a tinted green dress that complemented her complexion beautifully, her hair styled in a loose bun that framed her face elegantly. She looked good—and she knew it.

Drake, Layton, and Sebastian were all dressed in sharp tuxedos, looking every bit the distinguished guests they were meant to be.

As Layton stepped into the ballroom, his eyes wandered around the glittering crowd. They moved past the chandeliers, the champagne towers, the elegantly dressed guests...

And stopped at Mindy.

He stared at her for a full minute.

She stood near the center of the room, radiant in her gown, laughing at something Ana had just said.

Layton’s expression remained unreadable.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked toward Theodore and Eleanor, who were greeting guests near the grand staircase.

Drake, Missy, and Sebastian followed.

All of them congratulated the newly engaged couple warmly.

Eleanor smiled graciously.

Theodore shook their hands with his usual charm.

Meanwhile, in a quieter corner of the ballroom, Yeager stood close to Andrew Bose, maintaining his usual vigilant posture.

Andrew moved through the crowd with practiced ease, greeting one guest after another with the warm smile of an experienced businessman.

To any observer, everything appeared perfectly normal—just another successful social gathering for the Bose family.

Across the hall, Nicholas Ashridge made his way toward the center of the ballroom with Daniel Bose at his side.

The two patriarchs commanded attention simply by their presence, and as Nicholas raised his champagne glass, the chatter throughout the room gradually died down. All eyes turned toward the distinguished men standing beneath the grand chandelier.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Nicholas began, his voice carrying easily across the now-quiet ballroom,

"Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate this joyous occasion." He paused, allowing his gaze to sweep across the assembled guests before settling warmly on Theodore and Eleanor, who stood together near the center of attention.

"It still amazes me how completely my son fell for Eleanor during their university days. I’ve never seen him so determined about anything in his life."

Soft, knowing laughter echoed through the ballroom. Several guests exchanged amused glances, clearly familiar with Theodore’s reputation for getting what he wanted.

Daniel chuckled good-naturedly beside Nicholas.

"I believe Eleanor had no chance of escaping him once he set his mind on her. My daughter never stood a chance against the famous Ashridge determination."

The crowd laughed again, and Eleanor blushed prettily while Theodore grinned without shame.

Nicholas continued, his expression growing more serious and formal.

"Since everyone has arrived and we’ve kept you all waiting long enough, let us begin the engagement ceremony. I know you’re all eager to witness this union between our two families."

Enthusiastic applause broke out across the ballroom as guests raised their glasses in anticipation.

At another corner of the vast room, Mindy and Ana stood together, chatting endlessly about everything and nothing.

Ana was in particularly high spirits tonight, gesturing animatedly as she recounted some amusing story from her week.

Not far from them, Margaret stood with her usual group of wealthy friends, laughing elegantly while occasionally casting mocking glances in Ana’s direction—though Ana seemed completely oblivious to the attention.

Wade had wandered off some time ago to speak with several businessmen from Cracros who had expressed interest in discussing potential investments.

He stood in a small circle of well-dressed men, nodding politely as they talked about market trends and opportunities.

Back near the champagne fountain...

Missy spotted Mindy and Ana standing together. A slow, deliberate smile curved her lips.

She walked toward them with confident strides.

Ana noticed her first.

Her expression immediately turned guarded.

Mindy turned as well, her smile fading slightly.

Missy stopped directly in front of them.

She tilted her head, her voice dripping with mock sweetness.

"You should be very happy, Sister!"

"You finally got the tiara back."

Mindy’s smirk returned instantly.

"You’re right. I am happy."

She paused, her eyes gleaming.

"Even you calling me Sister doesn’t dampen my mood."

Missy’s smile vanished.

Her jaw tightened.

Her fists clenched at her sides.

"Don’t get too cocky," Missy hissed quietly.

"You never know what other things I’ll snatch from you."

Ana immediately stepped forward, jabbing a finger toward Missy.

"Watch your mouth!"

Mindy remained calm, though her smirk sharpened.

"I’ll see you try."

She leaned in slightly, her voice low but cutting.

"This time, your mother only went to the police station for a statement."

"Next time?"

"She might land in jail."

Missy’s eyes widened.

"She isn’t here, is she?" Mindy continued smoothly.

"I guess she must be tired from her visit."

Missy’s face flushed with anger.

She whispered-yelled, barely keeping her voice down.

"Mindy! Mind your tongue!"

Before the situation could escalate further—

Drake appeared.

He walked up calmly, placed a hand on Missy’s shoulder, and gave Mindy a long, cold look.

Without a word, he gently but firmly guided Missy away.

Ana huffed, crossing her arms as she watched them leave.

"Unbelievable."

Mindy simply smiled.

"Let her try."

From across the room...

Margaret had been watching the entire exchange.

Her sharp eyes missed nothing.

The tension.

The whispered threats.

The way Drake intervened.

She took a slow sip of her champagne.

Then smirked.

"Interesting..."

A waiter approached Mindy and Ana with a tray of champagne glasses. "Champagne, Miss?" he offered politely, bowing slightly.

Mindy smiled and shook her head. "No, thank you. I’m fine for now."

Before the waiter could move away, Ana reached out and picked up not one but both glasses from his tray.

"I’ll drink hers too," she announced cheerfully, completely shameless in her opportunism.

Without the slightest hesitation, she finished the first glass in several quick sips, then immediately started on the second.

The waiter blinked in surprise but said nothing, simply bowing again before moving on to other guests.

Mindy stared at her friend in disbelief. "You really have absolutely no shame, do you?"

Ana grinned proudly, completely unrepentant. "Never waste free drinks at fancy parties.

Nearby, Wade glanced toward them for only a second, his expression unreadable, before returning his attention to his conversation with the businessmen.

He appeared completely absorbed in their discussion about shipping routes and trade agreements.

A moment later, Mindy noticed Yeager lean close to Andrew Bose, who had been chatting with a group of elderly businessmen.

Yeager whispered something directly into Andrew’s ear, his expression unusually tense.

Andrew’s reaction was immediate and striking—his practiced smile vanished completely, replaced by a look of shock that he couldn’t quite hide.

His jaw tightened visibly, and for just a fraction of a second, something that looked distinctly like fear flickered across his face before he managed to suppress it.

Then, just as quickly, the expression was gone, replaced by forced calm that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He nodded stiffly at Yeager and excused himself from his conversation with a few polite words.

The two men quietly headed toward the garden exit, moving with deliberate casualness that somehow made their departure seem even more suspicious.

Mindy frowned as she watched them go. Something about the entire exchange felt wrong, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on what exactly bothered her.

Andrew Bose was known for his unshakeable composure in business dealings—what could possibly have rattled him so badly?

Mindy turned toward her.

"What?"

Ana narrowed her eyes.

"You’ve been staring at that door for ages. What caught your attention?"

"Nothing," Mindy replied.

But her gaze drifted toward the garden doors again.

Her mind was already somewhere else.

Wasn’t this around the same time it had happened in her previous life?

Mindy remembered how completely captivated Ana had been by Yeager during that period.

Ana used to talk about him constantly.

Mindy had listened to her ramble countless times, though she had never thought much of it back then.

But now, looking back, she couldn’t help wondering if something had happened between them.

Something she had never known about.

Was this where it had begun?

Mindy’s eyes returned to the garden doors.

She didn’t know what had happened in her previous life.

She also couldn’t remember anything that explained the strange exchange she had just witnessed between Andrew and Yeager.

Still, one troubling thought refused to leave her mind.

What if something happened tonight that changed the way Ana saw Yeager?

Mindy pressed her lips together.

Or perhaps she was only being paranoid.

She had already changed so many things in this life.

Maybe she had become too cautious, searching for danger in every unusual detail.

After all, this was the Bose residence.

Ana was surrounded by her family, countless guests, and security personnel.

Nothing could possibly happen to her here.

Right?

Mindy released a quiet breath and tried to push away the unease tightening in her chest.

Yet the feeling remained.

She didn’t know what to do.

Perhaps she really was overthinking everything.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the sense that something had already begun.