Chapter 249: They Came For Her

Selene?

Was she the reason why the Fosters came?

But why?

What could the Foster family possibly want with Selene?

Mary’s mind raced through every possibility.

Selene was, after all, the daughter of a mayor—even if she had been born outside marriage.

That alone gave her a certain value in their social circle.

That must be it.

But Mary’s gaze drifted back toward the door where Kristoff and Isobel vanished.

A strange suspicion began to take shape.

Could this have something to do with the Dalton heir?

Her lips curved into a faint smile.

Suddenly, the end of the gala didn’t seem so boring anymore.

If the Fosters had deliberately arrived at the last minute to find someone connected to the Daltons, then this was no social visit.

This was business.

Or something far more dangerous.

And Mary had no intention of missing the spectacle.

...

"Julian, dear."

Leanne’s voice was soft and affectionate, the kind of voice that could make even the coldest greeting sound intimate.

Even Mary found it pleasant to the ears.

"Come. Let’s go to her."

Julian hesitated for a moment, but Leanne gently caught his wrist and tugged him toward the side entrance.

Selene froze. Her heart skipped.

She had been standing nearby, only half-listening to the conversations around her, when she caught sight of Leanne Foster across the ballroom.

And now...

Leanne was coming toward her.

With Julian Foster.

Selene’s lips slowly curved into a smile.

They’re coming to me?

Her pulse quickened.

Of course. Who else could they possibly be looking for? She told herself.

She straightened instinctively, smoothing the front of her dress and lifting her chin.

But why?

Perhaps they wanted to speak to her privately.

Perhaps they had finally recognized her worth.

After all, she was the mayor’s daughter. Even if her birth had always been a subject of whispers, she was still a member of the city’s political elite.

And the Fosters didn’t approach people without a reason.

Maybe they wanted an alliance.

Maybe Leanne had heard something about her.

Or perhaps...

Selene’s imagination went even further.

Perhaps the Foster family had taken an interest in her.

The possibility made warmth spread through her chest.

For once, the smile on her face wasn’t the carefully practiced expression she wore at social gatherings.

It was genuine, hopeful, and almost girlish.

She watched as the two powerful figures crossed the ballroom toward her.

Selene’s heart began pounding harder.

She prepared herself to greet them.

But then—

They walked straight past her.

Leanne didn’t even glance in her direction. Julian followed without slowing down.

The smile on Selene’s face froze. She turned her head slowly.

The couple continued toward the side entrance.

Not toward her.

Past her.

Selene stood there, suddenly feeling as though the entire ballroom had witnessed her foolish little assumption.

Her fingers curled around the fabric of her dress.

What... happened?

Her heart sank.

A moment ago, she had been certain they had come for her.

Now she could only stare at their retreating figures.

"So..." she whispered beneath her breath, the disappointment burning hotter than embarrassment.

"They didn’t come for me."

The realization stung far more than it should have.

And for some reason, her eyes drifted toward Isobel.

A bitter thought surfaced.

Then who were they really here for?

...

Isobel stood quietly beside the pond, her attention drawn to the elegant fountain rising from its center.

A marble mermaid stood gracefully above the water, her sculpted tail curling beneath her as streams of water spilled from her hands in a rhythmic cascade.

Under the outdoor lights, droplets glittered like tiny diamonds before falling back into the dark, glassy pond.

The gentle sound of flowing water softened the distant music and chatter from the ballroom.

Standing there, Isobel felt she could breathe.

Kristoff had gone to the lounge to change his clothes, leaving her alone for a few minutes.

She watched the ripples spread across the pond, her thoughts wandering to everything that had happened tonight.

She still hadn’t completely gotten used to it, Kristoff’s protectiveness of her.

A familiar, gentle voice came from behind her.

"There you are."

Isobel turned.

Leanne was approaching with Julian beside her.

The moment she saw them, Isobel’s entire face lit up.

"Mom!"

The word escaped her with an almost childlike enthusiasm.

Leanne’s expression immediately softened.

"Isobel."

Isobel took a few eager steps toward her. Then her eyes shifted to the man beside Leanne.

Her smile grew even wider.

"Dad!"

Julian’s heart tightened at the sound of the word.

"You came!"

Isobel’s face lit up as she hurried toward them. She wrapped her arms around Leanne first, then turned and hugged Julian just as warmly.

"Of course we came," Julian said with a grin, his arms settling around his daughter.

"We promised you. We keep our promises."

The warmth in his voice made Isobel smile even wider.

But only a few steps away, behind one of the massive pillars, Mary stood frozen.

She hadn’t deliberately hidden herself.

The moment she realized that Isobel was having a private moment with the Fosters, she had simply thought it would be rude to walk over and interrupt them.

So she had stepped behind the pillar.

And then she heard it.

Mom.

Dad.

Mary’s eyes widened.

She slowly leaned her head around the pillar, just enough to see what was happening.

Isobel was standing between Julian and Leanne, smiling like a daughter who had finally found the family she had spent her entire life missing.

Mary’s jaw nearly dropped.

"Did I hear that correctly?" she whispered.

Her eyes darted from Isobel to Leanne, then to Julian.

"Isobel called Leanne ’Mom’..."

She swallowed.

"And Julian..."

Her voice dropped to barely a breath.

"...Dad?"

For several seconds, Mary could only stare.

The implications hit her one after another.

The Fosters hadn’t come to the gala for Selene.

They had come for Isobel.

And judging by the way Julian and Leanne were looking at her, this wasn’t some casual acquaintance.

This was family.

Mary’s fingers tightened around the edge of the pillar.

Since when did Isobel become the Foster family’s daughter?

Then another thought struck her.

And what is Kristoff going to say when he finds out?