Chapter 292: The Temptress

Sophia was momentarily dazed.

For a brief instant, she felt as though she might drown in those mesmerizing electric-blue eyes. They were striking enough to make anyone lose their train of thought, and she was no exception.

She had always considered herself a woman who knew how to charm men. Yet standing before this exceptionally handsome man, she suddenly found herself wanting to make a particularly good impression.

"We haven’t had the chance to introduce ourselves properly," she said, recovering quickly. "I believe you’ve already heard my name, but allow me to introduce myself anyway. I’m Sophia."

She extended her hand toward him, her smile blooming into something radiant.

To anyone watching, she appeared to be nothing more than a charming young woman eager to get acquainted with her cousin’s husband.

But beneath that flawless smile, Sophia’s thoughts were already wandering down a different path.

What a waste for a man like him to be married to Judy, that boring hag.

Her gaze lingered on his handsome face. With those captivating eyes, that distinguished bearing, and an air of quiet confidence, he was precisely the kind of man who could turn heads wherever he went.

And Sophia had never been particularly fond of watching Judy possess something she wanted for herself.

Her cousin had always seemed to get everything she desired. Why should this handsome man belong to Judy and not her?

Pierce frowned. The blue of his eyes seemed to deepen, his expression growing a shade more guarded.

Nevertheless, since she was his wife’s cousin, he had no intention of embarrassing her in public. He accepted her offered hand with the courtesy expected of a gentleman.

The instant their palms touched, however, Sophia began moving her thumb slowly across the back of his hand.

It was a small, seemingly innocent gesture—one that might have escaped the notice of a less observant man.

Unfortunately for her, Pierce was not one of them.

His expression turned cold. He immediately withdrew his hand, leaving Sophia’s fingers grasping nothing but empty air.

For a fraction of a second, disappointment flashed through her eyes.

Then, as though nothing had happened, she lifted her chin and let her smile grow even more alluring.

"Cousin-in-law, why don’t I introduce you to some of our relatives?" she offered sweetly. "My cousin seems to have forgotten that you’re here. She’s too busy entertaining everyone else, including her father’s illegitimate daughter, to bother keeping you company."

She delivered the remark with an air of sympathetic concern, as though she were genuinely offended on his behalf.

Pierce’s gaze grew colder.

He understood perfectly well what Sophia was trying to do. She was attempting to sow discord between him and Judy, and she had chosen a rather transparent way to do it.

Unfortunately for Sophia, she had mistaken his displeasure for anger toward Judy.

Does she really think I’d be offended because my wife is spending time with her family?

Pierce had no intention of entertaining her nonsense.

Sophia, however, interpreted his silence as confirmation that her words had struck a nerve.

Feeling rather pleased with herself, she turned toward a group of women gathered around the dessert buffet.

She exaggerated the sway of her hips as she walked, moving with the calculated grace of a model strutting down a runway. Every step seemed designed to draw attention to her figure.

She was certain Pierce would follow.

After all, she had just offered to introduce him to the relatives he supposedly hadn’t met. Surely, he would not refuse such a considerate gesture from his charming cousin-in-law.

But when she glanced over her shoulder, the sight that greeted her nearly made her smile freeze.

Pierce wasn’t following her.

Instead, he was walking in the opposite direction—straight toward Judy and Isobel.

Sophia’s expression darkened.

Damn it!

Her fingers curled into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms.

She had practically handed him an opportunity to spend time with her, yet he had walked away without so much as a second glance.

"Sophie, who managed to upset you?"

A woman wearing heavy makeup noticed her sour expression and leaned closer, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.

"Who else could it be?" Sophia muttered, unable to conceal her irritation.

The woman followed her gaze toward the other side of the hall.

"So, it’s Judy again."

Sophia didn’t answer.

She didn’t need to.

The tightness in her jaw and the resentment in her eyes said enough.

The woman exchanged a knowing look with another guest. Apparently, the cousins’ long-standing rivalry was no secret among those who knew them well.

Sophia forced herself to smile, but her eyes remained fixed on the man who had just rejected her advances.

If she couldn’t get his attention today, she would find another opportunity.

She had never been one to give up easily—especially when Judy was involved.

...

Meanwhile, Pierce had already reached Judy’s side.

The moment she saw him approach, Judy’s face brightened. She immediately introduced him to a young woman and three young men standing nearby.

"Honey, these are our cousins from my youngest uncle’s family."

Pierce greeted each of them with his usual courtesy, his earlier displeasure fading as he turned his attention to his wife’s relatives.

The young women, whose name was Patricia, stared at him with undisguised fascination.

"Cousin-in-law, do all the men from Fiorenza have eyes like yours?" she asked enthusiastically. "They’re so beautiful! Just like the color of the ocean!"

Judy burst into laughter at her cousin’s unabashed admiration.

Pierce, too, found himself amused.

There was something refreshingly innocent about Patricia’s enthusiasm. Unlike Sophia, who had looked at him as though she were already plotting how to get him into her grasp, Patricia made no attempt to disguise her admiration or use it to manipulate him.

Her compliment was straightforward, her excitement genuine.

He found it far more pleasant than the calculated flirtation he had just endured.

"Not all of us," he replied with a faint smile. "Most have dark brown eyes. I suppose I was simply lucky."

Patricia giggled, while the other cousins exchanged amused glances.

They chatted for several more minutes before Judy and Pierce continued around the banquet hall to greet the remaining guests.

Throughout the introductions, Isobel remained quietly observant.

She possessed a photographic memory, an extraordinary ability that allowed her to remember faces and names even after meeting dozens of people in rapid succession. By the time they had finished greeting the relatives, she could recall nearly everyone they had encountered.

There was only one family she felt genuinely comfortable around—her youngest uncle’s.

With most of the others, she could sense a certain condescension beneath their polite smiles. Their greetings were perfunctory, their questions perfunctory, and their interest in her seemed to extend no further than what social courtesy demanded.

Some barely concealed their disdain.

Others were more subtle, offering smiles that never quite reached their eyes.

Isobel noticed everything.

But she wasn’t bothered at all.