Shattered Vows: Call Me Auntie Now novel Chapter 166

"You think you're so smart."

Samuel Hayes spat out the words coldly, his tone dripping with profound disappointment. "You severely underestimate your own son, and you're far too fixated on short-term gains."

"You and I both know what Dante is capable of—his vision, his ruthlessness. He can carve out an even grander empire relying on no one but himself."

"The Ambrose family's backing might look powerful, but it comes with far too many strings attached. Building his foundation on their influence means he'd spend the rest of his life indebted to them, constantly under their thumb. That is not what our son wants."

Mrs. Hayes clenched her hands. Of course, she knew all of that. But relying solely on Dante's independent hustle was just too slow. Time waited for no one; she needed to bring the Moretti empire under her control as soon as possible.

Samuel let out a heavy sigh, his expression uncompromisingly severe. "I'm warning you. From now on, stay out of your son's romantic life and drop the petty schemes. Do not destroy Dante's long-term vision just to serve your so-called interests. The Hayes family legacy was built on absolute power, not calculated marriages."

Samuel's eyes darkened as he struck at the very core of the issue. "Besides, even if you manage to outmaneuver your two brothers, so what? Have you forgotten that there is someone else in the Moretti family—someone you could never, ever defeat?"

At the mention of *that person*, the color completely drained from Mrs. Hayes's face. Despite the bitter resentment festering inside her, all she could do was murmur, "I understand."

Early the next morning, the dress delivery arrived.

All the gowns for this banquet were custom orders from the Ambrose family, coordinated by Vivienne Ambrose.

Because Vivienne was an external designer for Luisa Valenza, a prestigious Italian fashion house, placing the order under her name expedited the process significantly. An ordinary client would have had to wait months for delivery.

Mrs. Hayes and Vivienne sat on the sofa, admiring the gowns together. When it came to professional competence, Mrs. Hayes always gave Vivienne credit where it was due.

"I have to say, Vivienne, your eye for fashion is truly exceptional. The style, the craftsmanship—they're absolutely perfect. We really owe you for this."

"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Hayes," Vivienne replied with a perfectly poised smile.

"I'll bring them upstairs and organize them for you in a moment. You can just slip them right on when the banquet starts."

"There are three outfits for everyone: one for greeting the guests before the event, one for mingling during the main reception, and a final one for the closing of the evening."

"I'll make sure to label them clearly for you."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify