She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 409

It wasn't her imagination at all.

The sharper women in the room had quickly done the math. The regional manager showing up in the middle of a private party was no coincidence. Most of them had never met Preston, but they all knew Elara's ex-fiancé was the eldest son of the Whitmores.

Connecting the dots between the confrontation and the sudden Hermes intervention, the conclusion was obvious: Melanie was the current obsession of the Whitmore heir. For the sake of their family businesses, making an enemy out of her was corporate suicide.

Just like that, Melanie inadvertently became the undisputed queen of the gala.

Outside the venue, Gabriel leaned against a marble pillar, sneaking glances into the banquet hall while gripping his phone.

"Bro, it's all handled. Everything's sorted," Gabriel reported to Preston. "And my future sister-in-law is totally working the room. Those socialites are eating out of the palm of her hand."

"Good. I owe you for this. Nice work," Preston replied over the line.

Praise from the older brother he practically worshipped made Gabriel beam with pride.

This victory was entirely thanks to Gabriel. He had actually been at the hotel for a business meeting. Walking past the grand hall, he had spotted Melanie standing face-to-face with Elara, surrounded by a pack of vultures.

The moment he noticed they were carrying identical Hermes bags and felt the absolute toxicity radiating from the room, he had immediately dialed Preston, rattling off his dramatic theories:

"Bro, I swear your ex is plotting something sinister. She somehow got the exact same bag as my future sister-in-law, and I bet she's playing the victim! This whole party is an ambush!"

Gabriel's frantic babbling had been chaotic, but Preston had understood instantly.

Stuck in Solvane for a massive corporate negotiation, Preston hadn't been able to intervene personally. Instead, he had ordered his assistant, Philip, to unleash hell on the Hermes boutique.

The results had been devastatingly effective.

Preston was furious.

While Melanie was busy navigating the elite gala, miles away, Aria was handing a stack of organized data over to Dr. Hayes.

Dr. Hayes flipped through the pages, his disappointment palpable. He had assumed that anyone carrying joint recommendations from Mr. Brenner and Dr. Hartmann would be a brilliant asset. Instead, Aria was sluggish, inefficient, and constantly making careless errors.

"Dr. Hayes, I heard a rumor... that a new mutation of a rare medicinal orchid was discovered in the borderlands," Aria said, trying to sound helpful. "I was thinking it might be a massive breakthrough for our project. What if we schedule a trip there next week? We could even bring Ms. Royce along to assist."

Dr. Hayes frowned, looking entirely unconvinced. "In the MD region? A new mutation of that specific orchid? That sounds highly improbable."

Panic flared in Aria's chest as Dr. Hayes dismissed the idea. Evelyn's chilling instructions echoed in her mind:

'If the money is right, my contacts can make sure Melanie dies in the lawless tri-border region. Or better yet, sell her off to the worst kind of brothel so she begs for death. All you need to do is find a way to drag her there on a business trip.'