The Wife He Forgot to Marry (Winona and Yule) novel Chapter 230

Margaret and Ophelia spent the next few minutes working the room, exchanging pleasantries with various industry heavyweights.

But then Margaret noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Winona was walking straight toward Mr. Harper.

Margaret’s lip curled in disgust.

The absolute nerve of that girl. Did a nobody like Winona actually think she was in the same league as a pioneer like Jericho Harper?

But to Margaret’s utter shock, Mr. Harper didn't brush Winona off. When he saw her, his face lit up in a genuine, warm smile, and the two of them immediately fell into an animated conversation.

Margaret frowned, turning to Ophelia. "Does Mr. Harper know Winona?"

She had heard that Jericho Harper rarely gave anyone the time of day, especially young, inexperienced professionals. Did Winona actually have some kind of hidden talent?

Ophelia glanced over, fighting to keep the venom out of her voice. "She shamelessly begged Stefan to introduce them," she said smoothly, downplaying the whole thing. "She managed to latch onto Mr. Harper as a mentor."

Margaret let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Typical. A woman with no real class or substance, completely reliant on men to climb the ladder!"

Just then, the double doors of the ballroom opened, and Stefan finally arrived.

The room practically gravitated toward him. Executives and investors swarmed him instantly, desperate for a moment of his time.

Margaret grabbed Ophelia’s arm and steered her into the fray.

"When we get up there, stand as close to him as possible," Margaret instructed in a low voice. "Make sure everyone in this room knows you are his date. Do not give that Winona girl a single opening!"

Ophelia nodded.

With Margaret running interference, a rush of confidence surged through her. She was going to win Stefan over tonight.

When they reached him, Stefan offered a tight, emotionless nod.

"Mother. Ophelia."

Margaret shot him a withering glare. "I asked you to pick me up from the airport yesterday, and you bailed. I texted you this morning, and you ignored me. If I hadn't crashed this dinner, were you even going to see me at all?"

Stefan’s face remained a mask of cool indifference. He didn't bother justifying himself.

He knew perfectly well his mother was only trying to force him and Ophelia together. Engaging with her texts was a trap.

Ophelia looked up at Stefan with soft, forgiving eyes. "Stefan, Margaret just misses you. I know you're incredibly busy, but you should really try to text her back."

Stefan gave a noncommittal hum. "I need to go speak with Mr. Harper," he said flatly, already turning away.

Margaret had just been reaching out to physically place Ophelia's hand into Stefan's. Seeing him walk away so abruptly, she let out a hiss of frustration. "That boy is going to send me to an early grave!"

She leaned in and whispered in Ophelia's ear. "You have your own strengths, Ophelia. Don't try to compete with her in a field you know nothing about. Honestly, talking about research at a gala is incredibly tedious anyway. Go over to the piano. Show off your elegance. Play something beautiful. I guarantee you'll pull the entire room's attention away from her!"

Ophelia’s eyes brightened. Margaret was right. She needed to remind Stefan of what true class and sophistication looked like. She needed him to see her.

With renewed purpose, she glided gracefully toward the piano, sat down, and began to play.

A beautifully complex classical melody drifted through the ballroom.

Conversations paused as several guests turned their heads to admire the performance.

Margaret smiled triumphantly and immediately looked at Stefan to gauge his reaction.

Stefan gave Ophelia a brief, entirely disinterested glance, then immediately snapped his attention back to Winona.

As for the circle of hardcore R&D nerds surrounding Winona? They were entirely immune to the music. They were deep in the trenches of a fierce debate, completely oblivious to the impromptu concert.

They practically cornered Winona, tossing out question after question.

By the time Winona finally managed to wrap up her point, her throat was completely parched. She turned to look for a waiter.

Suddenly, a sleek crystal glass filled with ice water materialized directly in front of her.