Just moments ago, Edward had been quietly smug about the crowd of uninvited reporters — now they felt more like surveillance cameras aimed right at him, watching his every move.
No matter how much he disliked Ashley, keeping up appearances mattered more.
So, he forced a smile that barely stretched his lips.
“Ashley was born deaf and mute, her health hasn’t been great either, so she stayed back home to recuperate…” His tone was stiff, and the moment he glanced over at Beatrice, still wearing that fake smile, the fury in his eyes all but screamed, “Way to go, honey.
What a freaking surprise you’ve cooked up for me.”
The gritted-teeth vibes in his voice were hard to miss.
Beatrice certainly caught it, but what could she say with all these eyes on her?
She felt like she was being falsely accused and could hardly even explain herself.
Ashley had been standing outside the door long enough to hear all the nasty garbage this so-called family had been spitting about her.
— Not only had they taken what belonged to the Mackenzie family, now they even wanted to snatch her identity?
Not on her watch.
Everyone’s attention was glued to Ashley now, so it went unnoticed when a man in black stepped quietly through a side door.
Edwin stood at a corner — not the most obvious spot, but perfect for taking in the whole room.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze locking onto that pale, run-down-looking girl.
The corners of his mouth tilted ever so faintly, a mix of amusement and curiosity.
“Ashley!
Are you okay?
Oh my gosh, thank goodness you’re alright!” cried Audrey, covering her mouth in faux shock before rushing forward and throwing her arms around Ashley like they were the best of friends.
Pfft, like this mute could stir up trouble anyway.
As long as the reporters bought into this “loving siblings” act, she’d find a way to deal with the girl later.
Ashley gladly played along — that’s exactly the image she wanted.
After all, she didn’t spend hours on her makeup today for nothing.
And sure enough, the guests’ expressions started to shift.
“Both daughters of the Sullivan family, huh?
Audrey’s pampered and polished, and Ashley…
well, she looks like she’s been through hell.”
“All this extravagance just for Audrey’s birthday…
Look at her custom designer stuff.
Then look at Ashley — her outfit’s one step up from a rag.”
“Honestly, if you ask me, Ashley must be Grace’s real daughter.
No way Beatrice would let her own kid live like that.”
“Deaf, mute, ignored by the parents — this poor girl’s had it rough.
The Sullivan family really shows their bias.”
Audrey clenched her fist tightly, nails digging into her palm.
She thought this was her chance to come off as the sweet and caring sister on camera, but clearly, it backfired.
Noticing Edward’s stormy face as he glared at Beatrice like he was ready to throttle her, Audrey’s heart sank.
If they didn’t fix this fast, it wasn’t just Beatrice who’d get the blame—she might lose all the effort she’d put in to win Edward’s affection too.
An idea sparked in her head.
She leaned in close and whispered something low to Edward.
His scowl slowly faded, and he nodded.
“Fine.
We’ll do it your way.”
Audrey immediately beamed and took Ashley’s hand, guiding her onto the stage.
“Everyone,” she said softly, sweeping her eyes over the journalists and guests.
“Dad really dotes on us three sisters.
He even prepared three gifts for us: company shares, a perfume brand, and three gold shops.
To be fair, we’ll draw lots.
The hotel will handle it so everything’s aboveboard.”
People in the crowd began to warm up to her.
“Looks like Mr.
Sullivan actually treats that Ashley girl pretty well.”
“Probably kept her away all these years just to recover.
What parent doesn’t love their own kid?”
Even the cheapest gift—the gold shops—were a big deal.
Beatrice’s heart ached just thinking about it.
As the hotel staff prepared the draw, she dragged Audrey aside.
“Why let that little tramp walk away with anything decent?” Beatrice snapped under her breath.
Audrey’s lips curled into a smug smile, eyes gleaming with mockery.
“Chill, Mom.
It’s all for show.
I’ll make sure she gets stuck with those useless gold shops.
We’ll flip them right after—she won’t see a dime of it.”
Beatrice’s mood lifted instantly, though she still eyed her daughter with a hint of skepticism.
“But how are you sure she’ll pick the gold shops?”
Audrey waved a hand lazily, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
“She’s deaf and mute.
What’s she gonna do?
I tell her to pick something, she’ll pick it.
That idiot doesn’t know any better.” Her tone dripped with contempt as she glanced at Ashley slumped blankly in the corner.
“Once we get the press outta here, we can deal with her however we want.”
Then, with an angelic smile on her flawless face, Audrey sauntered over to Ashley.
“Sis,” she said sweetly, holding out a small notebook.
There was a single sentence inside, asking what gift Ashley wanted to pick.
Ashley didn’t even hesitate.
She scribbled four words: The most expensive one.