As the saying goes, where there are people, there’s bound to be conflict.
And where the wind blows, rumors are sure to follow.
During the dance, Ivy Holden overheard all sorts of chatter.
Everyone present was sizing her up, each with their own agenda.
While a few remained silent, most were whispering to their neighbors.
The topic of their discussion was a mix of envy, jealousy, and hatred for Ivy Holden…
as well as pity.
Listening to the messy gossip, Ivy Holden felt no particular resentment.
‘Being granted a second chance at life is already a special gift from fate.
I won’t waste my time on such trivial matters.
In this life, besides simply wanting to live well, I need to uncover the real reason Clara Zimmers and her mother set me up, and I will send every person who harmed me to hell.’
With these thoughts in mind, Ivy automatically tuned out the gossip and focused on her dance steps.
As the music’s tempo quickened, her movements became confident and graceful, clearly capturing the crowd’s attention—after all, most people here were connoisseurs.
Yet, her senses picked up on a strange noise.
A faint, grinding sound was coming from overhead, filling Ivy with a sense of unease.
The sound persisted for a minute or two.
Then, suddenly, Ivy felt a jolt, as if a beam of light from above had pierced straight to her soul.
She had no time to think.
Her arm, resting on Mr.
Holden’s shoulder, tightened abruptly, pulling him aside.
The next instant, the grand chandelier in the hall fell without warning, landing with a tremendous CRASH right where Edison Holden and his granddaughter had been dancing.
The vast hall fell completely silent.
The silence was shattered as the room erupted into chaos.
Everyone surged toward the Holden patriarch and his granddaughter.
Carson Holden was the first to break through, asking anxiously, “Dad!
Dad!
Are you all right?!
Dad…”
Edison Holden was indeed badly shaken, but he was a man who had weathered many storms.
He quickly recovered from the shock, suppressing the intense fear and anger in his heart.
“I’m fine!” he responded in a deep voice.
“Look at you, losing your head like this.
Get a hold of yourself!”
Grandpa Holden’s sharp rebuke was all the reassurance the crowd needed.
Everyone let out a long sigh of relief, their hearts returning to their chests.
Zachary Thorne frowned, glancing at the ceiling and shaking his head in confusion.
“Tsk, tsk.
Why would a perfectly good chandelier fall at a time like this?”
Susan Spencer pushed her way out of the crowd in a panic, bowing apologetically.
“Grandpa Holden, President Holden, I’m so terribly sorry!
I will get to the bottom of this and give you a full explanation.
But for now, we should get Grandpa Holden to the hospital for a check-up…”
Carson Holden agreed completely.
Nothing was more important than his father’s health.
An incident like this absolutely warranted a hospital visit.
But before he could say anything, Edison Holden raised a hand in refusal.
“There’s no need!
Today is my birthday banquet.
Going to the hospital out of the blue, how unlucky would that be?!
You there,” he said, gesturing to Susan Spencer, “do you have another room?
Move us somewhere else, quickly.
This place is a total mess and needs to be cleaned up!”
“Dad…” Brooke Morrison also tried to persuade him to go to the hospital.
“Enough,” Edison Holden said, waving away everyone’s concerns.
“It’s all thanks to my dear granddaughter protecting me.
This old man is perfectly fine.
I feel great!”
Hearing the vigor in his father’s voice and seeing that his daughter, though her face was grim, showed no sign of pain while holding his father’s arm, Carson Holden concluded she was uninjured and simply angry.
He clapped his hands, cutting off the chorus of concerned voices.
“Today is my father’s birthday!” he announced loudly.
“And while there was an unexpected incident, it was a scare with no harm done.
This just proves my father is divinely protected and will surely live a long and prosperous life!”
“That’s right!
Long life and prosperity to Mr.
Holden!”
“Mr.
Holden’s fortune is boundless!”
“Mr.
Holden is a man of great virtue and prestige.
Naturally, the heavens protect him!”
“Exactly!
Our honored teacher has educated countless people.
Good deeds are rewarded!
He was destined to turn this danger into safety!”
Amid the chorus of flattery, Susan Spencer, the owner of the Arundo Club, personally escorted Edison Holden, leading the guests toward the Western-style dining hall.
The staff was already busy setting up the new space.
Though they were working quickly, everything was handled in an orderly fashion.
Carson Holden might have had a hundred complaints, but he couldn’t voice them publicly—not when Susan Spencer and Brooke Morrison were such old friends.
Just as Susan Spencer had come over to escort Edison Holden, Ivy had whispered a few words in her grandfather’s ear before slipping out of the crowd.
As the guests flocked around Mr.
Holden on their way to the dining hall, she discreetly pulled Tanya Thorne aside.
Tanya Thorne, ever the seasoned young woman, spoke before Ivy even had a chance.
“Ivy, I’ve already sent people to look into it.
But I’m afraid this was premeditated.
It won’t be easy to trace.”
“Can you call your dad?” Ivy whispered.
“No problem!” Tanya was already dialing as she spoke.
A moment later, Zachary Thorne picked up.
Tanya shoved the phone into Ivy’s hand.
“You talk to him.”
“Miss Holden.” Zachary Thorne’s voice carried a natural calm and composure.
Ivy lowered her head slightly and said politely, “Mr.
Thorne, you’re my elder.
Please, just call me by my name.”
“Alright, I’ll take you up on that.” Zachary Thorne’s voice softened slightly.
“I will definitely investigate what happened today.
You can rest assured.”
“Thank you.
If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to ask you to focus your investigation on any guests here tonight who are slated to participate in the show *Song of Time*.” Ivy had no leads on today’s incident, but she remembered something from her past life.
Around this time, her grandfather had been invited to be a special guest on that very show.
‘Perhaps that opportunity stood in someone’s way,’ she thought, ‘and that’s why they resorted to such a despicable method.’
“Alright, no problem,” Zachary Thorne agreed at once.
“I’m sorry for the trouble.
Thank you so much.
If there’s anything you need from me…” Ivy thanked him with utmost sincerity.
‘In my current situation, I can’t trust anyone,’ she thought.
‘I can only rely on the favor I earned by saving Tanya last night to get Zachary Thorne’s help.
There’s no other choice.
Of everyone here today, he’s the only one with no conflicting interests or ties to the Holden Family.
Besides, the Thorne Family absolutely has the resources to investigate this.’
“With me, there’s no need for formalities.” Standing on a terrace, Zachary Thorne cut off her thanks.
With a flicker of irritation, he flicked the cigarette butt in his hand into the shimmering green water of the pond below.
Ivy thanked him one last time before hanging up.
Tanya slung a long arm around Ivy’s neck.
“Ivy, don’t you worry,” she said reassuringly.
“My dad might be flaky about other things, but he’s an old hand at this kind of stuff.
I guarantee he’ll have an answer for you in three days, max.”
“Mm, I believe you.” Ivy nodded.
‘Though the Holden Family prides itself on being a family of integrity that avoids political entanglements, I know full well how powerful the Thorne Family is.’