The night of the Sterling charity gala arrived.
Nora stood in front of the full-length mirror in the master bedroom. The Schiaparelli gown fit her perfectly. The gold embroidery caught the light, making her look like a relic of a forgotten era-a princess from a painting, brought to life.
She walked down the grand staircase.
The family was waiting in the foyer. Edward was checking his phone. Catherine was adjusting her diamonds. Olivia was standing in a pale blue Dior gown, looking impatient.
They all looked up.
Edward stopped checking his phone. Catherine's hand froze on her necklace. Olivia's mouth fell open.
Nora descended the stairs with a slow, measured grace. The gown shimmered with every step. Her hair was styled in a simple, elegant updo that highlighted her neck and cheekbones. She wore no jewelry except for a pair of simple gold drops.
She looked stunning. She looked powerful. She looked like she owned the place.
Olivia's face flushed with jealousy. She had planned to outshine Nora, but now she felt like a background character in Nora's portrait.
Catherine felt a mix of emotions. Pride-because she had bought the dress, and it was a triumph of her taste. And resentment-because the dress looked better on Nora than it ever would have on Olivia.
Edward just looked uncomfortable. He didn't like things he couldn't control, and right now, Nora looked uncontrollable.
He walked over to her, pulling her aside by the elbow. "Listen to me," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Tonight is about business and reputation. You will smile. You will be polite. And you will keep your mouth shut. Do not cause trouble."
Nora looked at his grip on her arm, then up at his face. "I understand, Father."
He released her, satisfied.
The drive to the Sterling estate was tense. The limousine was silent. Olivia tried to make conversation, but Catherine was brooding and Edward was staring out the window.
Nora sat quietly, observing the passing landscape. She was mentally preparing for the battlefield.
They arrived at the Sterling manor. It was even larger than the Beaumont estate. Flashbulbs went off like strobe lights as the town car pulled up to the red carpet.
The doors opened.
Edward stepped out first. He turned and looked at Nora, his eyes cold and calculating. "Remember what I said," he murmured, his voice too low for the cameras to hear. "You are a Beaumont tonight. Act like it." Then, his expression shifted into a practiced, paternal smile as he offered her his hand.
This was unexpected. Olivia tried to step forward, but Catherine held her back. Edward was making a calculated move. The "return of the true heiress" was a hot story, and he intended to exploit it for maximum PR value.
Nora stepped out of the car, her hand resting lightly on Edward's. The crowd gasped. The cameras went wild.
"Eleanora! Over here!"
"Miss Beaumont! Are you engaged to Connor Sterling?"
Nora stood tall, her expression serene. She didn't flinch from the lights or the shouting. She looked like she had been born to this.
Olivia was forced to walk behind them, sandwiched between Catherine and the publicist. She was seething.
Inside the ballroom, the scene was glittering and loud. A live orchestra played. Champagne flowed like water.
Olivia immediately detached herself from the family and dove into the crowd, greeting her friends with air kisses and practiced smiles.
Edward went off to talk business with a group of men in suits.
Catherine went to hold court with the other society wives.
Nora was left alone.
She walked to the edge of the room and found a quiet corner. She picked up a glass of champagne from a passing tray and watched.
She wasn't hiding. She was observing. She watched who spoke to whom. She watched the power dynamics. She watched the alliances and the rivalries.
To the casual observer, she looked like a wallflower. Out of place. Awkward.
But on the second-floor balcony, hidden behind a glass partition, Julian Sterling was watching her.
He saw the way her eyes tracked the room. He saw the stillness of her posture. She wasn't scared. She was calculating.
He had seen that look before-in the eyes of generals and kings. It was the look of someone who saw the board three moves ahead.
He took a sip of his scotch. He was intrigued.
Downstairs, Olivia was whispering to a group of her friends. She pointed toward Nora's corner.
Cordelia Prescott, a tall blonde with a sharp face, laughed. "Watch this," she mouthed to Olivia.
The group of girls moved across the ballroom like a pack of wolves, their sights set on the girl in the gold dress.
