Chapter 5 She is Mrs. Hilton

Elin had changed into her gown and was receiving compliments from her roommates while waiting for Damon's car to pick her up. Suddenly, her phone rang—it was Damon's assistant. "The boss said he has his wife accompanying him tonight, so there's no need for you to come." Her heart sank, and she bit her pale lips. "Alright, please tell him to drink less; it's not good for his health." Even after hanging up, she couldn't shake off the feeling of emptiness. Faced with the concerned yet gossipy looks from her roommates, she shook her head helplessly. "It's not appropriate for me to go to the places he needs to be. Men... business meetings can sometimes be... special, you know." The gown felt like a constricting cocoon, uncomfortable to wear but hard to take off. Clutching the hem of her dress, Elin couldn’t understand why Damon suddenly paid special attention to Evelyn, but tonight’s banquet was crucial for her. Even if she insisted on going, Damon probably wouldn’t be too harsh with her. Two hours before the banquet started, Evelyn came downstairs wearing the gown Damon had prepared for her and walked toward him. Even though he had seen her fiery rose-like beauty before, the luxurious and elegant black lace gown now made Evelyn look coldly stunning, like an unattainable ice queen. The sight of her made his heart skip a beat, and he instinctively took a few steps forward, inviting her to take his arm. "You look beautiful tonight." Jack, the assistant holding the car door for her, also exclaimed, "Compared to that little girl, it’s like the difference between a woman and a goddess." Evelyn was used to such compliments. She knew she had always been beautiful. After she got into the car, Damon patted Jack's shoulder. "Well said. Bonus for you this month!" During the ride, Damon wanted to chat with Evelyn to improve their relationship, but she kept her eyes closed, resting by the window, not giving him a single chance. Feeling a sense of loss for the first time with a woman, Damon’s interest in her grew. Upon arrival, they immediately drew everyone’s attention. Cameras and flashes went off in a frenzy: "Look! Is that... the Hiltons? My God, they look perfect together!" "I definitely prefer Mrs. Hilton. She looks so enchanting." "This is the first time seeing them attend an event together. It's rare. Get a picture!" Damon wrapped his arm around her waist, gently supporting her up the stairs in high heels. "Careful." To his surprise, Evelyn moved swiftly, even faster than him. Walking in high heels was a basic skill for socialites, unlike Elin, who only wore flat shoes. Entering the venue, Evelyn saw many familiar faces, notable figures from the business and political worlds, as well as some small entrepreneurs who would become influential in the future. When they saw her and Damon, they either greeted them or nodded and smiled when their eyes met. Clearly, Damon's influence was not to be underestimated. To wrestle with Damon in the future, she needed to network as much as possible—one Brian wasn't enough. Before the banquet started, the sound of a bottle breaking attracted everyone's attention. An elderly man in plain clothes had accidentally broken a wine bottle and was being scolded by the venue manager. "Clumsy old man, get out!" The old man, covered in spilled wine, bent down to pick up the shards. Evelyn stopped him. "Let the staff clean this up. You don’t want to cut yourself." The rich aroma of the wine mingled with fruity notes. A single whiff was enough to impress her. Despite having tasted countless fine wines, few could compare. The manager recognized her and smiled apologetically. "Good evening, Mrs. Hilton. I apologize for the disturbance. This old man spilled the wine Mr. Smith prepared. I was just about to throw him out!" "Just clean it up. There are more important events tonight; don't let this upset Mr. Smith." Her voice was gentle but firm. "Please have this gentleman bring more wine." The manager's face stiffened, and he quickly arranged for the cleanup, signaling the old man to leave. Damon handed her a glass of wine. "I didn’t know you could be so gentle and reasonable." She took the glass. "Thank you." "It depends on the person. I’m only gentle and reasonable to outsiders, especially when it can win Mr. Smith’s favor." So, to her, he was now an outsider, which was why she treated him so distantly and politely? Sipping the wine, the slightly sour taste mixed with spice as it went down. Damon's gaze remained glued to Evelyn, unable to look away. Jack, the assistant, suddenly answered a call and whispered to Damon, "Miss Elin is here, but she's being blocked outside." Damon frowned impatiently, annoyed by anyone testing his limits. Instinctively, he looked at Evelyn, who was elegantly socializing with other ladies, perfectly composed and not needing him at all. Elin, on the other hand, was probably anxious and teary-eyed, waiting for his rescue. Though he didn’t know why Elin had come, leaving briefly shouldn’t be an issue and might even provoke Evelyn. So, when he brought Elin inside, he felt no guilt and even anticipated Evelyn’s reaction. However, Evelyn didn’t notice his absence, still engrossed in conversation. This left Damon feeling dejected. Elin gently tugged at his sleeve. "Sorry, Mr. Damon, I must have troubled you again, right?" "It’s all my fault. I thought Mrs. Hilton might not understand jewelry after her recent losses and feared she couldn’t handle the guests. That's why I didn’t listen and came." Elin's soft words only irritated Damon more. He handed her to Jack. "I’m going to the smoking room. Stay here and don’t wander off." She obediently agreed but headed straight toward Evelyn as soon as Damon left. She believed she could outshine Evelyn just by appearing, just as she easily won Damon’s favor. Unexpectedly, she bumped into an old man, causing the wine he was holding to smash, staining her dress. Elin was shocked and screamed, "Are you blind? Watch where you're going!" Her shrill voice instantly drew everyone's attention, and her rude behavior made everyone disdainful. Despite the old man apologizing and offering his handkerchief to clean her dress, she remained obnoxious. "This is a custom dress! You can’t wash out these stains! How am I supposed to wear this again?!"