Chapter 364 The Queen’s Gambit
Eliza caught no warmth in Tracy’s eyes. If she hadn’t returned to the Sue family, Tracy would still be basking in the illusion of being the treasured young lady of the household.
“Zayden, go greet your old friend. After that, we’ll head over there,” Tracy said, her tone laced with deliberate provocation as she clung to his arm.
Zayden answered flatly, “There are no old friends here.”
Finished
Tracy pouted. “That’s not very nice, Zayden. Isn’t Eliza your old friend? You two grew up together–you’ve known each other forever.”
He stayed silent.
Left with no choice, Tracy smiled apologetically at Eliza. “Sorry about him, Eliza. My boyfriend can be really stubborn. Anyway, take good care of Halbert for me–I’ll go look around with Zayden.”
She didn’t wait for Eliza’s response before tugging Zayden away.
Eliza watched his back retreat into the crowd, a strange sense of distance rising in her chest.
“Why? Feeling heartache now?”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Eliza snapped, frowning. “Heartache for who?”
“You know who,” Halbert teased with a smirk. “Weren’t you two childhood sweethearts? Everyone says you loyed him for years but he never loved you back.”
“…Sounds like it’s true, then.”
“Psychopath,” Eliza muttered, brushing past him and heading toward the quieter corners of the room.
She didn’t like being the center of attention.
Especially now, as the recognized daughter of the Sue family–every pair of eyes in the room tracked her every move. It was stifling.
As her gaze swept the ballroom, a new question emerged.
The event’s already started. Where’s Naomi?
She glanced at her phone–twenty minutes past the start time.
Still no sign.
“What are you looking at?”
The voice startled her so badly she nearly dropped her phone.
Whipping around, Eliza saw Matteo standing directly behind her
How had he snuck up without her noticing?
“You?!”
Chapter 364 The Queen’s Gambit.
She immediately scanned the room. No one seemed to have noticed them.
Finished
Without another word, she yanked Matteo by the sleeve and dragged him up the staircase, into a quiet landing.
“Are you insane? You can’t talk to me here!”
With so many clites and socialites present, if anyone noticed her speaking to someone like Matteo, the rumors would spread like wildfire.
And if Tristan ever caught wind of it, she was done for.
Tristan would never allow his little sister to have any connection with a man like Matteo.
“No one saw,” Matteo replied calmly. “Just like you didn’t.”
This gala was a giant circus of ambition–everyone here was too busy hunting deals and opportunities to notice a man like him in the shadows.
Eliza followed his gaze downstairs. Sure enough, no one was paying them any attention.
“You’re the only one sipping tea in a corner. Everyone else is busy making alliances,” he added with a lazy smile. “Let me guess–you’re here because of Naomi?”
“…How did you know?”
“Don’t bother waiting. She won’t show up.”
Eliza’s eyes
narrowed. “But she’s on the
guest
list.”
“She was,” Matteo said. “But take a look.”
He tilted his chin downward.
Eliza looked.
Down on the ballroom floor stood Nathaniel… with another woman.
Tall. Voluptuous. Dressed to kill.
Definitely not Naomi.
She glanced sideways at Matteo. “That woman… is she one of yours?”
“Sharp as ever.” Matteo actually sounded pleased.
Eliza had a quick mind–exactly why she made an excellent ally.
Though, if they ever turned against each other, she’d be a dangerously unpredictable opponent.
“Where’s Naomi, then?”
“She was just a pawn. And I don’t let discarded pieces sit on my board.”
His voice turned cold, clinical
Chapter 364 The Queen’s Gambit
33%
Finished
But Eliza wasn’t satisfied. “Wait a minute. That woman–if you placed her at Nathaniel’s side, why would Nathaniel accept her? And how did you control Naomi long enough to plant her in his life?”
“Simple,” Matteo said. “I have allies. Mr. Brody was one of them. I asked him to send someone to Nathaniel. It was easy.”
Eliza stared at him, stunned.
He’s already bought Mr. Brody? That fast?
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