Reclaiming Her Heart

Tessa chuckled to herself; she'd already seen the news blowing up online. Selena was probably still stuck at the hospital, and by the time she made it here, it'd be well past eight. Plus, Tessa had someone ready to handle Selena here.

Tessa smirked, knowing there was no need to rush. After that, she started mingling with the crowd.

Everyone was buzzing about how hot Tessa's boyfriend was and how good-looking her brother was.

Tessa sipped her wine, gliding through the party like a pro.

Raymond was just hanging out in the corner. People who wanted to say hi could feel the intense vibe around him and quickly steered clear.

Paul, the man of the hour, was super busy. Even though he usually wasn't much of a talker, he had to make small talk at the party.

Paul looked annoyed but kept a faint smile plastered on his face.

When Paul spotted Raymond, he felt a wave of relief and made a beeline for him.

Raymond was sulking in the corner, staring off into the distance.

Paul gave him a nudge, "Where's Selena? Haven't seen her around."

Raymond had gone public with his relationship on Facebook, so he should've brought Selena to an event like this. It was a good chance for everyone to meet her. Raymond wasn't in the mood to socialize, worried everyone would ask why Selena wasn't there.

Seeing Raymond's lack of enthusiasm, Paul pointed upstairs, "There's a balcony up there. Go have a drink; no one will bug you."

Raymond patted his shoulder. "Thanks, man."

Raymond then headed upstairs.

Selena had actually arrived at Manston Manor half an hour earlier. When she got there, Raymond had just left five minutes before.

The styling team recognized her right away. "You must be Ms. Fair. Mr. Montague hired us. Please, have a seat."

Selena was still in her work clothes, totally not party-ready.

Selena said, "Just do something quick for me. Where's Raymond?"

The stylist replied, "Mr. Montague waited for you for hours and then left."

Selena felt a pang of anxiety, unsure if she could make it up to Raymond this time.

The stylists knew the party was already in full swing, so they couldn't do the original elaborate styling. They just had Selena put on her dress first. Selena had Ann send the dress over earlier, but the stylists brought out a different one, very elegant and simple, making her look even more serene. The stylists gushed, "Ms. Fair, you look stunning in this dress."

Selena said, "Also style Ann. Keep it simple for both of us, and finish in twenty minutes."

The stylists nodded, "Got it."

So Ann was also pulled over to get styled. The stylists had a selection of dresses, all the latest designs.

Ann had never dressed up like this before and felt a bit awkward.

Selena reassured her, "You'll be at the party with me later. Just get ready mentally."

Ann nodded and closed her eyes, trying to relax.

Once the styling was done, Selena checked herself out in the mirror.

She wore just a strand of baroque pearls around her neck, no other accessories, but it didn't look plain at all.

The dress was light blue, super simple, with special detailing around the waist that showed off her figure perfectly.

The stylist said, "Done, Ms. Fair. You look gorgeous."

Selena nodded and looked at Ann, who was wearing a white fringe dress, looking very elegant.

Selena and Ann headed out right away.

Ann was still the one driving. By the time they got there, it was already 8:30.

Selena handed the invitation to the staff at the entrance. The staff member gave her a once-over, probably surprised to see someone arriving so late, then bowed slightly and led them inside.

As they walked through the main door, some people glanced their way, but it didn't cause a big stir. Only those who knew her wondered why she wasn't with Raymond.

Selena scanned the room and pointed to some guys standing by a champagne tower, saying to Ann, "Those are our company's recent partners. Go chat with them. I'll go find Raymond."

This was Ann's job, and she knew these partners. She nodded and gracefully walked over to them. The men saw her and greeted her warmly.

Selena made her way around the room but didn't spot Raymond. Instead, she saw Delia and Kyle.

Delia and Kyle had been waiting for a while. When they saw Selena, Delia's eyes lit up.

"Selena!" Delia called out, her voice loud enough to echo through half the hall.