Earlier, when Hannah entered, she had a conversation with Avery, assuming that Ella didn’t have an invitation and must have bribed the doorman to get in.
They were utterly ignorant and naive! In a place , without Eric’s permission, Ella couldn’t have possibly gained entry.
Ella not receiving an invitation was also part of her plan. She wanted these women to expose their true colors in front of everyone, making the hypocritical heiresses even more detestable.
"Miss Allen, what do you mean by that? Mr. Nelson is the host here, yet you’re trying to kick me out. It seems the guests are now outranking the host!" Ella laughed loudly.
Her words drew everyone’s attention to Avery.
Avery’s face changed color, and Emma quickly shook her head, "My sister didn’t mean that. But you didn’t have an invitation, so you must have bribed the doorman to get in!"
Emma’s loud voice seemed intent on making sure everyone knew Ella didn’t have an invitation.
The surrounding looks became increasingly speculative.
"Sis, you should leave. Don’t embarrass our Davis family!" Hannah, inwardly smug, pushed Ella toward the exit, feigning urgency.
"You all misunderstood. It was my fault for forgetting to send her the invitation. Here it is!" Eric said with a faint smile, pulling a thick, luxurious invitation from his pocket.
There was a murmur of astonishment from the crowd.
"That’s why I told the doorman to let Ms. Davis in without an invitation. Ella, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding!" Eric’s smile carried a hint of charm.
Ella smiled slightly, "Mr. Nelson, being busy is normal for you. I won’t take it personally."
The crowd laughed, with a hint of sarcasm, as Avery and Hannah exchanged embarrassed glances.
"So that’s what happened... I really misunderstood, Sis!" Hannah forced an awkward smile, while Avery quickly agreed. Ella, uninterested in staying with these women, quietly stepped aside to watch the unfolding drama.
At this moment, Eric’s father, James, walked over coldly.
Behind him was a richly dressed woman and a young man, about twenty years old.
The young man resembled James somewhat; he was Eric’s half-brother, Henry Nelson.
"Who was that woman just now? No one without an invitation is allowed into our Elite Horizon Club," James asked coldly, looking at Eric with displeasure, as this would break the club’s rules.
Eric’s previously gentle face turned cold, "She’s my friend. Due to an error by my staff, her invitation wasn’t sent. That’s why I instructed the doorman accordingly. Rules are made by people. And, Dad, you don’t have an invitation either, do you?"
Eric’s tone was icy, his smile mocking, causing James’s face to darken instantly.
"You ungrateful son! I won’t argue with you here!"
"Have you forgotten, Dad? The CEO of Elite Horizon Club is me, not you. The majority shareholder is me, not you! So, everything is my decision!"
Eric snorted coldly, his piercing gaze shifting to the woman behind him.
That woman was his stepmother, Grace.
Grace was the adopted daughter of Old Mr. Walker, the president of Walker Group, and the sister of William. Later, Grace was found by her biological father and returned to the Miller family.
However, since she was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Walker, she maintained ties with the Walker family. The collaboration between the Walker and Miller families ensured Walker Group thrived even more.
If Ella knew this, she would understand why Eric had struck against Walker Group.
"James, today is a significant day. Don’t be angry. Eric is right; rules are flexible. There’s no need to make a fuss over a small matter," Grace softly advised.
Eric snorted again and turned away, not wanting to look at the woman.
Henry’s face darkened, his hands clenched into fists, but he managed to suppress his anger.
Ever since he could remember, he had always seen Eric’s disdainful looks and expressions of disgust towards his mother. He couldn’t understand why Eric loathed the gentle and kind woman he saw as his mother. The repeated disdain and suppression made him want to confront Eric harshly.
"Henry, don’t cause trouble. Today is significant for Nelson Group. Do you understand?" Grace looked back at her son’s changed expression and gently advised.
Henry nodded, taking a deep breath.
Ella sat in the corner, sipping juice, keenly observing the interactions between Eric and James. She noticed James’s displeasure and anger and the young man’s restraint.
From the news, Ella knew about James and the young man, who was Eric’s half-brother, and the elegantly dressed woman, his stepmother.
Eric’s stepmother looked to be in her forties. According to rumors, Grace had an affair with James when she was twenty and later bore him a son, earning his favor. Grace was not only young and beautiful but also from a noble family and incredibly graceful and charming.
Though in her forties, she looked like she was in her thirties due to her excellent maintenance.
Ella pursed her lips, realizing her experiences mirrored Eric’s remarkably.
Both had lost their birth mothers, and both had stepmothers who seemed gentle but were actually malicious.
At that moment, Chloe and her family of five arrived. Chloe immediately ran over to sit with Ella.
"Ella, I came with my parents and brother. Your lover really has a lot of influence!" Chloe laughed, her eyes fixed on Ella. "Hey, girl, you look stunning tonight! Did you put on makeup?"
Ella’s natural and beautiful smile made her stand out in the crowd.
"Yes, just a bit of lipstick." Since it was an important anniversary event for Eric, she couldn’t embarrass him.
"Wow, you’ve really matured since becoming a woman!" Chloe appraised her, a hint of admiration in her eyes. "By the way, I heard a rumor that Brandon will be our art teacher!"
Ella’s eyebrows knitted together, "He’s going to be our teacher?"
Brandon had resigned from the company. Although he was once involved in a scandal with Hannah, it had gradually died down.
The school administration highly appreciates his skills, so it’s no surprise that they’ve hired him as an art teacher.