Ella was surprised when Eric praised Brandon. She couldn’t help but look at him with wide eyes. Eric leaned in close, whispering something into her ear.
After hearing his plan, Ella couldn’t suppress her laughter. "That’s brilliant, honey! You’re absolutely the smartest."
Eric’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Just sit back and enjoy the show."
Soon enough, Sean’s birthday arrived.
The event was a grand affair, with Sean inviting high-ranking officials, influential figures from high society, and a large number of friends and family. With several hundred tables of guests, the celebration was held at the Royal Hotel, owned by the Carter Group.
Despite the Carter Group’s recent struggles, Sean had once been ranked among the top fifty wealthiest men in Country S. While his position had long been overtaken by others, the connections he had built over the years remained strong.
Sean stood at the entrance of the ninth-floor ballroom, energetically greeting guests. His wife, Julia, her hair neatly styled, a stunning ruby necklace adorning her neck, and her lips painted a soft red.
Despite being in her seventies, Julia looked no older than forty, with a youthful and well-maintained figure.
As guests arrived, the couple smiled and exchanged pleasantries with each one.
Although Sean had been entangled in negative news earlier, it hadn’t affected his social network. After all, Carter Group still had substantial assets, and such small controversies couldn’t shake the foundation of such a once-powerful enterprise.
Just then, a man in formal attire strode confidently into the hall, carrying a long, rectangular box in his hands.
Sean raised an eyebrow, the man’s cold smile stirring vague recognition, though Sean couldn’t quite place him.
"You must be Mr. Sean Carter?" the man asked with a slight smirk.
"Yes, that’s me... and you are?" Sean replied politely, though he was clearly trying to remember where he’d seen this man before.
Julia, standing beside him, teased with a smile, "Don’t mind him. My husband is over seventy, so his memory isn’t what it used to be."
The man gave a faintly sarcastic smile. "I’m Mark, one of Mr. Nelson’s subordinates. I’m here to deliver a gift on behalf of Mr. Nelson and Miss Davis. It’s a painting from a renowned international artist, said to perfectly match Mr. Carter’s character. I hope you like it."
Hearing that, Sean’s smile grew wider. It seemed that although Mr. Nelson couldn’t attend in person, the gift would still bring him the recognition and face he desired.
He quickly signaled one of his staff to accept the gift from Mark. "How is Mr. Nelson’s health?" Sean asked.
"Mr. Nelson is still recovering, so he couldn’t attend in person. Additionally..." Mark raised his voice deliberately, ensuring the entire room could hear, "Miss Davis asked me to pass along a message: Today is the anniversary of her mother, Isabella’s, passing, so she felt it was inappropriate to attend and offer birthday wishes. She hopes you won’t take offense."
Mark’s voice rang through the hall, catching the attention of everyone. The room fell into a hushed silence as guests, sipping wine and nibbling on hors d’oeuvres, turned to look at Mark, their eyes widening in surprise.
It was clear to everyone—this man had done it on purpose!
Frank, along with his wife and children, immediately came forward, glaring at Mark with frustration. But with so many guests present, they couldn’t openly reprimand him.
Sean’s face turned pale. He had never expected Eric and Ella to pull such a move. After all, he didn’t even remember that today was Isabella’s death anniversary.
He had never seen Isabella as his daughter, nor had he ever cared for her, so her passing meant nothing to him. To Sean, the date of her death was insignificant.
But Ella’s use of this detail cut deep.
A few seconds passed before Sean, trying to regain his composure, forced a tight smile and nodded. "No problem. Please send my thanks."
In front of so many guests, Sean had no choice but to maintain his composure. No matter how furious or humiliated he felt, he couldn’t afford to lose face.
Max, Sean’s grandson, was bristling with anger at seeing his grandfather humiliated . He stepped forward, ready to say something, but Frank, his father, quickly pulled him back. "Don’t say a word. Don’t embarrass the Carter Group."
In their minds, Isabella had long been cut off from the family. Even if it was her death anniversary, there was nothing wrong with Sean celebrating his birthday. After all, Isabella was no longer considered his daughter.
Mark gave a dismissive smile, filled with contempt. "Rest assured, Old Mr. Carter, I’ll be sure to deliver your message. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave now."
As Mark turned and walked away, Sean’s eyes were filled with a cold fury. Yet, as more guests arrived, he quickly masked his anger with a practiced smile, greeting them as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, whispers began to spread among the female guests.
"Did you hear? Old Mr. Carter is a piece of work. He’s even trying to reclaim his late wife’s shares from his granddaughter."
"I heard about that. There was a news report recently. And today’s his daughter’s death anniversary? Unbelievable."
"Yes, he’s done a lot of charity work, but to forget the anniversary of his own daughter’s death..."
"Forget? More like he doesn’t care! After all, they were estranged, weren’t they?"
"Remember, it was his late wife who cut ties with Isabella, not him! No matter how distant, a father shouldn’t be this heartless toward his daughter."
"How sad, though. On the anniversary of his daughter’s death, he throws a big birthday party. It’s just cruel!"
"Yeah, even as an outsider, it’s hard not to feel for her. How heartless can he be?"
"If it weren’t for my father making me come, I’d never have attended this party."
The murmurs of the women drifted to the nearby men, who exchanged uneasy glances. The atmosphere grew noticeably more tense and awkward.
Despite the whispers, the party continued. Sean pretended as if nothing had happened, smiling and chatting with the guests. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.
Many of the women, especially those who were more empathetic, looked at him with thinly veiled disdain. It didn’t matter that he was still the head of Carter Group—he was getting older, and soon enough, his influence would fade.
The feeling of unease gnawed at Sean, making this birthday the most unbearable one of his life.
The luxurious food, once his favorite, now tasted bland and difficult to swallow with each bite.
Finally, the party ended. Exhausted and furious, Sean stormed into his study, slamming the door behind him.
Julia, his wife, exchanged worried glances with their daughter-in-law, Evelyn. Her face was filled with concern. "The old man has never been this upset before. Mr. Nelson’s people made him lose face in front of all the guests. I fear this will weigh on him for a long time."
Evelyn spoke softly, "Dad received many fine gifts today. Maybe we should ask him to come out and look at them to lift his spirits?"