Lucas, dazed and under the expectant gaze of the assembled guests, leaned slightly and uttered a single sentence: "Mr. Lewis, I think I just saw a goddess."

Zachary's face darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. What kind of occasion was this? How could Lucas, a representative of the Chambers family, utter such nonsense? A goddess? What on earth?

Lucas, seeing Zachary's expression, abruptly returned to reality, acutely aware of his indiscretion. Glancing at the perplexed faces around him, he blushed slightly and hastily added, "Mr. Lewis, Miss Zeller is almost here—she's at the second gate now."

Zachary nodded, his expression softening. Yvette's imminent arrival signified that nothing had gone amiss, and his anxiety subsided. "As long as Yvette's here, that's fine. What nonsense were you talking about just now?"

Lucas, avoiding an explanation, looked as if he had more to say. "Mr. Lewis, you'll understand in a minute. I truly can't describe it."

Zachary was completely baffled, but he didn't believe Lucas had lost his mind; he'd been perfectly fine just moments before.

As they spoke, Nellie, assisting Richard, along with Robert, Yulia, Winona, Zeke, and Victor, gathered around Zachary. They had overheard Lucas's statement and were equally confused.

Nellie had only grasped that Yvette had reached the second gate, instantly deducing that Tony had blundered. That incompetent fool—useless as always! He couldn't even manage such a simple task. "But it's fine," she muttered. "I'll take over from here, and I'll succeed for sure."

Suddenly, several people noticed that everyone around them had frozen, all staring toward the garden entrance. Confused, they followed their gaze, soon succumbing to the same shock and awe. It truly did seem as if they were witnessing the "goddess" Lucas had described.

The night air was cool and crisp, moonlight bathing the ground. Trees and flowers, indistinct in the shadows, appeared veiled in mist. Roses danced on the breeze, their swaying branches casting shifting shadows that twirled in the wind.

Amidst this interplay of light and shadow, a woman slowly approached, walking beneath the moonlight. Her eyes sparkled with crystalline clarity, her slightly curled lashes like wisps of mountain fog. A hint of coldness in her gaze commanded both respect and fear. Her white fringed gown swayed gently, its colors shifting with the light, a brilliant rainbow, like scattered stars. The thousands of roses in the garden were mere embellishments to her presence.

As she drew closer, everyone realized her white fringed gown was adorned with hand-sewn diamonds—real diamonds, readily apparent to discerning eyes. At least a hundred, perhaps more; the cost was astronomical.

The woman's brow furrowed slightly, like a stone dropped into still water, creating ripples of impatience. Then, Zachary's voice, calling "Yvette," snapped everyone back to reality.

"Yvette?" The onlookers stared in disbelief, their expressions transforming as if awakening from a dream. Yvette? So this was the rumored country girl, rough and uncouth, the supposedly plain and rustic Miss Zeller of the Chambers family? Who started that rumor? If this is what they called ugly, then what were they? And rustic? They might as well be struck by lightning! The crowd that had earlier surrounded Winona fell silent.

Winona stood as if petrified, her face drained of color, her expression ashen. The dark, twisted look in her eyes sent a chill down the spines of those who saw it. Her pale lips trembled slightly, her left hand clenched so tightly that her nails dug painfully into her palm. Winona lowered her head, saying nothing. She had already observed the crowd's captivated gazes directed at Yvette—even Victor had been momentarily stunned. Knowing she couldn't compete with Yvette's beauty, she had felt a thrill at Nellie's plan's revelation. Now, she wondered, why was Yvette's face still flawless?

Nellie, ever watchful of Winona, knew she couldn't allow her to falter. Discreetly approaching Winona, she pulled her aside and, with a stern expression, whispered coldly, "Winona, compose yourself. Don't make a fool of yourself. Tonight is your moment. You may have lost in the looks department, but if you don't shine now, you'll lose everything. As long as you're accepted by Mr. Griffin as his student, you'll still be the center of attention. Stop sulking. I've already dealt with Yvette's situation—you don't need to worry. I'll ensure she pays later."

Winona kept her head down, silent, no longer trusting Nellie. "I understand, Mom," she finally said after a long pause, "Don't worry."

Seeing Winona calm, Nellie relaxed and returned to Zachary's side.

The crowd buzzed, the chatter growing louder.

Zachary stepped forward, addressing Yvette in a soft, gentle tone, his elegant face full of affection, completely disregarding the surrounding stares. "Come on, Yvette, let's go sit over there with Dad. The banquet will start soon. Have you eaten anything yet? Are you hungry? Don't skip meals to maintain your figure—your health is most important for a young girl."

Zachary's attitude spoke volumes. The assembled businessmen readily understood. The outside rumors couldn't be further from the truth. He hadn't shown this much affection even toward Winona, his soon-to-be student. Yet, with his newly found daughter, he was completely doting and attentive. Didn't that tell them everything? If they still didn't understand, they might as well be blind.

Standing behind Zachary, Winona felt utterly crushed by his affection for Yvette. What did Yvette possess that she lacked? In such a short time, her father only had eyes for her. On such an important night, did he really have to make her look so bad? The hatred inside Winona festered, twisting her expression further.

But now, no one paid attention to Winona; all eyes were on Yvette. Compared to Yvette, Winona's earlier moment of glamour seemed insignificant.

"Did you notice something?" A girl who had been with Winona earlier stared at Yvette, her breath slightly labored, her voice filled with surprise and disbelief.

The crowd turned, puzzled, even Zachary and Richard glancing her way. "What did you notice?" someone asked.

The girl nodded affirmatively, then shook her head in disbelief, her eyes conflicted. Finally, as the crowd's patience waned, she spoke again, "I've seen that white gown Ms. Zeller is wearing before."