The other executives quickly chimed in their agreement. Aurora had already made appearances in the business world before, so everyone remembered her face. They knew exactly who she was, not to be confused with Tessa standing beside Grace.

Aurora’s looks were unforgettable–one glance was enough to leave a lasting impression. By contrast, though Tessa was certainly beautiful, she simply didn’t have that same breathtaking quality that Aurora possessed. She lacked that kind of unforgettable presence. On top of that, Aurora’s abilities were outstanding, making her beauty just one of her lesser qualities.

Hearing the conversation, Tessa’s fists clenched tightly at her sides, the smile on her face barely holding. She couldn’t understand–what were these old men playing at? She was standing right there beside her mother, yet instead of asking about her, they insisted on asking where Aurora was. Did they really have nothing better to do?

Grace’s expression held a flicker of awkwardness, but since they were praising her daughter, she couldn’t help the pride showing on her face. “Aurora had some things to take care of, she’s probably on her way,” Grace said before nudging Tessa forward. “This is my eldest daughter. She graduated from Camrich, studied design, received numerous scholarships, and even won international design awards. Though her health isn’t the best, I have full confidence in her abilities.”

At her words, the group exchanged looks. It was obvious they understood what she meant. Instead of pressing further, they offered Tessa an awkward nod. No one could figure out why, when Aurora was so talented, Grace wasn’t introducing her with pride but was instead giving so much attention to this less well-known elder daughter. If it were them, they would certainly be putting the younger daughter on a pedestal.

After all, someone who could bring such value to the company while also being strikingly beautiful was exceedingly rare. “Madam Grace, you truly are blessed,” one of them said with a polite smile. Everyone politely offered a few compliments to show Grace some respect. “That’s right, it’s already impressive enough that your younger daughter is so outstanding, but your elder daughter is just as accomplished. We truly envy you.”

“Camrich is remarkable indeed. One of these days we should have our son sit down and exchange ideas with your daughter.” Their words sounded agreeable, but it was only courtesy. It was obvious that none of them had any real interest in learning more about Tessa, nor did they intend to continue the conversation with her.

The warmth and excitement they had shown earlier when talking about Aurora was completely absent. Instead, their eyes kept wandering, scanning the room to see if Aurora had arrived.

Grace’s expression grew tight. She had hoped that by bringing Tessa out into the spotlight, she could make her path a little easier in the future. After all, though Tessa had her shares to rely on, who would ever turn down more money or better connections? Grace thought of it as securing an extra benefit for her.

Her intentions were good, but Tessa didn’t appreciate it. Because no matter how much Grace tried to create opportunities for her, as long as she was kept away from the company’s core business, it was nothing more than an attempt to prevent her from competing with Aurora for the heir’s position. Tessa saw this very clearly now. She knew how to weigh what mattered most.

Right now, her mother was treating her like a prop, nothing more than a clown on display. Otherwise, why would these executives remain unfamiliar with her and only keep asking after Aurora?