A small, soft hand pressed down on Celine's arm, stopping her. Celine stepped forward, her gaze steady as she looked at Sonia. "Are you saying you want to cut ties with me?"

Sonia replied without hesitation, her tone firm. "That's right!"

Celine turned to Lucy. "And you, Mom? Do you feel the same way?"

Lucy, her mind still echoing with Sonia's earlier accusation, had been silently observing her daughter. Her thoughts were crystal clear. A peculiar smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. When Celine's question landed, Lucy stepped behind Sonia, adopting a helpless expression. "Celine, you're being unreasonable. I can only follow your grandmother's wishes."

Both Sonia and Lucy were ready to sever ties with Celine. After her father's death, these two were supposed to be her closest family, the people she could rely on—her own mother and her grandmother. Yet, time and time again, they shattered her understanding of family. Celine nodded. "Fine. Have it your way. From now on, I have nothing to do with the Tates."

Sonia couldn't have been more pleased. To her, Celine was useless—nothing but garbage to be discarded without a second thought, especially someone who dropped out of school at sixteen. Celine was, in Sonia's eyes, a stain on the Tere family name.

Lucy and Carly exchanged knowing smiles.

Just then, a commotion rippled through the crowd. "Mr. Alvarez is here!" Adam had arrived.

Celine lifted her gaze. The tightly packed crowd parted, creating a clear path for him. As one of the day's key figures, Adam was dressed in a custom-tailored black suit. His sharp, aristocratic features were as striking as ever. With a team of bodyguards leading the way and staff trailing behind, he moved forward with the poise of a king.

"This way, Mr. Alvarez."

Adam's steps were steady and unhurried. Not far behind him appeared Benjamin, Mercity's infamous "little tyrant." Unlike his usual carefree style, he was dressed to the nines that day, even carrying a large bouquet of red roses.

Benjamin grinned, looking smug. "Adam, my goddess is finally making her debut today. The moment she finishes her keynote speech, I'm going on stage to give her these roses."

Adam's expression remained calm and unreadable.

Carly stepped forward eagerly. "Adam."

Adam stopped, turning his attention to her.

Carly smiled warmly. "Adam, look. Celine is here too."

His gaze shifted to Celine.

Benjamin interjected with a laugh. "Celine, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're here to see my goddess too?"

Celine's eyes darted to the bouquet. "Your goddess?"

Benjamin puffed out his chest. "Of course! My goddess is Adam's genius junior. I'm going to present her with these roses in a bit."

Celine stared at him, her lips curling into an uncontrollable smile. Then, she laughed softly.

Benjamin's face darkened. "What's so funny?"

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Your goddess doesn't like red roses."