Chapter 5

Ava Sterling POV

The front hall was bright with dazzling lights and filled with celebrities and socialites.

I saw Vanessa sit back in the first row, changing her face faster than turning a page.

One second ago, she had been throwing a tantrum backstage, and the next second, in front of the cameras, she had become a dignified and elegant charity socialite, even taking the lead in applauding.

Beside the side curtain, I looked at the information my assistant sent over and let out a cold laugh.

The all-powerful “Mr. Blackwood” Vanessa talked about was actually named Ethan Vale.

He had originally only been a business director at an outsourced company for the Blackwood Foundation, and he had been fired half a year ago for taking kickbacks.

Recently, however, he had been using the name of “Blackwood” and a few old group photos to bluff and scam his way through the socialite circle.

After all that, Vanessa had been tricked into a fantasy by a fake big shot, and that was why she dared to run wild in front of the real one.

“Ethan Vale is here,” Sebastian said in a low voice.

Following his gaze, I saw a man in a gray suit and expensive watch hurry in through the side door.

The moment Vanessa saw him, she immediately went up to him with an aggrieved expression.

“Ethan!”

Ethan’s gaze passed over Vanessa and landed on Sebastian not far away.

With just that one look, all the color drained from his face.

Vanessa did not notice at all and pointed at us with one hand while grabbing Ethan’s sleeve with the other.

“It’s them!”

“That woman keeps insisting the male model is her husband, and she even dared to threaten me!”

“Hurry and get rid of them for me!”

Ethan’s entire body stiffened, and he forced out a smile uglier than crying.

“Vanessa… there are a lot of media here tonight, so let it go.”

“That’s not what you said earlier!”

Vanessa refused to back down.

Ethan looked like he wanted to cover her mouth and lowered his voice.

“This involves Blackwood Group’s image…”

“You represent Blackwood Group?”

Sebastian walked over slowly, and his indifferent tone made people’s blood run cold.

Ethan’s legs trembled, and his Adam’s apple bobbed wildly.

“You…”

“Why are you wasting words with him?”

Vanessa was still shouting.

“He’s just a male model hired by someone, but he sure acts like the real thing!”

Cold sweat poured from Ethan’s forehead, and he grabbed her.

“Shut up!”

“Stop talking!”

I walked up to them with a faint smile.

“Mr. Vale, since you’re here, why not explain this clearly?”

“Did you claim to Miss Reed that you were part of the Blackwood family?”

Ethan’s face looked like ash.

“Ms. Sterling, this is all a misunderstanding…”

“Is the misunderstanding that you used Blackwood Group’s name to bring someone backstage, or that you made her think the Blackwood family would clean up after her arrogance?”

The guests around us had already sensed something was wrong, and whispers rose everywhere.

Vanessa finally realized things had gone off track.

“Ethan, what does she mean?”

“Didn’t you say the Blackwood family valued you the most?”

Ethan opened his mouth, but he could not squeeze out even half a word.

Sebastian handed his phone to the assistant behind him and gave a cold order.

“Notify legal and pull out every document Ethan Vale signed under Blackwood Group’s name.”

“Anything connected to tonight’s event should also be sealed and pursued.”

With a thud, Ethan could no longer hold himself up and dropped to his knees in front of the entire room of elites, his voice trembling.

“Mr. Blackwood!”

“I was wrong!”

Mr. Blackwood?!

The entire room burst into an uproar.

Vanessa looked at Sebastian in disbelief as if she had been struck by lightning.

Sebastian did not even give Ethan a glance and only said coldly,

“You have three minutes to explain in public everything you did under Blackwood Group’s name.”

Vanessa was completely dumbfounded.

Her first reaction was not to apologize, but to point at Ethan and scream in rage.

“You liar!”

“Aren’t you the young master of the Blackwood family?!”

“Then who is he?!”

I walked to Sebastian’s side and looked at the bloodless Vanessa before speaking calmly, my clear voice spreading through the silent front hall.

“He is the male model you insisted on taking away tonight.”

“And he is also the CEO of Blackwood Group, Sebastian Blackwood.”