Chapter 5

What puzzled Percy was that Shane made no move to shake his hand.

Instead, Shane simply stared at him with an odd expression.

Percy hesitated in confusion before awkwardly pulling his hand back.

"Mr. Howe, is there an issue?"

He just saw Stellar talking to Shane, and judging by their interaction, it looked like they’d reached some kind of agreement.

Could it be… the deal hadn’t gone through?

Before he could dwell further, Stellar spoke up.

“Mr. Moore, I’m sorry, but I don’t have a contract for Moore Enterprises. I’m not here on behalf of your company.”

Her words made Percy freeze. It took him a moment to process what she’d said, and when he did, he lowered his voice sharply.

“You’d better think about where we are before causing a scene.”

In a setting like this, his image was everything. He could dismiss her publicly if necessary, but she, as a woman, should know better than to stir trouble in front of an audience.

In the past, Stellar, always keen on reading the room, would have immediately handed over the contract in such a situation.

But this time, she didn’t give him what he wanted.

Instead, she responded with a faint, enigmatic smile before ignoring him altogether.

Turning to Shane, she nodded gracefully.

“Mr. Howe, I look forward to hearing from you.”

With that, she turned to leave.

Being brushed off so completely made Percy’s brow furrow. He reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Stellar Rivers, who gave you the authority to make decisions for Moore Enterprises?”

This was crossing the line. His patience had limits, and her repeated defiance in public wasn’t something he would tolerate.

Stellar tried to pull free, but his grip held firm. Her expression turned colder, her voice dropping in temperature as she replied, “Mr. Moore, let go of me. I’ve already told you that I’m not representing Moore Enterprises!”

At that moment, Chris walked over and caught the exchange. Clicking his tongue, he said with mock concern, “Stellar, don’t push it too far. Be careful, or Percy might really get angry and cut you off.”

Then, with a nod to Shane, Chris gave a quick, dismissive glance at the scene unfolding before him.

"Mr. Howe, my apologies. It seems our Mr. Moore and his lady are just having a little spat."

In the business world, women were often viewed as nothing more than accessories. Shane was surely used to this sort of thing.

But as soon as Chris finished speaking, Shane, who had been silently observing, suddenly let out a low chuckle.

What he said next wasn’t directed at Percy or Chris—it was aimed at Stellar.

“Miss Rivers, it seems you’re far too exceptional for your own good. Some people just can’t help trying to bask in your light.”

Shane had finally pieced it all together.

Tonight’s event, as expected, wasn’t important enough for his boss to attend in person. Shane was merely here as a stand-in, thinking it would be another routine, dull affair. Who would’ve guessed he’d encounter an intriguing woman and witness such an entertaining drama?

He watched the group before him with evident amusement.

Percy froze, caught off guard by Shane’s reaction.

“What do you mean by that?”

Shane’s smile didn’t falter. “Didn’t you just say you’re the CEO of Moore Enterprises? This is my first time seeing a CEO behave like this.

“Tell me, when did Brighton Group ever express an interest in partnering with Moore Enterprises? The lady you’re questioning represents Riverside Corporation. We’re quite satisfied with her proposal. But you, Mr. Moore… what exactly are you doing here?”

Percy was stunned into silence.

“Riverside Corporation?”

His gaze snapped to Stellar, his mind racing.

Had she joined some company called Riverside overnight?

But how was that even possible?

Her reputation was in tatters. Aside from him, who would even give her a job? No company would dare to hire someone like her.

But the current situation was nothing short of a slap in the face—a humiliating, resounding blow that left his ears burning.

The man who was always so composed and calculated found himself at a loss for words.

“Excuse me, Sir!”

Just then, a lilting, flirtatious voice cut through the tension, breaking the awkward silence.

The crowd parted as Yvonne, dressed in a custom designer gown, sauntered in. Her gaze softened when it landed on Percy, a clear sign that this wasn’t their first encounter.

Stellar caught the exchange and couldn’t help but find the entire scene bitterly ironic.

Before she could speak, Yvonne’s voice rang out again, dripping with mockery.

“Sir, it seems you’re not fully informed. The woman in front of you isn’t some company representative. She’s nothing more than a stray dog, recently kicked out by the Moore family!”

Yvonne’s words were sharp, her gaze triumphant.

“For over a decade, she impersonated the Harlow family’s true heiress, stealing what wasn’t hers. Who knows where she even got the invitation for tonight? Probably rented that dress and jewelry to put on a show, pretending to represent a company. I’d suggest you do a thorough background check, Sir. It’d be a shame if you got scammed.”

Yvonne had done her homework. She heard that Stellar had gone back to her old school, trying to reconnect with her former mentor in hopes of joining his latest research project.

It was laughable.

Stellar was clearly desperate.

She had also found out about Stellar’s breakup with Percy.

This only strengthened Yvonne’s belief in her fiancé’s sharp judgment. Dismissing Stellar so swiftly was just another example of his decisiveness.

And with that thought, Yvonne’s opinion of Percy grew even fonder.

Percy was undeniably striking no matter where he went, he was always the center of attention in any crowd. Yvonne watched him with a glint of admiration in her eyes.

If it weren’t for the constraints of her status, she might have publicly declared him as her fiancé right then and there.

At her pointed remark, murmurs began rippling through the crowd. Some recognized Stellar and started whispering about the infamous “Harlow family’s fake heiress” scandal.

“So that’s the Harlow family’s fake heiress? I barely recognized her since she dressed like this.”

“The fake heiress? Didn’t she disappear after rumors of her catching some disease from fooling around with men? How did she even get into this gala? What are the security guards doing?”

The murmurs grew louder, and the people around Stellar subtly stepped away, as if standing too close to her might somehow contaminate them.

It was just like back then, when the scandal had first broken…

A flash of deep hatred flickered in Stellar’s eyes.

Yvonne, noticing the ripple effect her words had caused, smiled smugly. Her gaze drifted to the jewelry around Stellar’s neck, her confidence briefly shaken by a twinge of jealousy.

She had seen that necklace at an auction. It was worth millions.

How could someone she considered dirt beneath her feet be wearing something so exquisite?

But she quickly reasoned it out that it had to be fake. Just another desperate attempt to put on a show.

Yvonne’s smile widened with satisfaction.

“Stellar, this isn’t the place for you to hook up with men. Why don’t you take your fake jewelry and leave before the security throw you out? That’d save you a lot of embarrassment.”

The crowd began murmuring again, and someone actually went to fetch security.

Stellar genuinely didn’t want to make a scene. This was her first task for her uncle, and she didn’t want to ruin things.

But if Yvonne insisted on pushing her, Stellar wasn’t the same pushover she used to be.

“Miss Harlow, if you don’t know something, it’s best to keep quiet. As a representative of Riverside Corporation, I naturally have proper authorization documents.

“Mr. Howe, as Brighton Group’s project director, is responsible for verifying the credentials of collaborators—that’s part of his job. Do you think he needs advice from someone who couldn’t even get into college and has to rely on manufactured fame in the entertainment industry?”

Her words struck like a whip.

Yvonne’s face turned pale, the smugness vanishing in an instant.

Yvonne’s "academic prodigy" persona was nothing more than a carefully crafted image by her PR team, one that couldn’t hold up under real scrutiny.

She hadn’t expected Stellar to expose her so bluntly in public.

Just as Yvonne was about to argue back, Stellar spoke again.

“As for your comment about fake jewelry…”

Stellar’s fingers traced along her collarbone in a motion that was both sensual and confident.

“You’re a celebrity groomed by the Harlow family with no shortage of resources. Identifying luxury goods should be a basic skill for someone like you.

“Even if you can’t afford it, you should at least know what to look for. This piece is a custom design by Catherine—her exclusives are neither available for rent nor replicable. So, tell me, where exactly could I have gotten a fake?”

The crowd, filled with high-society elites and seasoned socialites, knew luxury when they saw it. The women in attendance, whether heiresses or long-established socialites, were all connoisseurs of designer pieces.

With Stellar wearing the jewelry so openly, it didn’t take long for someone to recognize it.

“That really is one of Catherine’s custom pieces. Every one of her designs comes with a certificate of ownership. It’s impossible to counterfeit.”

“I heard the Harlow family’s real heiress grew up in a rural orphanage…”

“From rags to riches? And now this…”

The whispers swirled, and Yvonne’s face flushed a deep, angry red, as though she’d been slapped.

Her gaze darted toward Percy, hoping he would step in to help her.

But Percy simply turned his head, pretending not to notice.

The situation was bad enough as it was, and he wasn’t about to worsen it by getting involved. After all, his priority was preserving his potential partnership with Brighton Group.

Stellar couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of it all.

All the talk of high-society alliances and perfect matches—what a joke. In the end, it was all driven by profit, fragile and unable to withstand even the slightest storm.

Stellar was relieved she’d seen it clearly and early enough.

Walking away from a man like Percy was a blessing in itself.

Without giving him another moment’s thought, she turned to Shane and offered him a polite bow.

“My apologies, Mr. Howe. My personal matters have caused unnecessary disruption. Allow me to apologize with this.”

She lifted her glass of red wine and tipped it back, draining it in one graceful motion. Her swan-like neck, adorned with luxurious jewels, gleamed under the lights, and her stunning face radiated poise and confidence.

“Please feel free to visit anytime. Riverside Corporation will always welcome Brighton Group with open doors for an inspection.”

Shane’s eyes glimmered with admiration.

Stellar was composed, resilient, unshaken by insults or praise—such a woman was far from the kind who clung to men for support.

It seemed he had stumbled upon a hidden gem.

Raising his glass, Shane gave her an approving smile before turning and walking away from the lounge area.

Percy hesitated for a moment before quickly following Shane.

He refused to believe that Stellar truly represented some company called Riverside, but Moore Enterprises had invested a lot of time preparing for this partnership. He couldn’t let Brighton Group slip through his fingers.