The reporters were stunned into silence the moment Damian stepped out of the car with Crescentia on his arm.
For years, Damian Lorenzo had been known for his calculated public appearances, never bringing a woman to an event unless it served a purpose. And yet, here she was—a stunning mystery beside him, radiating effortless confidence despite the weight of a hundred gazes.
Camera shutters clicked in rapid succession, capturing every angle of the couple as they ascended the grand steps of the Lorenzo estate. The media didn't even attempt to ask questions; the warning glare Damian sent their way was enough to kill any curiosity before it could be voiced.
Still, whispers spread like wildfire.
"Isn't that Crescentia Belmore?" one reporter murmured to another, barely able to contain his disbelief.
"The daughter of the late Senator Federico Belmore?"
A murmur of hushed conversations rippled through the reporters, but before they could push past the velvet ropes, security stepped in, blocking their way.
Inside the estate's grand hall, Crescentia immediately noticed the crowd—or lack thereof. For such an elite gathering, the space felt intentionally limited. The warm glow of chandeliers reflected off polished marble floors, casting soft light on the handful of guests, all draped in wealth and power. Crescentia recognized politicians, high-profile businessmen, and figures who had graced news headlines. Yet, the exclusivity of the guest list was telling. If she had to guess, there were fewer than a hundred people present, including the waitstaff.
"Your grandmother doesn't like large crowds?" she asked, her voice low as she avoided the scrutinizing stares of those already taking an interest in her presence.
Damian's grip around her waist tightened, his body radiating a quiet but unmistakable warning to anyone considering approaching them.
"Only about ten percent of these guests were invited by her," he muttered. "The rest were my father's choice."
Crescentia's lips pressed into a thin line. She wasn't blind to the way people's eyes lingered on them, some whispering behind raised champagne glasses, others openly staring with interest, judgment, or outright disdain.
Damian didn't slow his pace. He led her straight toward his grandmother, where the rest of the Lorenzo family stood waiting.
The moment Rafael spotted them, his expression darkened. His eyes flickered between Crescentia and his son before narrowing with unmasked irritation.
"I was sure I made it clear that I didn't want to see this girl ever again," Rafael muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with restrained fury.
"Lower your voice," Damian's grandmother, chided quietly, casting a cautious glance at the onlookers. Then, with a softer tone, she turned to Crescentia. "You have a problem with her father, not with her."
"Come here, my child."
Crescentia turned to see Damian's grandmother smiling up at her, her sharp eyes gleaming with fondness. The older woman reached out, and without hesitation, Crescentia stepped forward, wrapping her in a gentle hug.
"You look amazing, Grandma," she said, a genuine smile gracing her lips.
The warmth of the embrace almost made her feel guilty. Crescentia knew what she was doing. This woman had done nothing to her, yet here she was, playing along with Damian's game, pretending to be something she wasn't.
"You look stunning, my dear," the old woman said with approval before turning to Selene, Damian's younger sister, who sat beside her. "Selene, move over and sit with your mother."
Selene stiffened. "Grandma—"
The sharp look she received in return silenced her. With clear reluctance, Selene stood and moved, her steps stiff with frustration.
"Come, sit," the older woman insisted, patting the now-vacant seat.
Crescentia hesitated for only a second before obeying, ignoring the quiet, simmering resentment radiating from Selene. She could feel the tension pressing down on her from every angle, but she refused to let it show.
She wasn't here to be liked.
From the corner of her eye, she caught Damian's father seething, barely containing his anger. Mira, his mother, approached Damian with a hushed warning.
"You shouldn't have brought her here," she muttered, her gaze flicking toward the other guests who were clearly piecing things together. "Everyone will talk."
"Let them," Damian responded indifferently.
His father, however, wasn't so composed.
"What exactly are you planning?" Rafael gritted out, his voice low but razor-sharp. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
Damian's expression remained impassive. His gaze, however, flickered back to Crescentia and his grandmother, who were now engaged in easy conversation. Slowly, he turned back to Rafael.
"Aren't you the one giving yourself a heart attack by inviting them?"
Rafael's hands clenched at his sides, rage barely contained.
"I had my reasons."
Damian's lips curled in something that wasn't quite a smirk. "Oh? You had a reason for inviting the very people you despise?"
As if on cue, a familiar voice rang out from across the hall.
"Rafael, my friend!"
Crescentia stiffened.
She knew that voice.
Turning her head slightly, she saw Magnus Belmore—her uncle—striding toward Rafael with a wide grin. The two men clasped hands, exchanging an overly familiar pat on the back.
Crescentia's brows furrowed in confusion.
She hadn't even known Magnus was invited.
"Before getting the invitation, I thought you were never going to invite me," said Magnus.
Crescentia stared at them in confusion. They hadn't seen her yet, else that excited expression of her uncle would falter instantly.
"It almost slipped my mind. But you're here now," Rafael replied, patting Magnus once again on the shoulder. He acknowledged Magnus' family and the Santiago family—Lucian's family—that he'd also invited.
Crescentia wondered why Rafael was so lenient in accepting Magnus and his family, but not her. What could be happening? Were the both of them working together?
Crescentia felt a gaze on her, and she turned to find Lucian looking at her, shocked to find her there.
She ignored him and faced Magnus whose gaze was already on her also. And just as she'd thought, the smile on his face earlier washed away faster than light.
Then immediately, he forced himself to smile.
"What are you doing here, Crescentia? You should have told us you were also invited, then we could have come together," he said, his lips stretching further than a joker's smile and she couldn't help but feel creeped out.
"What are you doing here, Crescentia? You should have told us you were also invited, then we could have come together," he said, his lips stretching further than a joker's smile and she couldn't help but feel creeped out.
"I could have, but after what Lucian pulled off at my parent's funeral, you didn't bother to call to check up on me. I thought you were angry at me uncle," Crescentia replied with the same tone, sounding just as surprised and oblivious to the underlying meaning of his words.
Immediately, Magnus' smile faltered and this time, he couldn't bring himself to fake it anymore. He just stared at her hard and cold.
"Crescentia, don't talk to your uncle like that. He was trying to call you but your phone was switched off," said Victoria, her eyes slightly narrowed as she discreetly gave Crescentia a warning gaze to shut up, because it seemed whatever came from her mouth was to jeopardize them in some way.