"Hey, who is this?"
"How did a delivery person end up here? The food is all over the place, and it smells awful."
"Today is Master Carter and Miss Turner's engagement. Didn't they book the entire venue? How could someone order takeout?"
"Who knows? Maybe she sneaked in."
"Where are the bodyguards? Get this person out of here."
The wealthy guests and celebrities passing by cast disdainful glances at Victoria, pointing and laughing at her with contempt.
Some even called for the bodyguards to throw her out.
Two bodyguards approached, seeing Victoria in her delivery uniform, which made her stand out awkwardly. They grabbed her by the arm. "Get out of here. This place is booked."
Victoria shook off the bodyguard's hand. "Let go!"
At this moment, Victoria was filled with rage.
If she wasn't pregnant, seeing Chloe and Leo getting engaged wouldn't have mattered to her; it had nothing to do with her.
But now, she was over two months pregnant with Leo's child. Four days ago, Leo had made a deal with her: she would give birth to the child, and he would help her foster father with his surgery and investigate the truth behind the car accident. She had agreed to have the baby.
But who could have known that things would take such a drastic turn so quickly?
Victoria could almost imagine it: after her child was born, she would be cast aside, and her own child would call Chloe 'Mom.'
Mom?! How ironic.
"Miss, I'm warning you to leave immediately, or don't blame us for being rude," a bodyguard pointed at Victoria, issuing a stern warning.
People coming up from downstairs stopped to watch the scene unfold. Whether they were wealthy elites or popular stars frequently in the spotlight, there was no shortage of those who enjoyed a good spectacle.
"No need to chase me out, I can leave by myself..."
"Victoria, what are you doing here?"
Just as Victoria was speaking, Lucas pushed through the crowd.
He pulled Victoria behind him and shot a cold glance at the bodyguards. "I brought her in. Is there a problem?"
Lucas, dressed in a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a necklace around his neck, was a guest at the party. Despite his casual attire making him look sunny and energetic, he and Victoria both stood out awkwardly among the elegantly dressed attendees.
"Young Master Harper, she's a delivery person," the bodyguard pointed at Victoria and the food containers that had fallen on the ground.
Lucas glanced at the containers on the floor, picked them up, and pretended to scold her. "Victoria, what's going on? I asked you to bring me some takeout, and you can't even hold onto that?"
Victoria hadn't expected Lucas to show up suddenly. She felt grateful for his intervention.
But what followed was the mocking laughter of the onlookers.
"Oh my gosh, Young Master Harper must be out of his mind to be friends with such an ugly delivery girl."
"She's so ugly it's nauseating. Lucas must be desperate."
"No wonder he's known as the loser of New Orleans. What a sight!"
"Totally embarrassing and disgraceful."
The crowd around them whispered and pointed, their words filled with mockery, scorn, and disdain. It felt like they were under a harsh spotlight, exposed to everyone's judgment.
Lucas merely smiled, as if he were resistant to their taunts. He didn't feel ashamed or humiliated by their ridicule.
Victoria remained calm, embodying the saying, "They laugh at me for being crazy, but I laugh at them for not understanding."
Often, they seemed like kindred spirits. "What's going on here?"
Suddenly, a deep and familiar voice broke through the crowd.
"Oh, Master Carter is here."
"Congratulations, Master Carter! Quietly getting engaged to Miss Turner from the Turner Family, you two are a perfect match."
"Congratulations, Master Carter, and congratulations to Miss Turner."
"Oh my, Miss Turner truly deserves the title of the most beautiful woman in New Orleans. She's stunning."
"You two really are a golden couple."
"Master Carter, there's trouble at your place."
"Young Master Carter, long time no see."
As people greeted Leo, they made way for him.
Victoria turned to see Chloe, dressed to the nines, walking arm-in-arm with Leo.
Chloe's chestnut hair was softly curled, with airy bangs framing her face. Even with light makeup, her natural beauty shone through. Her floor-length white gown, adorned with sparkling sequins, shimmered under the lights, making her look like an ethereal fairy.
Leo wore a royal blue suit with a black shirt and tie underneath. His hair was slicked back, highlighting his chiseled features—sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, like a character straight out of a manga.
The handsome man and beautiful woman stood out, their presence overshadowing everyone else.
In stark contrast, Victoria felt even more out of place, her plainness glaringly obvious.
"Victoria, you made it too?"
Seeing Victoria, a glint flashed in Chloe's eyes. She released Leo's arm and walked over to take Victoria's hand. "I thought you'd be busy delivering food, and I was planning to call you later."
"Miss Turner, how do you know her?" someone in the crowd asked curiously.
Maintaining her graceful and serene demeanor, Chloe smiled warmly and said, "Let me introduce you all. This is Victoria, a friend I made while experiencing life as a food delivery person."
As she spoke, she hugged Victoria tightly and said, "I've already arranged for caregivers to look after your parents at the hospital. You can relax and enjoy yourself here this afternoon."
A noble socialite, living under the spotlight, actively hugging an ordinary and unattractive woman was already surprising. Even more so, she was willing to spend money to hire caregivers for the woman's parents. It had to be said, her character seemed truly admirable.
Everyone thought so, except for Lucas and Victoria, who knew the truth.
Victoria's anger surged to her head. She knew the Turner Family was despicable, especially after the car accident incident. But she could only endure it.
Her gaze fell on Leo. Her beautiful, watery eyes were filled with gloom and fury.
Leo's ink-black eyebrows furrowed slightly. He glanced sideways at George, as if to ask: Didn't I tell you to keep Victoria in the dark?
George barely shook his head, thinking: Boss, I already installed an interception system on Victoria's phone. Who knew she would still show up at the engagement party?
"Congratulations on your engagement. Of course, I had to come and join the fun," Victoria said, keeping her composure. She knew she couldn't afford the consequences of acting impulsively. Moreover, Lucas had invited her to prevent her from being ridiculed.
If she caused a scene now, it would not only embarrass Lucas but also lead to a series of unpredictable outcomes. Especially since her presence at the Hilton Hotel today was clearly a scheme by the Turner Family to make her a laughingstock.
If she hadn't understood before, it was all too clear now.
Victoria would never let the Turner Family have their way!
---
Her reaction, however, made Lucas see her in a new light.
Holding a takeout bag, Lucas's deep, unreadable eyes were fixed on Victoria. In that moment, he felt Victoria's sense of grievance and also sensed her inner strength.
For a fleeting second, he saw a reflection of himself in Victoria. Because they were so alike.
"Alright, Victoria, let's go inside," Lucas said. He had never liked Chloe before, and this incident made him find her even more pretentious and detestable. He reached out, grabbed Victoria's hand, and pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
This action genuinely shocked both Chloe and Leo. "What?"
Chloe covered her mouth in surprise. "Victoria, when did you meet Young Master Harper? He... he..." Everyone understood the words she left unsaid.
She wanted to say that Lucas was a notorious playboy, a well-known big spender in New Orleans, a worthless Young Master.
But considering it was an engagement party, Chloe didn't finish her sentence.
"Daisy, since Miss Harper is your friend, you should advise her to stay away from unreliable people."
Chloe held her tongue to save Leo's face and avoid creating an awkward atmosphere. Little did she expect Leo to say it outright.
Though his words were directed at Chloe, his gaze remained fixed on Victoria, never wavering.
"Leo, maybe Victoria and Young Master Harper are just friends," Chloe tried to smooth things over.
"Yeah, friends, girlfriend!"
As a man, Lucas could keenly sense Leo's hostility towards him, especially since Leo's eyes were glued to Victoria.
Lucas recalled their encounter at the Velvet Club and a thought flashed through his mind, though he quickly dismissed it as unrealistic.
"Forgot to introduce you all."
Since Lucas was willing to 'admit' she was his girlfriend to protect her, even with such a 'plain' face, facing everyone's ridicule, he still stood by her.
Even someone with a heart of stone like Victoria would be moved by such an act. She took the initiative and held his hand.
"Lucas, my boyfriend."
"Your... your boyfriend?"
Although Chloe knew Lucas was a notorious playboy, he was still the Young Master of one of the four great families of New Orleans. How could he possibly like Victoria?
Especially with such a 'plain' face!
What kind of spell did this wretched Victoria cast on him? Chloe was furious inside but pretended to be concerned. "Victoria, I know your life is tough. You have to work and deliver food part-time to earn money for your uncle and aunt's medical bills. It's really hard, but you can't take shortcuts foolishly."
The phrase 'take shortcuts' was used very cleverly. Everyone present was smart enough to catch the underlying meaning of her words.
"Taking shortcuts? You should see if you even have the capital for that."
Leo's voice was cold, almost mocking. He continued, "Young Master Harper is always surrounded by beautiful women. You should really take a look in the mirror."
"Yeah, this girl is so dumb."
"She's so plain, it's hard to even look at her. And she thinks Lucas would like her?"
"Lucas has seen enough beauties. Maybe he wants a plain one for a change, haha."
"Good point, good point."
The crowd around them burst into another round of gossip.
"Lucas? What nonsense are you up to now? You disgrace me every day with your antics!"
Suddenly, a reprimanding voice cut through the chatter. The crowd parted to make way for an elderly man with graying temples who walked in.
The man was dressed in a suit. Despite his gray hair, he was full of vigor, walking with a firm step. His stern face exuded an intimidating authority.
"Isn't that Old Master Harper?"
"Lucas is the most disappointing son of the Harper Family. Jaxson Harper must be furious about Lucas's actions."
"Who wouldn't be?"
"If it makes me this angry, imagine how mad Old Master Harper must be."
Listening to their whispers, Victoria finally realized that the man approaching was Lucas's father.
Victoria couldn't help but gasp. Earlier, when she saw Lucas standing alone, she assumed he was representing the entire Harper family. After all, it was just an engagement party. Who would have thought Old Master Harper would come in person? Now, how was she going to handle this?
"Dad?"
Lucas looked at the man who had walked up to them and greeted him with a calm "Dad," but his arm around Victoria's shoulder remained firmly in place.
Jaxson glared angrily, casting a glance at Victoria. His graying eyebrows furrowed sharply. "Today is Leo and Miss Turner's engagement party. What kind of nonsense are you pulling?"
He pointed a finger at Victoria. "Haven't you made enough of a display? Bringing out some 'neither human nor ghost' plain thing to embarrass us."
Victoria's lips twitched slightly. She knew she had caused Lucas a lot of trouble and felt guilt.
On the other hand, Chloe, standing nearby, had a barely noticeable look of satisfaction in her eyes.
Leo watched silently from the sidelines, saying nothing.
"Dad, that's a bit harsh, judging someone solely by their appearance."
Lucas grabbed Victoria's hand and said, "Victoria may not be a beauty, but she doesn't steal or rob. She earns her living through hard work, supporting her parents who are in the hospital. How is that shameful? Our looks are given by our parents. Should she suffer just because she's not pretty?"
"You...!"
Jaxson was taken aback by Lucas's defiance over a woman he considered extremely unattractive. "You speak so righteously, yet you spend my money living it up. This woman's parents are hospitalized, and instead of taking care of them, she's out here with you. What does that tell you?"
"Exactly, Young Master Harper, she's clearly after your money."
"But Young Master Harper has plenty to spare."
"Who knows?"
"To think someone so plain could keep Young Master Harper interested, she must have some serious skills."
"Such a heavy taste..."
The onlookers laughed and jeered, feeling they had witnessed quite a show today.
"I don't care what her intentions are, as long as I'm happy," Lucas defended Victoria to the end.
As his words fell, Leo's face visibly darkened with displeasure.
Chloe said nothing, silently observing the situation, hoping that Old Master would step in and get rid of Victoria. In this tense atmosphere, Leo did not offer to help Victoria, indicating that she meant nothing to him.
Everything, from Chloe's perspective, was moving in the best possible direction.
"You're nothing but a failure. If your mother hadn't died early and left you pitiful, I would have kicked you out of the house long ago," Jaxson spat out.
At the mention of Lucas's mother, Victoria felt Lucas's grip on her hand tighten suddenly. His strength was immense, as if a sensitive nerve had been struck, and he was struggling to contain his anger.
"So, should I be thanking you?" Lucas retorted.
"You..." Jaxson began, but noticing the displeased expression on Leo nearby, he stopped himself. "I'll deal with you later," he huffed before storming into the banquet hall. With the show over, everyone else followed suit and entered the banquet hall.
Lucas pulled Victoria to sit beside him, blending into the crowd.
The engagement party began with the host giving a speech. Elder Madam Carter and the Turner couple also spoke, followed by Chloe, who shared a touching story about how she and Leo met through a car accident, drawing envious sighs from the guests. Then it was time for the meal.
Ever since Victoria found out she was pregnant, she had been experiencing morning sickness. The sight of the greasy lunch on the table made her feel nauseous, and she covered her mouth in disgust.
"Lucas, you stay here. I need to go to the restroom."
She got up and headed to the restroom, but the second floor was crowded and cramped, so she went up to the third floor.
"Ugh... ugh..."
The third-floor restroom was empty. Victoria felt like vomiting for a while before she finally threw up.
After a moment to recover, she walked over to the public sink area, washed her hands, and cupped some water to rinse her mouth.
Victoria turned and started to walk out. As she passed through the lounge, the door suddenly swung open. Before she could react, someone grabbed her and pulled her inside, pinning her against the wall with a swift motion.