h4Chapter 185: Chapter 185/h4

    Hearing what Victoria just said, Abigail raised a brow, silently urging her to continue.

    Victoria nodded, almost theatrically. "ording to what I heard, our father gave him a very serious talking-to. A full-on lecture. Like, a proper sit-down. He didn’t even spare him. He warned him mercilessly. Told him that he should never try to disobey him, never do anything stupid, especially when ites to you. He was so serious, Abigail."

    However Abigail’s face remained still, but inside her heart was thudding just a little louder.

    Victoria continued, "And they finally came to a conclusion. They agreed. The wedding is going to be." she paused for effect, "A week from now."

    At that moment, upon hearing what Victoria just said, Abigail’s eyebrow lifted slightly. It wasn’t dramatic, but it was enough to show that her mind had paused, even if just for a second. She was caught off guard genuinely surprised, but as quickly as the reaction appeared, it vanished. She smoothed her expression like a well-trained diplomat, wearing a faint, thoughtful smile that masked the swirl inside her.

    "Well," Abigail began, her voice even and steady, "I haven’t heard anything from my own parents yet either, so I honestly don’t know what to say. But if what you’re saying is really true, then I guess that’s that." She paused for a moment before adding with a small shrug, "To be honest, I don’t want to force Robert to do anything he doesn’t want to do. If he feels like I’m not the one, or he’s unsure about this... then he’s free to go. I won’t tie him down. I won’t force anything."

    At that moment there was a moment of silence between them. The kind of pause that lingered longer than expected.

    But Victoria, who had clearlye prepared for this kind of reply, immediately waved her hand dismissively like she was brushing away an invisible fly. "No, no, no," she said, leaning in slightly and lowering her voice. "Abigail, this is not about force. This is something that was agreed upon between both families. Way back. Not yesterday. Not recently. I’m talking about something that has been rooted for years. Something binding. This isn’t something Robert can just back away from like it’s a random decision. No. He has no right to change anything now."

    Victoria’s eyes narrowed slightly with a knowing edge as she continued, "In fact, do you know what I heard? I was told my father actually confronted Robert about it. He told him point-nk that this wasn’t just about him or about feelings. That it was about honor. About family. About keeping a promise. And when Robert hesitated... my father pped him. Not lightly either. A proper p that shook the walls. That’s how serious this is."

    Abigail blinked slowly at the intensity of the statement, but she didn’t say anything. Her mind was running.

    "So," Victoria went on, "you don’t need to worry your pretty little head about whether or not this wedding will happen. It will. What you should be thinking about now," she added, leaning closer with a cheeky grin, "is wedding gowns. Dresses. Shoes. essories. Shopping! You should already be searching for the perfect look because, let me remind you, time is no longer on your side."

    She sped her hands together in a p of excitement. "And not just any wedding this is going to be the wedding of the season. The golden guests are already watching. You know how this society works. They will want to attend. They will want to talk about it. So we have to make this wedding the talk of the town. A wedding that sweeps everybody off their feet!"

    Abigail let out a soft exhale. Her head tilted a little to the side, and her arms folded, as though hugging herself with a decision she hadn’t fully digested. Her voice was quiet, but it carried weight.

    "Well," she said slowly, "it seems... it seems it is going to happen." She looked at Victoria now, her eyes a mix of reluctant eptance and quiet resolution. "So, Victoria, don’t worry. I’ll stick to it. I’ll make the necessary ns, and when I’m ready, I’ll get back to you so we can figure out what the next steps are for the wedding and the whole preparation."

    And just like that, Victoria smiled. With a confident, satisfied, slightly smug smile that told Abigail everything she needed to know.

    "Perfect," she said.

    At that moment, Victoria nce around with her usual yful yet curious look, scanning the room with those sharp eyes of hers that missed absolutely nothing. The room was buzzing with low music,ughter, and the soft clinking of sses, yet she could tell something or someone was missing. She tilted her head slightly, her perfectly shaped brows rising with interest.

    "Wait," she said suddenly, her tone light but edged with confusion, "Is it just me or... is everyone already here? Like seriously, who are we waiting for now? Shouldn’t this party be starting already?"

    Abigail, who had been seated elegantly, gently tapping her fingers on a champagne flute, heard the question. Her jaw tensed for a split second. That small movement didn’t escape Victoria’s attention. Abigail slowly turned to face her, offering aposed smile, but there was a flicker in her eyes, a mix of anticipation and calction.

    "We’re waiting for someone," Abigail said, her voice cool and controlled. "The Diamond Card holder. She hasn’t arrived yet."

    "Diamond?" Victoria repeated, blinking as if she didn’t quite hear that right. "Wait, you mean the Diamond card? The one above all the other invitations?"

    Abigail nodded once, her expression unreadable.

    "She has exactly five minutes left to arrive," she added. "And I think if she doesn’t show up by then, we’ll move on. But trust me, everyone here wants to see her. Or at least... know who she is."

    Victoria’s mouth parted slightly in awe. Her yful demeanor gave way to intrigue.

    "Wow. So they actually gave out a Diamond invitation card?" she said, eyes scanning thevishly decorated hall again, as if expecting this mystery guest to just appear from thin air. "I mean... that person must be something else. She must be extremely special. Like, extremely popr or powerful or something."

    She turned back to Abigail with a knowing smile, the kind that only someone like Victoria could pull off half teasing, half genuinely impressed.

    "And just so we’re clear... you Abigail you got the Gold card. The Gold. That’s like second to the biggest, and we all know how deep your connections go. You have ess to almost everyone in the city. So for someone to get a Diamond card above yours?" Her tone dropped slightly into a whisper.

    "Who is this Diamond card member?"