Michael looked at me, his expression heartbroken. "Ariel, I'd never thought you'd do something like this out of jealousy."

Before I could even defend myself, the doors to the banquet hall flung open, and in walked Tahlia. Her clothes were disheveled, and there were tear stains down her cheeks. Two deep gashes were also visible on her wrists.

The guests all gasped in shock.

"Mikey, I thought I'd never see you again…" Tahlia cried out, her voice trembling as tears poured out of her eyes.

Michael rushed forward and pulled her into his arms, his gaze filled with heartache. But when he turned to me, his expression hardened with resentment.

"Everyone, I'm making an official announcement today—I refuse to take Ariel Kingston as my wife!"

Even though I had already accepted that he held no feelings for me, hearing those words still cut deeper than I expected—I could hardly breathe.

Jeremy chimed in with a smirk, "Mr. Kingston Senior is severely ill and bedridden. Kingston Group needs a successor. If no one steps up to manage it, then it'll be in crisis."

Giving me a meaningful look, Howard added, "Ariel, smart people know how to read the room. You should know what to do."

Just as I wondered what scheme they were cooking up this time, Michael strode over to me arrogantly, tilting my chin up with his finger.

"If you sign an agreement that gives me full control of your assets after we get engaged, then I might just be convinced to accept you," he said, his tone filled with contempt.

Jeremy and Howard nodded in agreement. "Ariel, hurry up and thank Michael."

Still pretending to be heartbroken and with tears streaming down her face, Tahlia said, "Mikey, you don't need to sacrifice yourself for me…"

The guests whispered among themselves—some pitied me, but most of them looked at me with disdain.

I had never felt so humiliated in my life. Slowly, I stood up, and the whole room instantly fell silent.

A calm smile broke out over my face.

"I am indeed announcing my engagement today, but it's not to you. Don't flatter yourself."

My voice wasn't particularly loud, but it was enough to send shockwaves through the crowd.

Michael's smug expression froze instantly, while Howard and Jeremy exchanged uneasy glances. Even Tahlia's expression morphed from sorrow to panic.

At that exact moment, the doors to the hall swung open once more.

A strikingly handsome man wearing a white suit walked in. There was an ethereal air about him, and each one of his movements radiated a serenity untainted by worldliness.

"Isn't that the Treyist from the Gordon family—Charles Gordon?"

"Goodness! I thought he had withdrawn from society!"

"Rumors have it he'd long since renounced all worldly attachments. What is he doing here?"

Charles walked up to me. Not a speck of dust could be seen on his white suit, and though his presence was quiet, it carried an undeniable sense of authority.

He gently took my hand—the motion so natural it was as if we'd known each other for years.

"Apologies. I was delayed on my way here."

His voice was clear, and his gaze solely rested on me as he asked, "And these three are…"

Michael froze momentarily before anger colored his expression. He stalked forward, demanding, "Who are you? Ariel is my fiancee!"

"Is she?" Charles asked with a faint smile, but the derision in his expression was clear.

"I only know that greedy men aren't worthy of standing beside her. Please show some self-respect."

Just those few words were enough to make Michael feel like he had been struck by lightning, and his face instantly paled.

Right then, another wave of commotion stirred on the other side of the banquet hall.

Grandpa was walking toward us with the help of his assistant. Though his complexion was pale, he still looked spirited and well.

"Everyone, it seems like there are some misunderstandings that need to be cleared up," Grandpa said, his voice soft, but enough to silence the entire hall.

"Michael Leight, Howard Wilkins, and Jeremy Zadinski are merely underprivileged students whom I sponsored. I've never promised to make Michael my grandson-in-law."

Hearing this, the guests all broke out into a flurry of whispers.

The smug expressions on the three men were instantly wiped off, replaced by shock and disbelief.

"Mr. Kingston Senior!" Michael gasped out as he took a step forward, his eyes pleading.

"You promised! You said that as long as I could win Ariel's heart, then I could marry into the Kingston family!"

Grandpa's gaze turned sharp. "You betrayed Ari, and you still have the nerve to say that?"

Suddenly, Tahlia darted out from behind Michael and flung herself at Grandpa's feet.

"Mr. Kingston Senior! This was all my fault! I shouldn't have seduced Mr. Leight! Please… Don't kick him out!"

However, her actions only cemented the fact that she and Michael were in a relationship, and the guests' expressions instantly shifted.

Without even looking up, Charles slowly walked over to Tahlia.

"Miss, the wounds on your wrists look more like a mix of lipstick and foundation. You didn't even clean under your nails properly."

Tahlia's head jerked up in disbelief, and she instinctively hid her right hand behind her back.

"Also, you staged the whole so-called imprisonment, didn't you?" Charles continued, his tone very calm.

"After all, you spent 103 thousand dollars at the mall yesterday, all on luxury goods."

Howard's face went pale. "How do you even know that?"

Charles' gaze was cold as he responded, "I'm Ariel's fiance. I naturally won't allow anyone to bully her."

This only shocked the guests even more. Was this really the legendary Treyist who had renounced all worldly things? Had they really heard him correctly?

Michael, feeling indignant at being exposed, sneered. "Aren't you a Treyist, Charles? Shouldn't you be free from all desires and worldly cravings? And yet, here you are, clearly after the Kingstons' fortune."

Charles turned to me, his gaze turning tender. There was an affection in his eyes that I had never seen before.

"I'm willing to return to secular life for Ariel."

Those words echoed through the hall like a loud crack of thunder.

The hall fell completely silent, and even the sounds of breathing could be heard clearly.

Grandpa nodded, feeling reassured. He turned to the guests and announced, "Today's banquet was always meant to announce my granddaughter's engagement to Mr. Gordon."

Michael looked deathly pale, and Tahlia was so shocked that she had forgotten to keep up her sorrowful act. Howard and Jeremy also exchanged uneasy, panicked glances.

Charles' gaze settled steadily on me, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. It was as if nothing else in the world mattered to him—only I did.

"Ms. Kingston," he said, his voice no longer having the sharp edge from earlier, sounding warm instead.

"I want to find someone who loves me truly and wants to grow old together with me. Are you willing to be that person?"

I looked into his puppy-dog eyes that were filled with a sense of deep affection that I didn't quite understand.

This was clearly our first meeting, and yet there was a strange sense of familiarity. I suddenly found my heart racing.

Michael couldn't stand it anymore. "Ariel! Have you lost your mind?" he roared.

"You choose a devoted Treyist who's never touched a woman just to spite me? What kind of future can your marriage even have?"