Chapter 306

The grand ballroom stood eerily empty, with only a sparse gathering of attendees. The atmosphere was painfully lackluster.

Apart from the scattered waitstaff and the lone pianist, not a single female guest graced the event. The high-society women who usually flocked to Elspeth, eager to curry favor with the Abernathy influence, were conspicuously absent. It was as if they had all silently agreed to boycott the affair.

Elspeth's rage simmered beneath her carefully composed exterior. If not for the swarm of reporters documenting every moment, she might have unleashed her fury right then.

Frederic's expression remained unreadable, his lips pressed into a thin line. Their daughter, Glynnis, looked stunned. She had always known her mother wasn't the most beloved, but she hadn't realized the depth of the disdain until now.

The reporters, however, were thriving on the spectacle. "Get more shots! This is front-page gold!" they whispered excitedly among themselves, cameras flashing relentlessly.

"Headline: 'Abernathy Matriarch's Lavish Birthday Bash—A Ghost Town. Has the Queen Bee Lost Her Sting?'"

"Didn't she boast about her guest list? Talk about a self-inflicted humiliation!"

Elspeth's legs trembled beneath her designer gown. She shot Glynnis a sharp glare, silently commanding her to handle the press.

Glynnis forced a smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, the celebration is about to begin. Please enjoy yourselves. Complimentary gifts will be distributed shortly!"

Security swiftly ushered the reporters out, though their murmurs lingered.

"Rushed us here in a snowstorm just to kick us out? Clearly, they're embarrassed!"

"Guests? What guests? This place is emptier than a Monday morning gym!"

The party had barely started, yet it already felt like a funeral.

Elspeth's fury was barely contained beneath her flawless makeup. To make matters worse, the handful of attendees were Frederic's associates, who offered her perfunctory greetings before engrossing themselves in conversation with him—completely disregarding her.

How had it come to this?

"Mom!" Glynnis rushed in, face pale. "I just found out—everyone we invited is at the K World Hotel, attending Evadne's party!"

Elspeth staggered, though she'd suspected as much.

"That little witch! Why must she always interfere?"

Mari, quietly playing with her teddy bear, perked up at the mention of her sister's name.

Glynnis continued, voice trembling with anger. "Half went for the Ashbournes, the other half for the Chambers. And since those families are close, the social climbers followed like sheep!"

She clenched her fists. "And some who weren't even invited by the Ashbournes somehow got Evadne's invitations and switched sides!"

Elspeth's face twisted. "She thinks she can humiliate me like this? That I'll just take it?"

Just then, the doors swung open. All eyes turned to the man striding in with effortless confidence.

"Jareth."

Mari's eyes welled with tears as she met his piercing gaze. Even in her plain dress, he always found her in a crowd.

Elspeth and Glynnis gaped in shock. Frederic, mid-conversation, raised a brow at Jareth's unexpected entrance.

Glynnis's hand, poised to strike, faltered. Despite everything, her traitorous heart still fluttered at the sight of him.

"Mr. Jareth! How wonderful of you to join us!" Elspeth gushed, rushing forward. "Champagne, quickly!"

Jareth smirked, hands in his pockets. "No need. I'm not here for the party."

"Then why—?"

"I'm here for my girl."

Silence.

With deliberate steps, he walked straight to Mari, ignoring Glynnis so thoroughly he nearly knocked her over.

"Mari." His voice softened as he gazed at her flushed face. "You look beautiful tonight."

Her heart raced.

"This place is dead. Come with me?" He extended his hand.

"Where?"

"Anywhere you want."

Tears pricked her eyes. For the first time, someone was choosing her.

"I want to see Evadne. And Thaddeus."

"Done."

He took her hand and led her away, leaving the room in stunned silence.

At the door, Jareth paused, offering Frederic a respectful nod before exiting. Frederic, momentarily irked, couldn't stay angry—the gesture had been too deliberate.

"Mom!" Glynnis hissed, panicked. "You can't let her leave! Bring her back!"

Elspeth scoffed. "Why? This party is already ruined. Besides, it's obvious Jareth wants her, not you. Stop embarrassing yourself."

Glynnis recoiled as if slapped.

Elspeth downed her champagne, eyes burning. "Evadne, you may have won this round, but I won't let you have the last laugh!"

Outside, Glynnis slipped into a secluded corner and dialed Edith, jaw clenched.

"Well, this is a surprise," Edith drawled.

Glynnis swallowed her pride. "You'll want to hear what happened tonight."