His innocent wife is a dangerous hacker.-Chapter 518 - 418 Formal introductions

The hall went quiet. William stood at the front, a microphone in his hand.

"Thank you, everyone, for gathering here tonight," he began, his voice calm but filled with emotion he did not try to hide.

He could feel three pairs of eyes watching him from the front.

Jacob, his oldest grandson, stood very still. His face showed no emotion. He watched everything as if he were studying a problem.

Roman, the second grandson, looked angry. His expression was hard, and he did not seem happy to be there.

Ashton, the youngest, remained quiet. He watched with a curious look, as though he were trying to understand a secret.

William took a deep breath.

"Today, I have gathered everyone here for a very special reason," he continued, glancing across the audience where many familiar faces sat. Old friends, business partners, family members, and people who had known him for decades filled the hall.

He smiled slightly.

"After many, many years, I have found my lost granddaughter."

A ripple of shock spread through the hall. Gasps, whispers, and widened eyes followed. Faces turned to one another in disbelief. Only Bella’s close friends, Leo’s circle, and a few who already knew remained calm, quietly watching her side of the room.

William raised his hand for silence.

"I want you all to meet her," he said, his eyes shining with pride.

The lights dimmed.

The room grew still and hushed.

Then a soft spotlight bloomed over the grand, curved staircase.

Everyone turned.

Bella appeared at the top of the steps.

Her long brown hair fell over her shoulders, shining under the light. She wore a simple yet elegant dark charcoal dress that sparkled faintly when she moved. In the warm glow, her skin seemed to radiate. She looked slightly nervous, but also calm and strong.

For a moment, no one spoke.

William looked at her with deep love.

"This," he said, his voice full of emotion, "is my granddaughter."

As Bella walked down the stairs, everyone watched her. Some looked amazed. Some looked shocked. Some looked jealous. Others were already thinking about how her arrival would change everything.

"Her name is Isabella," William announced, his voice calm but glowing with pride.

Bella stepped closer to his side, the soft hem of her charcoal gown whispering as she moved. She offered a gentle smile to the audience, her heart fluttering beneath the attention, yet her posture remained graceful, calm, and warm, as if she were born to stand beneath such lights.

Applause filled the hall, mixed with murmurs of admiration and curiosity.

Soon, the formal introductions began. William proudly presented her to his old friends, business partners, and distant relatives, each greeting her with different shades of interest. Some smiled kindly, some observed her with sharp, calculating eyes, and others whispered among themselves the moment she turned away.

Bella handled it all with quiet elegance, her smile soft but sincere as she answered questions, accepted compliments, and thanked people politely. Every now and then, she could feel eyes lingering on her longer than necessary. There was admiration, jealousy, curiosity, and something darker in a few gazes she chose not to acknowledge.

Eventually, she excused herself, her social energy gently fading.

She made her way toward her friends, the tension in her chest easing the moment she spotted familiar faces.

Zara and Scarlett stood together near one of the tall glass windows, deep in conversation. They looked surprisingly comfortable around each other, as if they had already found a shared rhythm. Zara’s sharp, beautiful, observant eyes softened the moment she saw Bella, while Scarlett’s face lit up with an affectionate smile.

Bella smiled back, warmth blooming in her chest.

However, even as she approached them, she felt it again.

That sharp, venomous gaze.

It pressed against her back like a laser.

She resisted the urge to turn around, lifting her chin slightly instead and pretending she had not noticed.

Scarlett reached out first, looping an arm around Bella with excitement. "You looked unreal up there," she whispered. "Like someone out of a movie."

Zara smirked lightly. "Correction. Like the main character."

Bella laughed softly. "You both are exaggerating."

Nearby, Rumi was animatedly talking with Jay. The two looked like long-lost friends who had just reunited, laughing over inside jokes as if they had known each other for years.

Rumi’s bright blue hair shimmered under the warm lights, while Jay’s pink hair and grin gave him a rebellious, playful charm. They stood out effortlessly in the crowd, like splashes of color in an otherwise polished, monochrome room.

Bella watched them fondly for a moment, her heart easing.

Jace sat a little apart from the louder clusters of guests, a half-filled wine glass resting loosely in his hand as he observed the room with a quiet, unreadable expression. The laughter around him felt distant, muffled beneath the low music and hum of conversation, but his attention remained fixed on only one corner of the hall.

Jay and Rumi.

Rumi was animated as always, his bright pink hair catching the chandelier light as he leaned a little too close while talking, laughing with an easy, affectionate energy that felt almost overly clingy. The way he tilted his head, the way he casually touched Jay’s arm while making a point, the way he lingered just a moment longer than necessary all felt natural to Rumi, but to Jace, it looked like something else entirely.

He lifted the wine glass to his lips and took a slow sip, the bitterness settling on his tongue.

Nearby, Dominique lounged against a tall cocktail table, watching the scene with a knowing smirk, while Zeke and Jason hovered close by, their attention gradually shifting from casual jokes to Jace’s tightening mood.

Zeke had arrived overnight just for Bella’s celebration, still carrying traces of travel fatigue in his posture, but his sharp eyes missed nothing. He leaned slightly toward the others, lowering his voice. "Someone’s not enjoying the party."

Jason followed Zeke’s gaze and let out a soft, amused breath. "I can smell something burning," he murmured, glancing toward Jace. "And it’s not the candles."

"Me too," Dominique whispered theatrically, pretending to sniff the air. "Definitely burning. Slow, silent, emotional combustion."

Jace did not look at them. His jaw tightened subtly as Jay laughed at something Rumi whispered, their shoulders brushing for a brief, careless moment.

The wine glass clinked softly as Jace set it down on the table with more force than necessary.

Zeke tilted his head, curious. "Jealousy?"

Jason grinned. "Not jealousy," he corrected lightly. "Territorial instincts."

Dominique chuckled under his breath. "Poor guy. He’s trying so hard to look unbothered."

Across the room, Jay threw his head back in laughter, and Rumi leaned closer, eyes bright.

Jace finally looked away, his expression hardening as he picked up his glass again, swirling the dark liquid slowly.

"Let them talk," he muttered under his breath, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed how much it bothered him.