Chapter 5

Seeing Vincent's attitude, Elowen immediately added with a sweet smile, "Sylvana has already been assigned to the cleaning staff at the Moretti Grand Hotel. She'll learn how our family operates soon enough, so no one needs to worry."

Jasper gave a dismissive laugh.

"Exactly. Just because someone carries Moretti blood doesn't mean she gets any influence over the family businesses."

The message couldn't have been clearer.

They were reassuring the bankers, business partners, and Moretti allies in the room that my return wouldn't change anything.

The tension among the guests gradually eased.

I stood and took back my phone, which had locked itself into emergency mode.

"You'd better start thinking about how you're going to explain what you just did."

My mother frowned at me.

"Enough, Sylvana. Your brother and sister were only joking with you. Why do you have to make everything so serious?"

"I warned you."

I looked at her calmly.

"You chose not to listen. There's nothing else I can do."

An older man nearby suddenly spoke.

He had silver hair, but his posture was straight and commanding.

"I heard your daughter works at a federal research institute."

His gaze moved toward me.

"Someone trusted with that kind of work is unlikely to be as ignorant as you're suggesting."

Then he looked at Jasper and Elowen.

"From where I was standing, those two were the ones behaving inappropriately."

My mother's expression stiffened.

"Mr. Stanton, it wasn't what it looked like."

She quickly forced a smile.

"Sylvana has always been rather difficult. Elowen and Jasper were only trying to help her adjust to the family."

She sighed.

"Who knew she couldn't take a joke?"

Stanton gave a faint chuckle.

"It's your family matter."

His expression remained unreadable.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with our cooperation, I have no intention of getting involved."

"Of course not," Vincent said immediately.

He stepped forward with a smile.

"Children have disagreements. They can settle them themselves."

He raised his glass slightly.

"Whatever happens between them will never affect Moretti business."

It was obvious Stanton wasn't an ordinary guest.

Even Vincent chose his words carefully around him.

With that, the incident was quickly buried.

Everyone moved on.

Everyone except me.

I returned to the corner and sat down, gripping my locked phone as I watched the Morettis mingle effortlessly with their guests.

The part of the evening that was supposed to formally introduce me disappeared from the schedule without explanation.

Instead, another announcement took its place.

Elowen Moretti would begin training directly under Vincent's consigliere and would soon take a senior position in one of the family's legitimate companies.

She instantly became the center of the reception.

Guests surrounded her.

"Congratulations, Miss Moretti."

"Don Moretti clearly has great faith in you."

"You're young, but you're already helping carry the family."

Elowen's face glowed with excitement.

The more praise she received, the more triumphant she became.

After making his rounds, Stanton eventually walked toward me.

He hesitated before lowering his voice.

"Miss Moretti."

I looked up.

"You're with the Salk Institute's classified biological research division, aren't you?"

My body immediately tensed.

I leaned back slightly and studied him.

Now that I could see him clearly, his face did seem vaguely familiar.

Before I could answer, a burst of applause erupted from the center of the ballroom.

Vincent raised his glass.

"Thank you all for your continued support of the Moretti family."

He placed a hand on Elowen's shoulder.

"We won't disappoint the trust you've placed in us."

Guests immediately responded.

"You've raised an exceptional daughter, Vincent."

"Miss Elowen is already taking responsibility for the family at such a young age."

"We'll be counting on her in the future."

My mother and Jasper stood nearby, watching Elowen with obvious pride.

Elowen lifted her champagne glass.

Just as everyone prepared to toast, a violent crash came from the entrance.

The ballroom fell silent.

Then came the sound of heavy, synchronized footsteps.

The Moretti guards immediately reached beneath their jackets.

Before anyone could react, the estate's front doors burst open.

A tactical team flooded inside.

Black body armor.

Automatic weapons.

Federal insignia.

The entire room froze.

Even Vincent's expression changed.

One of the agents raised a hand to his earpiece.

"Signal suppression active."

His eyes swept across the ballroom before locking onto me.

"Target located."

Several agents immediately moved in my direction.

"Identity confirmed. Senior Principal Researcher Sylvana Moretti."

A pause.

"Researcher is alive and currently secure."

His voice turned cold.

"Requesting authorization to initiate protective protocol."