chapter444

"Blake is with your sister too," Kylie said, grinning. "And some people from Greenward Power are here. Connor only got in last night."

Lucinda pressed her lips together and dug her nails into her palm. Was everyone suddenly obsessed with Lydia? She was just a fashion designer. What was so impressive about that? Did making clothes make her as refined as a concert pianist? Lucinda was one of the Capital's most famous socialites, talented in everything from music to painting. What did Lydia have to show for herself?

Honestly, Lydia probably just grew up with nothing, so she had to hustle to survive. The Smith family never cared about her. If she hadn't learned how to make her own money, would she have just starved on the streets? Thinking about it that way, Lucinda felt a little better. When the international piano competition came around, she'd show Lydia what real talent looked like. Just wait!

The restaurant at the Eiffel Tower was always in high demand, with reservations booked out way in advance. After all, it was one of the hottest spots in Paris, drawing huge crowds every year. People loved the unique setting and the killer views, so getting a table was never easy.

Before Lydia and Connor even arrived, the manager, Nicolas, was doing the rounds in the VIP window section, apologizing to every guest in person.

"So sorry, sir, madam, he said, "but there's been a last-minute private booking. Tonight's dinner is on the house. We'd appreciate it if you could finish up and head out once you're done."

Most of the guests here weren't hurting for cash. They came for the view and the atmosphere, expecting to enjoy their evening without interruption. Now they were being hurried out, and it definitely stung.

"Is this how you treat your customers? Do we look like we can't pay for our meals?"

"Yeah, no one said anything about a private event when we booked."

Nicolas kept apologizing, his voice genuinely regretful. "Every guest here is

important to us, and we're truly sorry for this unexpected situation. The party who booked tonight is offering each of you a hundred thousand dollars as compensation. Would you be willing to accept that?"

The couple he spoke to just stared at him, speechless.

The woman finally asked, "A hundred thousand each? So for the two of us..."

"Two hundred thousand dollars," Nicolas replied, polite as ever. "We can transfer it right now, if you agree.

The man looked tempted, pride warring with excitement, but before he could say anything, the woman jumped in. "Yes, we'll take it!"

Their dinner had cost over a thousand dollars for a few fancy dishes, but now it was free and they were getting two hundred grand just for leaving a little early. It was like hitting the jackpot. They were nearly finished eating anyway. If they

wanted to see the view, they could

do it downstairs.

Seriously, who was this big shot who could just throw money around like that?

The same thing happened at all the other tables. As soon as people heard about the

hundred thousand-dollar payout and the free meal, they got up with huge smiles and left without a fuss. Who wouldn't? It was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.

So when Lydia, Connor, and Chris finally arrived at the base of the Eiffel Tower, they saw crowds of happy couples, families with kids, and people from all over the world pouring out of the tower, all grinning from ear to ear.

They could hear their excited conversations.

"Can you believe our luck tonight? Free dinner and a hundred thousand dollars each!"

"I know, right? At first, I thought it was some kind of scam, but they transferred the money to us right there. We saw it hit our account instantly. Our family of five got half a million, just like that!"

"We were here for a group dinner, seven people. Each of us got a hundred thousand too."