Chapter 4

His eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Back off."

He grabbed the guy's wrist, twisting it until the man yelped in pain.

Chris quickly let him go. Vivian's jaw tightened so hard her teeth could have cracked, but she grabbed Chris's sleeve.

"Chris, what are you doing?"

Chris's expression was ice.

"Stopping harassment. This is a class reunion, not a place for him to act like a lunatic."

I glanced at Chris. I hadn't expected him to help me.

Vivian forced a smile and announced to the room:

"I heard that Alexander Grant, the owner and CEO of Grant Group, is upstairs in the conference hall with his son, Noah. If we're lucky, we might actually get to see him tonight."

The crowd instantly buzzed with excitement.

"Alexander is one of the wealthiest private equity and real estate moguls in New York. He runs Grant Group and owns Grant Hotels."

"I heard he built a massive business empire in his thirties and has a five-year-old son, but his wife almost never makes public appearances."

Someone already had their phone out, whispering that they were going to post this on TikTok.

Soon, the private elevator on the side of the banquet hall chimed open. Flanked by two rows of private security, Noah walked out.

The crowd went wild.

"Look at that security detail. That has to be Alexander Grant's son. He looks so sharp."

The guy who had been harassing me earlier saw the commotion but still wasn't ready to let it go. He sneered at me.

"Jennifer, if it weren't for Vivian, people like you would never even breathe the same air as the Grant family. If I were you, I'd apologize to her right now and thank her properly. Maybe you'd actually get a job out of it, or find a guy like me who at least has a steady paycheck."

Psycho.

I ignored him entirely, my eyes locked on the little boy.

Even the usually arrogant Vivian put on a sickeningly sweet, almost fawning smile and walked toward the boy.

"Hi there, sweetie. What do you want to eat? Let me buy you something."

She reached out, trying to pinch Noah's cheek.

The security detail instantly stepped in, blocking her hand.

"Please keep your distance."

Vivian's smile froze.

No one expected what happened next. The little boy, surrounded by guards, completely ignored the adults fawning over him and ran straight toward me.

He beamed, throwing himself into my arms.

"Mom! You're finally here!"

Chapter 4

His eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Back off."

He grabbed the guy's wrist, twisting it until the man yelped in pain.

Chris quickly let him go. Vivian's jaw tightened so hard her teeth could have cracked, but she grabbed Chris's sleeve.

"Chris, what are you doing?"

Chris's expression was ice.

"Stopping harassment. This is a class reunion, not a place for him to act like a lunatic."

I glanced at Chris. I hadn't expected him to help me.

Vivian forced a smile and announced to the room:

"I heard that Alexander Grant, the owner and CEO of Grant Group, is upstairs in the conference hall with his son, Noah. If we're lucky, we might actually get to see him tonight."

The crowd instantly buzzed with excitement.

"Alexander is one of the wealthiest private equity and real estate moguls in New York. He runs Grant Group and owns Grant Hotels."

"I heard he built a massive business empire in his thirties and has a five-year-old son, but his wife almost never makes public appearances."

Someone already had their phone out, whispering that they were going to post this on TikTok.

Soon, the private elevator on the side of the banquet hall chimed open. Flanked by two rows of private security, Noah walked out.

The crowd went wild.

"Look at that security detail. That has to be Alexander Grant's son. He looks so sharp."

The guy who had been harassing me earlier saw the commotion but still wasn't ready to let it go. He sneered at me.

Psycho.

I ignored him entirely, my eyes locked on the little boy.

Even the usually arrogant Vivian put on a sickeningly sweet, almost fawning smile and walked toward the boy.

"Hi there, sweetie. What do you want to eat? Let me buy you something."

She reached out, trying to pinch Noah's cheek.

The security detail instantly stepped in, blocking her hand.

"Please keep your distance."

Vivian's smile froze.

No one expected what happened next. The little boy, surrounded by guards, completely ignored the adults fawning over him and ran straight toward me.

He beamed, throwing himself into my arms.

"Mom! You're finally here!"