A collective gasp rippled through the hall at the security guard's words.
It was shocking enough that Aria Vale—long mocked as Meridian City's "ugliest girl"—had shown up tonight looking breathtaking.
But this?
Damian Cross—the supposedly unwanted, disfigured, forgotten eldest son—
was not only devastatingly handsome…
but also the new head of the Cross Consortium?
Had everyone been living under a rock?
While the crowd reeled, Aria, standing beside Damian, felt more confused than impressed.
In her previous life, Damian didn't take control of the Cross Consortium until six months later, after outmaneuvering Caleb Cross. Before that, he was ignored, laughed at, dismissed.
Had her rebirth—her changed actions—shifted the entire timeline?
Her thoughts were shattered by a sharp, mocking voice.
"Security, did you hit your head? The only 'Mr. Cross' is the old man. Why are you kneeling to Damian?"
Even though Liana Vale was slowly processing that this unbelievably handsome man truly was Damian, she still refused to accept that he could be the CEO.
The man she rejected? Rise above her? Impossible.
Even after her taunt, the head security guard stayed kneeling, trembling.
"This guy's insane," Liana scoffed, her smirk slicing through the tension. "Since when does anyone kneel to the Cross family's nobody?"
Aria's expression turned glacial. Her gaze zeroed in on Liana's neck—where the skin was already reddening, swelling.
The allergic reaction she'd triggered was about to erupt.
Mock Damian now, Liana.
You won't be laughing in a minute.
Suddenly—
A deep, commanding voice rolled through the hall:
"I want to thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the engagement of my grandson, Damian, to Miss Aria Vale. But before we continue, I have an important announcement!"
Every head swiveled toward the stage.
There stood Elder Lucian Cross, straight-backed and sharp-eyed, gripping the microphone with authority.
"My eldest grandson, Damian Cross… is now the new head of the Cross Consortium!"
Silence.
Then a spotlight snapped onto Damian.
The light didn't just illuminate him—it anointed him.
In that moment, he radiated an effortless dominance. Anyone with sense would feel the instinct to kneel.
But only one person stood at his side—Aria.
And Damian held her hand firmly, possessively, as if presenting the woman he had chosen.
Elder Lucian watched from the stage, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
Just yesterday, Damian had marched into his study—calm, confident, and utterly unshakable—to demand control of the company. The timid boy from years past had vanished.
He'd always known Damian's quiet endurance and restrained temperament made him far more capable than Caleb.
Damian was a born king.
The Cross Consortium needed exactly that.
Meanwhile, jaws were dropping across the room.
Damian—the man they once mocked—
was now dazzling, powerful, and in command of the Cross empire?
People who'd laughed at him in the past now burned with regret.
None more than Liana.
If Damian truly led the Cross Consortium… he was a billionaire-level catch.
And she—she had thrown him away.
She had shoveled this golden mountain straight into Aria Vale's lap.
Her face twisted in hatred as she stared at Aria.
But Aria only flashed her the brightest, dumbest grin imaginable.
That eerie, cheerful smile sent a cold shiver down Liana's spine.
Before she could react, her throat tightened—violently.
Her stomach twisted.
Then—
Splurt!
She vomited everything she'd eaten that day, right in front of everyone.
Chunks splattered across guests' shoes.
Shrieks erupted. People staggered back, horrified.
Meridian City's so-called "top beauty"?
What a joke.
"Eww, sis, you're gross! You stink!" Aria chirped, making a silly face and clapping like she was celebrating.
The comment hit Liana like a slap.
Her beauty and reputation were everything.
And now she was drowning in humiliation and bile.
"You little idiot—I'll kill you!"
Forgetting every shred of her refined persona, Liana lunged at Aria, claws out.
Phones started recording instantly.
Aria smirked.
Perfect.
With a tiny flick of her wrist, a silver needle flew.
Liana's legs buckled.
She collapsed face-first—into her own vomit.
Gasps exploded around her.
Guests covered their noses, disgust twisting their expressions.
"Take her out. She's no longer welcome," Damian said coldly, barely even looking her way.
His bodyguards moved immediately—though they struggled to hide their revulsion as they grabbed Liana by the arms.
"Mr. Cross, please, have mercy!" Celeste Monroe rushed in, panicked. Rowan Vale followed, face ashen.
Now that Damian led the Cross empire, Rowan knew he couldn't afford pride.
He bowed respectfully.
"Mr. Cross, my daughter Liana offended you. She brought this upon herself. I hope you can overlook this once."
"Yes," Damian replied coldly. "She crossed the line."
Liana trembled with shame and fury, nearly fainting.
Rowan, however, pretended nothing had happened. He turned to Aria with a warm, fatherly smile.
"Aria, you're really moving up—engaged to the heir of the Cross Empire! Just make sure you don't say anything foolish like your sister."
Disgust twisted Aria's stomach.
If she hadn't lived through her past life, she might've actually believed he cared.
But she remembered everything.
This man—her father—sold her out to Liana and Victor Loann.
He left her to die on an operating table.
She would make him pay.
Without mercy.
"Mr. Cross, I'm so sorry!" Celeste choked out, dragging her disgraced daughter toward the exit.
Then—
A deep, authoritative voice cut through the hall like a blade:
"You think you can bully my future granddaughter-in-law… and just walk away?"
Elder Lucian Cross had spoken.