Chapter 4

The family walked into the grand ballroom.

The guests had all arrived. Glasses clinked, conversations buzzed, and the room was full of life.

At the center of the head table sat an elderly man with a full head of white hair. He looked sharp and alert, talking to someone beside him.

When he saw Sylvia walk in, the old man shot to his feet, his eyes turning red. "Sylvia."

He took a step forward, then suddenly swayed.

"Grandpa!"

Nora was closest. She rushed over first, fumbling through her purse and pulling out a pill bottle. "Grandpa has a heart condition. This is his emergency medication."

"Don't."

Sylvia walked over, took the bottle from Nora, unscrewed the cap, and sniffed it. Her brow furrowed slightly.

"He can't take this."

The room went silent.

A young man let out a cold laugh. "Professor Petrov prescribed that medication specifically for Mr. Martinez's heart condition. Who are you to say he can't take it?"

Adrian Jones frowned at Sylvia. "You're my cousin? Stop making a scene. This man is a student of the top cardiologist Professor Petrov. Nora cares about Mr. Martinez, so she personally brought him here to help."

Nora quickly chimed in, playing the understanding peacemaker. "Sylvia, I know you mean well, but your school probably didn't cover this kind of thing. Let's leave Grandpa's health to the professionals."

She sighed, looking troubled. "Your school... honestly, I've barely even heard of it."

Sylvia fixed her gaze on the so-called student of Ivan Petrov and asked coolly, "Funny. I had no idea Professor Petrov had a student like you."

The young man's expression shifted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"What does it mean?" The corner of Sylvia's mouth curved slightly. "Professor Petrov expelled a student last year for academic misconduct. You look a lot like that person."

The young man's face went pale. He shot back, furious and embarrassed, "You're making things up!"

Sylvia didn't bother arguing. She pulled out her phone and called Ivan.

The call connected quickly. A voice came through — old but strong, with a hint of careful excitement. "Sylvia?! You finally called! I was starting to think you'd forgotten about me."

The young man recognized the voice. It was really Ivan. His face went blank.

Sylvia looked at him, her tone calm. "Professor Petrov, do you have a student..."

Adrian quickly filled in, "His name is Jake Sherman."

"...named Jake Sherman? Looks to be in his early thirties. Wears glasses."

Ivan's voice came through cold and clear. "I did. He was expelled last year for academic misconduct."

Jake's legs started to give out beneath him.

Sylvia hung up.

Dead silence.

Adrian's skeptical expression turned to shock.

Nora stood there with her mouth open, her smile completely gone. She quickly tried to distance herself from Jake. "I — I didn't know any of this. He told me he was Professor Petrov's student. I was just worried about Grandpa."

Sylvia didn't bother responding. She calmly reached into her own bag, took out a pill bottle, and shook out one tablet. "Grandpa, open your mouth."

Allan Martinez took the pill in a daze. Less than thirty seconds later, his eyelids flickered and he opened his eyes.

"Sylvia?" His voice was still a little weak, but he was alert now. "What happened just now?"

"Nothing serious. Your blood sugar dropped." Sylvia put the bottle away. "One little pill and you're fine."

Adrian stared at Sylvia, his expression shifting again and again.

He pulled out his phone and sent a message: 【Find out what school Sylvia went to.】

Just then, Sylvia's phone rang.

She glanced at the screen, and her brow moved slightly.

"Mom, Dad — I need to step out and take this."

"Go ahead. You know your way around?" Linda asked, her face full of concern.

"I'll be fine." Sylvia turned and walked out of the ballroom.

Five minutes later, she hung up and headed back. As she turned the corner of the hallway, she ran straight into a group of people.

The Lynn family — all three of them, lined up neatly.

Jade spotted her and froze for a second, then sneered. "Sylvia? What are you doing here?"

"Did you sneak in behind us?" Jeffrey eyed her with suspicion.

"I'm here for the banquet," Sylvia said flatly.

Of all the people to run into.

Luna covered her mouth and giggled, eyes full of mockery. "Mom, Dad, she must have slipped in. The only event at this hotel tonight is the Martinez family's welcome dinner. Don't tell me she's actually a Martinez?"

"Here for the banquet — what banquet could she possibly be invited to?"

Jade's face darkened. She waved at a nearby staff member. "Get her out of here."

The staff member was about to step forward. Before Sylvia could say a word, the sound of rapid footsteps came from down the hall.

Five or six security guards in black came running over and lined up squarely in front of the Lynn family.

"Excuse me. You cannot go in."

Jade's eyes went wide. "Why not? We're here for the banquet!"

The guards kept straight faces. They didn't even glance at Jade. One of them held up a list. "Mr. Lynn, Mrs. Lynn — after checking our records, your invitation codes have not been activated. Additionally, you caused a disturbance at the entrance and falsely claimed VIP status. The Martinez family has placed you on the blacklist. Please leave immediately, or there will be consequences."

Jeffrey was about to explode when he caught something out of the corner of his eye.

A man was walking toward them from the far end of the hallway.

He wore a silver-gray suit, tall and long-legged, with sharp, cold features and an air that filled the space around him.

Benjamin Carrington's gaze swept past the Lynn family and landed on Sylvia.

Sylvia looked up. Their eyes met.

Just for a moment. Neither of them showed any expression.

Luna's mouth fell open, her voice trembling. "Why is Mr. Carrington looking at her?"

The next second, Benjamin looked away without a word and walked into the ballroom.

The Lynn family watched his figure disappear and let out a collective breath.

"Mom, see? Mr. Carrington doesn't even know her. He just glanced over."

Jade's nerves finally loosened. She let out a cold laugh. "Exactly what I thought. There's no way she's a Martinez."

"Please leave." The guard's voice cut her off.

Jade's face hardened. "I told you, we're here for the banquet!"

"Your invitation codes are not activated." The guard's face stayed blank. "If you don't leave, don't blame us for what happens next."

Guests were passing by now, glancing over and whispering among themselves.

"Isn't that the Lynn family? Why are they stuck outside?"

"Apparently they were making a scene at the entrance. Got their access revoked."

"How embarrassing."

Jade's face was a mess of humiliation. Watching the guards stand firm, her face went pale as a terrible possibility crept into her mind. She stared hard at Sylvia, her voice shaking. "Who... who exactly are you?"