Classical music filled the banquet hall as guests mingled elegantly, their laughter and conversations blending into a soft hum.
The main guest of the evening—Sierra Stone—had yet to appear.
Deep down, everyone was curious.
The daughter of the legendary Olivia Allen…
What had she become?
At that moment, Daniel Hale entered the hall alongside his parents.
Henry and Cecilia quickly stepped forward to welcome them warmly.
Daniel's father smiled as he spoke, "Where is your daughter, Sierra? It's been a long time since we last saw her. I remember she and Daniel were very close. We even spoke about arranging their engagement."
At those words, Daniel and Bella exchanged subtle, meaningful glances.
"I don't want to marry her."
Daniel's voice was firm and unapologetic.
He turned and walked away immediately.
An awkward silence followed.
His parents forced embarrassed smiles. "We're very sorry about that."
"It's alright," Henry replied calmly. "These things can't be forced."
He then led them to their seats before leaving to attend to other guests.
Suddenly—
The entire hall fell silent.
All eyes turned toward the staircase.
Sierra stood at the top.
Calm. Composed.
Like a queen overlooking her domain.
Her gaze swept across the hall, briefly locking onto familiar faces.
Daniel…
Bella…
Cecilia…
A faint, cold smile appeared on her lips.
You're all finished.
She began descending the stairs slowly.
With every step she took, the attention on her intensified.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"Is that her?"
"She really is Olivia Allen's daughter…"
"She doesn't look like someone raised in the countryside at all."
"She looks exactly like her mother—beautiful and refined."
By the time she reached the bottom, the whispers had grown louder.
Henry stepped forward, his eyes slightly red with emotion.
"You're just like your mother," he said softly.
Sierra gave no response.
He gently led her onto the stage.
Taking the microphone, Henry addressed the crowd.
"Today, we gather to celebrate the return of my first daughter, Sierra Stone."
"I made mistakes in the past that caused her unnecessary suffering. But from today onward, I want everyone to know—she is back."
"And she is the only legitimate heiress of the Stone family."
"This is my way of making up for everything she endured."
His words exploded like a bomb in the hall.
The entire Stone family…
Given to Sierra?
Shock rippled through the guests.
Almost instinctively, everyone turned to look at Bella.
Bella, standing beside Daniel, tightened her grip on her champagne glass, her knuckles turning white.
Even Sierra's expression flickered slightly.
This…
Had happened much later in her past life.
Cecilia, standing behind Henry like a gentle and supportive wife, stepped forward gracefully.
"Although I am not Sierra's biological mother, Bella and I have prepared a small gift to celebrate her return."
Her smile was warm.
But beneath it—
Was a storm.
If Henry thinks he can hand everything to Sierra so easily… he's dreaming.
She glanced toward the entrance.
"Bring it in."
Two men entered, carrying a large painting.
They placed it carefully in the center of the hall.
Gasps immediately followed.
"Wait… isn't that Moonlight?"
"You must be joking—that painting is worth millions!"
"It was painted by the famous Seline Qing!"
Cecilia's voice rang out again.
"Sierra, you may not be familiar with Seline Qing. She is a renowned artist, and this is one of her recent works. Bella and I thought it would be the perfect gift for your return."
Sierra looked at the painting—
And nearly laughed.
This hadn't happened in her past life.
Interesting.
She stepped down from the stage and walked toward the painting under countless curious gazes.
Everyone waited eagerly for her reaction.
After all—
Who was Seline Qing?
A mysterious genius painter whose identity remained unknown, yet whose works captivated the world.
Sierra reached out and lightly brushed her fingers across the surface.
Then—
She spoke clearly.
"This painting is fake."
A wave of shock swept through the hall.
Cecilia's expression stiffened as she quickly walked over, Bella following closely behind.
"What are you implying?" Bella asked, her voice trembling. "Do you think we would give you a fake gift?"
"Yes," Cecilia added with a frown. "How could you possibly tell?"
Sierra glanced at them lazily, her tone indifferent.
"It's obvious."
"Perhaps you should go ask for a refund—you've been scammed."
Cecilia and Bella's expressions darkened.
Of course, they knew it was fake.
They had deliberately bought a replica to save money while maintaining appearances.
But they never expected Sierra to expose it so directly.
Murmurs spread rapidly among the guests.
"How could she tell so easily?"
"Who's telling the truth?"
"She grew up in the countryside—what would she know about art?"
"She's speaking as if she's Seline Qing herself…"
"Everyone."
Sierra's calm voice cut through the noise instantly.
The hall fell silent once more.
"You all know this painting—Moonlight."
"It was inspired by quiet, sleepless nights," she said slowly.
Her gaze lingered on the painting.
"It was painted a year ago."
"And yet—this one still has wet pigments."
A pause.
"And more importantly…"
"The original Moonlight was auctioned to a French collector, who renamed it—"
" La Foi et l'Amour"
Why?
A deep voice sounded from the entrance—
Finishing her sentence.
I