Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 561

What's the most common thing in high society?

Naturally, it's the endless array of banquets.

At these events, the real purpose is rarely the banquet itself—it's all about networking. And of course, the same goes for women.

Most men rarely bring their wives along, unless they're newlyweds still basking in marital bliss.

This has become an unspoken rule in their circle. If someone consistently attends these gatherings with his wife by his side, it signals a strong, stable relationship. And if someone wants to get acquainted or discuss a potential deal, the first move is often to tell their own wife—

Let the wives handle the socializing and negotiations.

Unsurprisingly, Ariana is the one who steals the spotlight in this world.

At nearly every banquet, she’s the one on Lambert’s arm—never anyone else.

Originally, Fanny had no intention of attending this particular event.

She’d rather stay a thousand miles away from Damon—why on earth would she accompany him to a banquet? She’d been dodging these invitations for ages, coming up with excuse after excuse. Luckily, Damon never pressured her into playing the dutiful wife, so he let her be.

But this time was different.

Fanny had been cooped up at home for far too long, and boredom was starting to gnaw at her.

So, she agreed to go. Of course, the biggest reason was that Ariana would be there, too.

The Harper Family was hosting this banquet.

Today was the birthday of the wife of the chairman of Harper Group, and as such, luminaries from all corners of the business world were invited to the celebration. Though the Harper family had seen better days and was no longer considered a major conglomerate—especially when compared to powerhouses like the Stonne and Castro families—they still carried a lingering influence from their past glory. Their circle had always consisted of high-profile figures in the industry, making this an event one simply couldn't afford to miss, if only for networking purposes.

Lambert, however, had been hesitant about attending. The moment he stepped in, he knew he’d have to face Irene, and he worried about how Ariana might react. Yet skipping it wasn’t an option either. Despite the Harper Group’s diminished standing, it remained a formidable name in the business world. His absence would only fuel baseless rumors. In the end, he showed up—with Ariana in tow.

The moment Fanny entered the venue, her eyes darted around, searching for Ariana. Spotting her at last, she eagerly waved.

Damon’s faint smile dimmed slightly at the sight of her unrestrained excitement.

Ariana noticed Fanny too and approached with a warm smile. She greeted Damon first before turning her attention to Fanny.

"Ariana, you look absolutely stunning today!" Fanny said, blinking playfully. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have bothered coming if she weren’t worried about Ariana getting bullied. Who knew what tricks Irene or Madelyn might pull? Whatever happened, she was determined to stand by Ariana’s side.

Ariana chuckled softly. "Thanks."

Beside her, Lambert and Damon exchanged a brief, wordless nod in acknowledgment.

Damon remained stoic.

Eager to escape Damon’s presence, Fanny quickly linked arms with Ariana, steering her away while chatting and laughing. Left behind, Damon watched Fanny’s retreating figure in silence, his expression unreadable.

Lambert naturally caught that expression of his.

With a mocking tone, he remarked, "A married man should know how to keep his wife in check. Seems like President Castro isn’t quite skilled in that department."

Truth be told, Lambert wasn’t fond of Fanny either.

The woman frequently sought out Ariana, cutting into the time he could spend with her. He had thought getting rid of Allison was the end of it, only to find Fanny waiting in the wings.

After being cooped up at home for days, she was practically itching for action. And now that Ariana's situation had landed in her lap, she was more than ready to sharpen her knives and dive in.

Ariana's lips twitched in mild exasperation. Rubbing her temples, she sighed, "Alright, my dear troublemaker, I'm fine—don't worry about it." As for the rumor-mongers, they were likely no one beyond the usual suspects: the first or second branches of the family, or perhaps Madelyn and Irene.

Honestly, Ariana couldn't care less.

As long as they didn't push their luck and cross her boundaries, she wouldn't bother retaliating over something so trivial. Doing so would only give them undue importance. She had neither the time nor the energy to waste on them—not for something this petty.

But Fanny wasn't having it. Frowning, she pressed, "But letting these rumors run wild will damage your reputation. Take Lucian, for example—"

At the mention of Lucian, Ariana fell silent.

She knew Fanny had a point. But right now, chasing down gossip wasn't a priority. Her company's game launch demanded all her attention. The rest? She'd file it away for later. There'd be time to settle scores eventually.

Noticing the hesitation on Fanny's face, Ariana shook her head and said, "Alright, let's not talk about this here. Let's discuss something more cheerful. When are you planning to have a baby?"

Fanny blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

Ariana gave her a teasing look. "A baby. Don't you love kids? When's the big day? I can't wait to be the godmother."

Fanny's face instantly flushed crimson.

"Stop talking nonsense," she stammered, clearly flustered. "That's way too far off. What if we end up getting divorced?"

Her words were meant as a joke, but no sooner had she spoken than a mocking, almost gleeful voice chimed in from behind.

"Oh? Fanny, are you and CEO Castro getting a divorce?"