Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 124

As soon as that voice rang out, everyone in the room couldn’t help but turn their heads.

Standing in the doorway of the banquet hall was a tall, striking figure.

The man wore a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, a matching shirt underneath, and a deep burgundy tie. He had that refined, devil-may-care vibe, with a smile that could charm or taunt—hard to say which. His eyes—gray with a hint of mischief—were the kind that seemed soulful even when he was just glancing at the family dog. But there was also an unmistakable sharpness to his presence, a kind of energy that felt impossible to ignore.

“Wait… isn’t that Walter Wilson, CEO of Wilson Enterprises?”

“What’s he doing here? I thought Mr. Wilson rarely showed up to these kinds of events.”

“Aren’t the Wilsons and the Smiths basically rivals?”

“Didn’t you hear what he said? ‘Well said!’ Sounds like he’s here to stir up trouble.”

A low buzz of gossip swept through the crowd—everyone was clearly thrown by Walter Wilson’s appearance.

Camila Davis was surprised, too. She hadn’t told Walter she’d be here tonight—and she definitely hadn’t expected him to show up in person.

Sarah Brown, who knew Walter from before, called out right away, “Took you long enough to get here, huh?”

Walter took a few unhurried steps into the room, replying coolly, “Had some business to finish up, so I’m running a bit late. Didn’t expect to walk into such a show, though! Quite the eye-opener—so many people here, and not one willing to stand up for a single mom and her kid!”

His gaze swept across the room, icy and unimpressed.

It was just a look, but it hit the room like a cold wind. No one dared meet his eyes.

People glanced at each other, nervous and shocked.

Was Mr. Wilson… actually here to back up Mrs. Smith?

Everyone’s curiosity grew. Clearly, the drama tonight wasn’t over yet.

The Smiths and their extended family all looked pretty rattled. None of them had expected Walter Wilson to show. His position was equal to Jordan Smith’s, and he was known to be even tougher to deal with—outwardly playful, inwardly ruthless.

Jordan Smith, already fuming thanks to Camila, went stone-faced when he saw Walter. And the phrase “single mom and her kid” made him even angrier. He was still alive, wasn’t he? Who was Walter cursing?

Jordan glared coldly, narrowing his eyes. “If I remember right, Mr. Wilson, you weren’t invited tonight. Maybe you’ve come to the wrong place?”

Walter didn’t even blink. “Nope, I’m exactly where I mean to be. I’m here to celebrate Lillian’s birthday.”

His tone was so calm and matter-of-fact, it instantly took the wind out of Jordan’s sails.

Jordan’s eyes darkened. He was about to say something when Camila stepped forward, backing Walter up. “I invited him. Is there a problem?”

Jordan’s jaw clenched, his glare icy.

Not everyone in the room was oblivious. Some had already refused to cozy up to the Smiths by making their kid the ‘honorary son.’ Now, seeing the Smiths’ pettiness, people couldn’t help but start gossiping.

The Smith family heard it all—and their faces turned different shades of red and pale.

“Camila, stop twisting things. Didn’t we give you food and a roof over your head? What more do you want?”

“We paid you a salary when you worked at Smith Enterprises!”

“We made you Mrs. Smith—you want even more?”

“Grandma Smith always treated you well—”

Sarah Brown cut them off with a laugh. “Yeah, the old Mrs. Smith was the only decent one. Otherwise, Camila would have had it worse than the housekeeper. At least the help gets paid! She cooked, cleaned, took care of everyone, and never got a single penny. Isn’t that something?”

The Smiths’ faces went from red to white. They wanted to argue, but Jordan snapped, “Enough. Not another word!”

If this kept up, the Smith family’s reputation would be ruined for good.

Jordan swallowed his anger and shot Camila a furious look—then turned on Walter, his voice icy. “Mr. Wilson, I don’t care what you and Camila are now, but she’s still my wife. I suggest you watch your step.”

Walter just laughed, a wicked twist to his grin. “You of all people lecturing about boundaries, Mr. Smith? Weren’t you the one caught fooling around outside your marriage? Maybe you should worry about your own ‘boundaries’ first.”