The Billionaire Ex-Wife and the Beggar He Became novel Chapter 50

Mia fell silent, her lips pressed into a thin line—she was the type who couldn't hold in her words for long, and it was killing her not to jump in.

As they walked down the corridor, Winona suddenly stopped, turning back to fix Mia with a stern look. "Mia, promise me—"

"I won't cause any more trouble!" Mia blurted, hands held up in surrender before Winona could finish.

She'd just witnessed, with her own eyes, how Winona had pleaded with Julian for her sake. Seeing her sister like that had made Mia's heart ache.

She was eight years older than Winona, but despite being in her thirties, Mia was still impulsive and reckless—never thinking things through. She hadn't saved a dime, relied on Winona for everything, and now had dragged her into this mess.

"I'm the worst, Nona," Mia said softly, guilt etched across her face.

Winona's voice trembled, on the verge of tears. "You, Grandma, and Zane—you're all I have. Nothing can happen to any of you. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I promise."

With that, the tension eased, and the two sisters made their way to the ballroom.

It was a grand hall, bustling with activity. On the left, the Nicholson family was hosting a birthday party for Tiana. The hotel manager had separated the space with a bit of distance between the Nicholsons and the guests on the right, where an enormous, lavishly decorated round table had been set up especially for Zane's birthday.

The reason the Nicholson family chose to host Tiana's party in the ballroom instead of a private suite was because Felicity, who was overseeing everything, wanted to make it extra special. She'd even arranged for Tiana's favorite pop singer to perform live.

So, the party was held here, in the biggest and brightest spot in the hotel.

One of the parents looked around, curiosity piqued. "Are we really celebrating in the same space as some billionaire family?"

By the time Tiana's guests had all arrived and her birthday festivities were underway, Zane's side was still busy arranging the decorations. Kids misplaced balloons, someone flipped the numbers on the birthday sign, and the room was filled with cheerful chaos and laughter.

Ten minutes into Tiana's party, Zane's area was finally ready.

As the birthday boy's mom, Winona had to play hostess and keep everything running smoothly. Once everything was set for Zane, she slipped away to the restroom to change into the dress and heels she'd picked out especially for the occasion, taking a few moments to freshen up her makeup.

When she stepped out of the ladies' room, she nearly collided with Julian, who'd just finished a phone call by the men's room.

Winona wasn't used to wearing heels and wobbled a bit. Instinctively, Julian reached out and caught her by the waist.

Winona stiffened, her voice sharp with annoyance. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"