THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 401

For a moment, the entire ballroom fell silent.

Every guest turned to look her way, curiosity shining in their eyes.

As she drew closer, her striking beauty became impossible to ignore. Features perfectly balanced—an oval face, luminous almond-shaped eyes, gracefully arched brows, a refined nose, and lips tinted a natural rose. Her skin was so fair it seemed to glow.

She wore a plain white evening gown. The off-shoulder design revealed delicate collarbones and a slender, swan-like neck. Even without a hint of dazzling jewelry, she sparkled—radiant, unmistakable. There wasn’t a single detail about her that wasn’t captivating; even her hair seemed to shimmer.

She was breathtaking.

So beautiful, it left people momentarily breathless.

As she approached, curiosity in the crowd’s gaze shifted to awe.

“Who is she?”

“Is that Freya Gonzales?”

“I think it is. I saw her at the Gonzales family’s reunion last time.”

“Wow, was Freya always this stunning?”

“I thought she wouldn’t dare show up! Can’t believe she actually came.”

“She’s gorgeous, for real!”

“Gorgeous? What good is a pretty face if her character’s rotten? Makes me sick.”

As the mysterious figure drew near, Ann Templeton narrowed her eyes, a flicker of disbelief in her gaze.

Caitlin Kensington. It really was Caitlin.

Ann was just as surprised as everyone else. No one expected Caitlin to show up tonight. For her, this birthday party must have felt like walking straight into a lion’s den. If Ann were in her shoes, she’d have found a place to hide—somewhere no one could find her. She’d never risk such humiliation.

Ann’s lips curled into a mocking, dismissive smile.

Of course. A country girl like her probably doesn’t even understand what it means to be ashamed.

The mood in the livestream shifted instantly.

[Freya? That’s Freya? What a waste of a gorgeous face!]

[I get it now! Freya must be here to show off, hoping her looks will get her attention on Ann’s stream—maybe even become a famous influencer herself!]

[Ugh, what a schemer.]

[Gross. Does she really think being pretty is enough to get her millions of fans like Ann?]

[Oh, I see. Some people are just chasing clout.]

[What a shameless climber.]

[…]

As the comments turned hostile, Ann jumped in to explain, her voice still gentle. “No, everyone, you’ve got it all wrong. My sister isn’t like that. She’s actually very kind. Maybe she was a bit too eager this time, but she’s definitely not the scheming type you think she is. I trust her—she’s never done anything to hurt me.”