THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 837

As Rosemary's words hung in the air, the once-boisterous banquet hall gradually fell silent. All eyes turned to her and Will.

Just as Rosemary had anticipated, she saw a mixture of envy and shock on their faces.

No one could believe that Will would ask Rosemary for the opening dance. Could it be true? Did Will really have feelings for Rosemary? Not only was Rosemary significantly older than him, but the Vance family's reputation in Valerium was… questionable. It just didn't make sense for him to be interested in her.

It seemed the social landscape of Valerium was about to undergo a seismic shift.

Feeling the weight of everyone's gazes, Rosemary's expression grew even more smug. She knew this moment would shock them all. And this, she thought, was only the beginning. Once she became Lady Windsor, they would be even more envious of her.

She would be the first woman of Eldermere nationality to become the wife of a Valerium lord. While Valerium's royal protocol forbade such a thing, she was an exception. Will was so smitten with her; for her, he would do anything. What was changing a minor royal rule compared to their love?

Will just stared at Rosemary, completely bewildered.

What was this woman doing? It was bad enough that she had inexplicably stuck her hand out at him, but now she was spouting nonsense he couldn't understand.

She accepted? Accepted what?

Will's brow furrowed. Then, a horrifying thought dawned on him. The music for the first dance was playing. Did Rosemary actually think he was here to ask her to dance?

The realization sent a wave of revulsion through him. The audacity of this woman! He had simply shown up at her family's party, and she had concocted this entire fantasy in her head. Did she honestly believe he was secretly in love with her? How utterly nauseating.

Will couldn't believe that just showing up could create such a crazy misunderstanding. To put a quick end to her fantasies, he stopped right in front of her.

Seeing him stand before her, Rosemary's excitement peaked. Just as she expected him to declare his feelings, Will spoke. "Miss Vance, I think you've got the wrong idea here. I have no intention of asking you for the opening dance. In fact, I am already in love with someone else. I only came to your party tonight because she was here. I am not a man who gives his affections lightly, so please, do not get the wrong idea."

His words were merciless, leaving her with no shred of dignity. Will hadn't wanted to cause such a scene, but her behavior had truly disgusted him.

Without another word, he quickened his pace, walking straight past her and out of the banquet hall without a backward glance.

Rosemary stared at his retreating back, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her face went deathly pale, and her outstretched hand remained frozen in mid-air, unsure whether to retract it or leave it there. The embarrassment was suffocating.

She never imagined that Will wasn't there to ask her to dance. She certainly never imagined he would say something so utterly humiliating.

Why? Why did this happen? He was supposed to be in love with *her*!

A cold sweat broke out across Rosemary's forehead. She swayed on her feet, on the verge of fainting.

"Who cares? As long as it's not Rosemary."

"..."

The guests' sharp words were like knives, each one slicing across Rosemary's face, drawing blood with every cut. It was excruciatingly painful and deeply humiliating. Rosemary had lived a life of privilege and had never suffered such an insult. While the Vance family wasn't held in high regard by the aristocracy since their move to Valerium, their connection to the Windsor family still afforded them a certain status. But now, Rosemary felt like she couldn't breathe. She stumbled backward several steps, saved from falling only by a maid who caught her from behind.

"Miss, are you alright?"

Rosemary struggled to compose herself, her voice a strained whisper. "Help... help me to the back to rest."

"Of course."

Even as the maid led her to a private room, the sounds of ridicule from the hall didn't stop. In fact, they only grew louder.

CRASH!

Rosemary seized a vase from a nearby table and hurled it against the floor.