Tonight, Wendy was breathtaking.

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She wore a flowing violet gown that shimmered with scattered sparkles, as if draped in silk touched by the glow of dusk. Her once–rounded features were now sharpened and refined, and her slimmed–down figure- still soft in all the right places–was shown off perfectly by the cut of the dress.

Her long hair was loosely curled, tumbling down her back, jeweled pins glinting under the light, blending seamlessly with her gown. The dress highlighted her curves where they should be full and tapered her waist where it should be slender, creating a figure that exuded a kind of allure no skeletal beauty could compare to.

It was exactly this look, this warmth, this softness, that Benjamin was utterly obsessed with.

The crowd buzzed with whispers, everyone curious about the mysterious young woman. Among them, the Smith family recognized her first.

“That’s… Wendy?” Tonya gasped.

“No way!” Sydney’s jaw dropped.

“It is her!” Tonya’s eyes filled with hatred as she saw Wendy entering last, radiant as if she were the star of the night.

“Which one’s Wendy?” Wanda asked sharply.

When she finally recognized the beautiful girl walking in, her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “How… how is that Wendy?”

Even Landon was floored. “Wendy… how did she get here? Don’t tell me Benjamin is…”

He thought back to the man in the garden who had called himself a weight–loss coach. Then his gaze landed on Benjamin, standing tall and brilliant on stage. Suddenly his stomach dropped.

Wendy really did know Benjamin. And he–Landon–had offended him.

This was bad. Very, very bad.

Across the room, Mrs. Jones noticed the newcomer as well. She leaned toward her son. “Who is that girl?”

Benjamin feigned ignorance, eyes glinting with mischief. “I don’t know. But she does look… different, doesn’t

she?”

Mrs. Jones nodded. From the first glance, she liked the girl instantly.

Wendy, however, was anything but comfortable. With every pair of eyes fixed on her, she felt like an impostor Cinderella stepping into the prince’s castle. Her head spun, her steps faltered, and she fought to walk with grace–but the harder she tried, the worse it became.

At the center of the ballroom, disaster struck. Her heel caught on the hem of her gown, and she stumbled,

19:31 Sat, Sep 6

crashing to the floor.

:

A ripple of shock passed through the crowd, followed by laughter.

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Those who had envied her beauty now laughed the loudest, delighted to

see her fall–literally–from her pedestal. 

“Ha! What a joke.”

“She thought she was a princess, and look at her now.”

Wendy’s cheeks burned crimson. Her vision blurred with unshed tears. She wanted to dig a hole in the floor and disappear. She knew she should never have come. She didn’t belong here, and now she had humiliated herself in front of everyone.

As Caitlin started to move to rescue her, someone else beat her to it.

A figure in white strode forward, his polished shoes echoing against the marble floor, and stopped right before her. He extended his hand.

The laughter died instantly.

Benjamin.

Every woman who had sneered at Wendy just moments ago fell silent, their jealousy choking them. Benjamin himself had stepped forward to help her.

“Is he really going to-”

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“Benjamin… Benjamin’s offering his hand to her?”

“That girl’s so damn lucky!”

Wendy blinked up at him, following the line of his shoes to his suit to his face. His eyes were locked on hers, not with mockery, not with disdain, but with a steady, unwavering warmth. For once, he wasn’t teasing her. He was reaching for her.

Her heart squeezed.

In Benjamin’s gaze, Wendy sitting there with tears caught in her lashes was devastatingly beautiful. It hit him straight in the chest.

“Give me your hand,” he said, his voice low but commanding.

Snapped out of her daze, Wendy timidly placed her soft, round hand into his palm. His grip was warm, firm, pulling her effortlessly out of her humiliation and into his arms.

She stumbled against his chest. Their eyes met again, the room filling with envious murmurs.

“You’re so clumsy, Wendy,” he whispered, his lips curving faintly. “Without me, would you end up dying of your own stupidity?”

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His words made her pout in frustration. Furious at being teased in front of everyone, she turned to storm off –but Benjamin caught her wrist and tugged her back.

“Where do you think you’re going? The ball has already started. Stay.”

With that, he released her hand and returned to the stage, leaving Wendy frozen in place, her heart pounding.

The emcee’s voice carried through the hall. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this evening’s grand ball…”

Lights dimmed, music swelled, filling the space with elegance and romance.

“Tonight, Benjamin will open the ball by drawing lots to choose his partner for the first dance.”

The announcement rippled through the crowd like fire.

Everyone had assumed Benjamin would simply choose the girl he had just helped–but now, with a lottery, every unmarried woman had a chance.

Hope flared in their eyes. Hearts beat faster.

On stage, Benjamin approached the transparent box filled with slips of paper–duplicates of the invitations every single woman had brought with her.

His hand dipped inside, shuffling through the slips. The rustle of paper seemed to stir the hearts of everyone watching.

Finally, he drew one and handed it to the emcee.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the emcee’s voice rang out. “The number Benjamin has drawn is…”