Leo stood beside me, his jaw practically on the floor as Arthur's hand remained firmly on Caleb's shoulder. The look on Caleb's face was priceless—like he'd swallowed something sour and couldn't spit it out.
"Uncle Arthur," he managed finally. "I was just explaining to these... individuals that they weren't on the guest list."
"And yet," Arthur said coolly, "Ms. Dubois has a valid invitation."
I smiled sweetly at Caleb, enjoying his discomfort. "As I was saying."
Fiona stepped forward, her designer dress swishing dramatically. "There must be some mistake. Elara shouldn't be here. This is an exclusive industry event, not a charity case mixer."
Arthur's gaze flicked to her, then back to Caleb. "Handle this. Professionally." He turned to me. "Ms. Dubois, enjoy the showcase."
Without waiting for a response, he walked away, leaving Caleb sputtering and red-faced.
"This way, Ms. Dubois," the attendant said, pointedly ignoring Caleb's obvious fury.
