Chapter 7: The Piano Duel
Margaret had been doing well at the Fisher Group recently, but she found herself longing for her leisurely days at the estate and her travels around the world. To her, the three-month period felt especially long.
On this day, the Fisher Group was celebrating its anniversary. In the evening, Margaret was pulled aside by the Fisher family to get dressed up and attend the banquet with William.
The Fisher Group's banquet was a lavish affair, attracting many notable figures from the business world.
As the president, William was busy socializing with guests.
Margaret, on the other hand, had always hated such gatherings. She was used to a laid-back lifestyle and couldn't master the art of business flattery. She didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble either.
So, she hid in a corner by herself, quietly enjoying various delicacies and pastries.
At this moment, a woman approached her.
"Are you Margaret?" the woman asked.
Margaret turned around. The woman was about her age, dressed in luxury brands, and seemed to be a wealthy heiress.
"What's up?" Margaret asked.
"I'm Lucy," Lucy said as she stepped forward.
Having been at the Fisher Group for a while, Margaret had heard the name Lucy from her colleagues.
Lucy and William had grown up together, and she was the only woman around William for many years.
If it weren't for Margaret's appearance, Lucy would likely have been William's fiancée.
Margaret could sense the hostility in Lucy's eyes. It wasn't hard to understand; she had taken someone else's beloved, and now Lucy was here for revenge and provocation.
Lucy took out a bank card from her bag and said calmly, "Here's ten million dollars. I want you to announce the cancellation of your engagement with William at the banquet tonight."
Hearing this, Margaret laughed. Why did people in Ravenford always try to buy her off with money?
Lucy frowned slightly at her smile. "Ten million dollars is enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. You gotta know William's never gonna marry you. He only brought you into the Fisher family because of his grandpa's illness. Once his grandpa gets better, he'll kick you out, and you won't get a single cent."
Margaret sneered. Did she look that desperate for money?
Xavier gave her fifty million dollars a month as pocket money. Where did Lucy get her confidence?
Margaret raised an eyebrow and said, "I spend more than that in a month."
After saying that, Margaret walked towards the dessert area in her high heels.
Lucy couldn't believe it. Was Margaret out of her mind?
A hint of malice flashed across Lucy's face. If Margaret didn't know her place, Lucy would make sure she looked bad in public. An insidious plan began to take shape in her mind.
Margaret deeply regretted attending this boring banquet. She wanted to leave, but Lucy's provocative gaze followed her, indicating she wasn't planning to let things go.
By this time, William had wrapped up his speech and was talking to someone.
Daisy approached Margaret, warning her to behave and not embarrass the Fisher family. Margaret responded with a disdainful smirk.
At this moment, Lucy and a few of her female friends walked over. Looking at Margaret, Lucy smiled at Daisy and said, "Auntie, is this William's fiancée, Margaret? Hello, I'm Lucy."
Lucy appeared as a dignified and graceful heiress, while Margaret's indifference made her seem particularly rude in contrast.
Daisy shot Margaret a disapproving glare before turning her attention back to Lucy with a smile. "Lucy, don't mind her. She's a country bumpkin who doesn't understand the etiquette of banquets."
"It's okay. By the way, I heard Miss Scott is very talented. There's a piano on stage. How about we have a little competition?"
Margaret glanced at Lucy. The rumor mill had tagged her as a country bumpkin, but where had Lucy gotten the idea that she was particularly talented?
It was clear Lucy wanted to humiliate her.
Without waiting for Margaret to respond, Lucy walked towards the piano on the stage.
As the daughter of the Clark family and William's childhood friend, Lucy commanded the crowd’s attention effortlessly.
Lucy played a masterful piano piece, and the audience erupted into applause at the end of her performance.
After finishing, Lucy smiled and said, "That was just average. Miss Scott, it's your turn."
Her friends began to egg her on, their taunts filled with a mix of amusement and scorn.
"Lucy, if that's what you call average, then..."
"Margaret, why aren't you going up? Could it be you don't know how to play the piano? It would be quite a joke if William's fiancée couldn't play the piano!"
There were many people around, all looking at Margaret with mocking expressions.
Daisy felt extremely embarrassed and looked at Margaret with even more disdain.
Margaret smiled. "I just think it's more elegant for a guest at a banquet to maintain their composure. Playing the piano to entertain guests is something I usually tip for."
After saying that, Margaret put down her wine glass and inserted a folded hundred-dollar bill into the waistband of Lucy’s dress.
"However, since everyone is so eager, I don’t mind sharing a bit of my own talent," Margaret said as she walked gracefully towards the piano.