Chapter 185: Deeper Than the Oceans (1)
Nick had arranged every detail with keenness, even down to the limousine that pulled up in front of Vicky’s house. He wanted nothing less than a spectacle—an entrance that would make every head turn the moment Georgia, Ella, and Vicky walked into the ballroom.
To guarantee it, he had given the driver strict instructions: pick them up late enough that most of the guests would already be waiting.
By the time the sleek limo rolled into the driveway, Vicky was pacing near the window, her nerves on edge. The second the driver stepped out, she stormed toward him, her sequined dress shimmering under the porch lights.
"What took you so long?" she snapped, tapping her heel against the pavement. "It’s already almost seven o’clock! We’ll be lucky to get there before dinner starts. And in case you forgot—I’m the one who organized this party! That will start at exactly seven!"
The driver, clearly used to the Knight family’s dramatics, kept his composure. "My apologies, Ma’am. Sir Nicholas instructed me to arrive at this exact time."
Vicky froze mid-complaint, her brows knitting together. "And why on earth would he do that?" she asked, folding her arms in mock irritation.
The driver’s lips curved into the faintest of smiles. "So that the three of you would have the perfect entrance. He wanted everyone to already be inside, watching, when you walk into the grand ballroom."
For a moment, silence hung in the air—then Vicky’s annoyance melted into delight. Her lips parted, and she let out a soft laugh before grinning from ear to ear.
"Ohhh... Of course!" she drawled, the realization sinking in. A playful sparkle lit her eyes as she glanced back at Georgia and Ella, who were already sliding gracefully into the limousine. "Well, if that’s his plan... then I suppose I’ll forgive both of you."
She climbed in after them, giddy now, her earlier restlessness transforming into anticipation.
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As the limousine rolled to a stop at the entrance of the towering hotel, the atmosphere inside the grand ballroom was already buzzing. Guests mingled with glasses of champagne in hand, laughter and soft music filling the air.
By then, the grand entrance doors had been drawn almost completely shut, a clear sign that the program was moments from beginning. But the Knight Family isn’t complete yet.
Two attendants stood at their posts just outside the grand ballroom entrance doors, by the hallway, their faces composed and professional—until their eyes landed on Vicky.
Recognition flickered instantly between them; with a subtle nod and a knowing glance, they moved in perfect unison. Gripping the polished brass handles, they swung the massive doors open with grace.
The ballroom, alive with chatter and clinking glasses just moments ago, seemed to still in anticipation. For the night had been waiting—everyone had been waiting—for the grand arrival of the Knight family’s only daughter, their princess, Veronica Knight. The last to arrive, the missing jewel of the evening.
Whispers swirled almost immediately. Families eager to impress, mothers scanning for an opening, fathers subtly maneuvering... all those who came hoping to present their sons—or even their nephews—straightened in their seats.
For Veronica’s entrance wasn’t just fashionably late. It was the moment everyone had been anticipating.
The effect was immediate. The chatter closest to the entrance faltered, heads turning in unison. Like ripples spreading across water, the attention traveled through the room, one guest after another falling silent until every eye was drawn toward the trio stepping inside.
Vicky led with the poise of someone born to command a room, her glittering champagne dress catching the light at every step. Ella followed, radiant in her soft blush gown, her smile sweet yet magnetic.
And then Georgia—stunning, ethereal in her white high-low satin dress, her presence both graceful and impossible to ignore. Together, they looked less like party guests and more like queens making an entrance to their coronation.
Gasps, murmurs, and whispered comments trailed after them as they glided forward. Guests flocked to greet Vicky, and she accepted each welcome with practiced elegance, seamlessly turning each handshake into an introduction.
"This is Isabella Collins of Urban Paradise Farm... and this is Georgia Lewis of Pacific Manning Services," she said proudly, presenting them like priceless gems she’d been waiting for the perfect moment to unveil.
The subtle stir they caused did not go unnoticed. Across the room, Nicholas Knight and his brothers, Liam and Reagan, together with Oliver, were deep in conversation with their top clients and their daughters and nieces. These businessmen were trying to introduce the single ladies in their household to the four most eligible bachelors in the room.
Even Benjamin Knight, regal and reserved, paused mid-sentence, while Violet—the calculating matriarch of the Knight empire—lifted her chin, her sharp gaze immediately zeroing in on the new source of attention.
And then, as if drawn by an invisible force, the Knight brothers’ gazes—along with Oliver’s—locked onto the women. Their eyes lingered, caught between disbelief and awe, lingering a little too long on the trio.
For a heartbeat, their mouths parted slightly, stunned into silence, as though the sight before them had stolen both their breath and their composure.
The room may have been full of powerful men and women, but at that moment, it was clear who truly owned the spotlight.
"They’re here..." Nick murmured, his voice low but brimming with anticipation as he subtly adjusted his tuxedo jacket and ran a hand through his hair—an unnecessary gesture, considering he already looked devastatingly perfect.
"Excuse me, gentlemen... ladies..." he said smoothly to the cluster of guests he’d been entertaining. A smirk tugged at his lips, sharp and confident. "Someone I’ve been waiting for has finally arrived."
Without another word, he turned and began striding across the ballroom, each step purposeful and magnetic. His presence alone commanded attention, but his eyes were locked solely on the three women at the grand entrance before he focused on Georgia.
Liam and Oliver flanked him almost instinctively, falling into step like soldiers on a mission. Together, the trio moved through the glittering crowd with an intensity that felt almost cinematic—like a battalion preparing to claim what was theirs.
With every step he took, Nick’s heartbeat quickened, his eyes locked on Georgia. She hadn’t noticed him yet, too caught up in exchanging polite greetings with the guests Vicky introduced her to.
But the moment her gaze finally found his, Georgia froze. Her breathing faltered, and for a split second, the world around them blurred into nothingness.
Laughter, chatter, the clinking of glasses—all of it disappeared. There was no one else. Just Nick. Just Georgia. Their eyes stared at each other, threaded with tenderness and an ache of feelings deeper than the oceans. Their heartbeat cuts through the noise of the grand hall.
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Thank you for the Golden Ticket KATHLEEN_COLL!