Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 283: Blood and red—there’s always a difference

The second floor was reserved for VIPs, specifically arranged by the host of the event. Anyone who could enter this area was either of equal status to Alice or, in some cases, the host themselves.

Alice, hearing someone greet her, turned around with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, though she kept her patience in check as she did so.

If it had been some random rich kid daring to speak to her like that, her first move would’ve been to cut out his tongue. But the person approaching clearly didn’t fall into that category.

“Miss Nella?”

Ryan followed Alice’s gaze and saw a young woman, around Alice’s age, walking gracefully toward them.

In contrast to Alice’s deep blue attire, the girl was dressed in a red gown, styled like a cheongsam. The slit in the skirt was modest, but the glimpse of her pale skin was enough to captivate anyone.

Her features were delicate, with a well-defined nose and a long neck, though she kept her head slightly bowed, like a swan holding back its elegance.

Her eyes, somewhere between black and brown, had a marble-like quality—subtle, yet full of depth.

Meeting Alice’s scrutinizing gaze, the girl calmly adjusted her dress and offered a flawless smile—one that left no room for criticism.

She wasn’t overly humble, nor was she arrogant. While her presence didn’t carry the same sharpness as Alice’s, she was clearly someone who could hold her own.

Compared to Alice’s distinctly Eastern features, the most striking thing about this girl was her long, silver hair, neatly pinned up in a way that exuded both elegance and intelligence. Alice had never seen anyone who suited silver hair so well.

But this also raised a question—this wasn’t a common hair color in their country.

The girl, whom Ryan had called “Miss Nella,” covered her mouth and smiled softly at Alice, then nodded naturally.

Alice had to dig deep into her memory to recall the name, but the girl didn’t seem to mind. This was their first formal meeting, and whatever had happened before didn’t really matter.

“My name is Nella Langston, Miss Alice. We met just a few days ago.”

Nella took a few steps forward, extending her right hand toward Alice with a calm and composed demeanor, introducing herself.

Her gaze briefly flickered toward Ryan, but only for a second before she looked away.

Yet, in that fleeting moment, Ryan’s heart was thrown into turmoil.

It’s her, isn’t it? It has to be her!

That silver hair, those eyes—they were exactly like the person he remembered. Though her appearance had changed over the years, and she had grown into a beautiful young woman, Ryan knew the moment he saw her that this was the same girl.

“Alice…”

Alice had no idea what Nella was thinking as she extended her hand. Their worlds didn’t overlap much, and someone of Nella’s status didn’t need to go out of her way to curry favor with her.

But appearances had to be maintained. Alice didn’t bother removing her glove, simply extending her right hand to shake Nella’s lightly.

Nella Langston, the third daughter of the Langston family. It was said she had spent most of her life studying abroad and had only recently returned to start managing the family business.

If Alice’s gang was just starting to dip its toes into legitimate business, the Langston family was undoubtedly the city’s commercial powerhouse.

The city had grown around two industries: shipping and mining. The Langston family had been a giant in shipping since the beginning, and over the decades, their business had expanded into healthcare, real estate, new media, and entertainment. Their heirs were as dazzling as pearls.

There were rumors that the third daughter’s bloodline wasn’t pure, that she wasn’t a true member of the Langston family. But that was just gossip, and Alice didn’t care about such things.

The only reason she knew any of this was simple: today’s event was hosted by the head of the Langston family.

“How’s the old man doing?”

After a brief handshake, Alice’s attention shifted back to Ryan. Ever since Nella had appeared, Ryan had been acting strangely.

Alice gently squeezed Ryan’s hand, and sure enough, his palm was damp with sweat. Clearly, he wasn’t his usual calm self.

Her gaze flicked between Nella and Ryan, her brow furrowing slightly. Nella was attractive, sure, but Ryan wasn’t the type to be swayed by looks.

Besides, his current state wasn’t one of excitement—it was more like nervousness or fear. Did Ryan know Nella? Otherwise, why would he be acting like this?

“Grandfather’s health is still strong,” Nella replied smoothly. “He often tells us younger ones to spend more time with Miss Alice. Even learning just a little from you would be a great benefit.”

Alice’s gaze sharpened after noticing Ryan’s change in demeanor, her eyes now piercing Nella like daggers.

This hostility had no clear reason—it was just instinct. Nella had only recently returned from abroad, and Ryan had been by Alice’s side the whole time. There was no way they could’ve met before.

But Alice didn’t need a reason to be hostile. She could do as she pleased. She was the boss of a powerful gang, and even the head of the Langston family would have to show her respect.

Nella, however, seemed completely unfazed by Alice’s increasingly sharp gaze, continuing to flatter her as if nothing had changed.

“Grandfather mentioned that after the banquet, he’d like to have a brief chat with Miss Alice. It seems you’ve encountered some trouble recently, something involving the legitimate business world. Our Langston family might be able to help.”

Nella said this casually, not really concerned with Alice’s response. The answer was obvious—if Alice wasn’t interested, she wouldn’t have bothered showing up tonight. So, of course, she’d accept.

“Hmm…”

Alice stroked her chin thoughtfully, pulling Ryan closer to her, as if testing something, before speaking in a slightly abrupt tone.

“The man standing next to me is Ryan, my assistant and boyfriend. The issue we’re dealing with is actually aimed at him.”

“I’ll be bringing him along when we meet with your grandfather later. Please inform him in advance, Miss Nella.”

From the moment Nella appeared, Ryan had been avoiding her gaze. He was about 80% sure that the person in front of him wasn’t Nella at all, but Bella—the girl he had grown up with in the orphanage.

But the way this woman carried herself was so different from the Bella he remembered. Bella had been a carefree, innocent child, someone Ryan could easily read. The person standing before him now was a mystery.

Bella had always been sensitive and prone to tears. In the orphanage, she was often bullied because of her long, silver hair, and Ryan had always been the one to stand up for her.

Bella had hated her hair, even talking about pulling it out more than once. But the woman in front of him seemed completely at ease with her appearance, as if her silver hair was a gift from the heavens, something to be proud of.

Hearing Alice’s words, Ryan instinctively frowned, but before he could react, Alice gave him a sharp pinch at his waist, a clear warning.

So what if it was Bella? And what if it wasn’t? As Ryan had thought earlier, a few years was more than enough time to change her—and him.

For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Ryan didn’t argue. Instead, he followed Alice’s lead and greeted Nella with a friendly nod.

If she wasn’t Bella, then fine. But if she was, Ryan had no desire to stir up the past. What was done was done.

“Miss Nella…”

“Hello, Mr. Ryan.”

After that, there was a two-second silence. In most situations, it wouldn’t have mattered, but here, those two seconds felt loaded with meaning.

Alice’s sharp gaze bore into Nella, but Nella’s expression remained calm. After greeting Ryan, she didn’t say anything more.

“I’ll mention this to Grandfather,” Nella said, her tone steady. “It’s really a small matter, Miss Alice. You’re overthinking it.”

Her eyes flickered between Alice and Ryan, though they lingered on Ryan for a couple of seconds longer before she looked away.

Throughout the entire exchange, Nella’s expression didn’t change. She maintained a perfect balance, keeping just the right amount of distance for someone meeting strangers for the first time.

Alice, still stroking her chin, observed Nella’s reactions closely. So far, she hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.

But what pleased Alice more than anything was that Ryan hadn’t denied her words earlier.

However, perhaps no one noticed that after Nella left, the red carpet where she had been standing was slightly damp. The difference in color was subtle, but if you looked closely, you could tell.

Blood and red—there’s always a difference.

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