Chapter 128

Camille sat quietly beside Graham.

He was still engrossed in conversation with Marianne, not once glancing her way.

She turned slightly toward Gabriel. "I appreciate this, Gabriel."

Marianne's mood had visibly lifted since Graham's arrival.

"No thanks necessary." Gabriel shrugged. "Mr. Bellamy simply responded about that project proposal you drafted recently. When I mentioned this event, he insisted on coming. Really, you should be thanking your own brilliant mind."

Before Camille could respond, someone mentioned Damien's name.

Her breath caught as she turned toward the entrance.

All eyes followed Damien's confident stride toward Marianne. "Happy birthday."

He presented an elegant gift box. "In case the first gift didn't suit your taste, I brought an alternative. I hope this one pleases you."

Marianne hadn't expected Damien's attendance.

His presence brought no joy.

While the Lancasters were shameless, without Damien's backing, they'd never dare act so boldly in Lucerne.

With perfect social grace, Marianne accepted the gift. "How thoughtful," she said coolly before instructing a waiter, "Please set another place at the table."

Damien remained unfazed by her chill. Noticing Graham, he nodded. "Mr. Bellamy."

Graham returned the brief acknowledgment.

When Damien's gaze met Camille's, he held it deliberately. He directed staff to place a chair between her and Graham before seating himself.

News of Graham's attendance at Marianne's birthday spread like wildfire.

Within minutes, it reached the Lancasters.

Their guests reacted with shock.

"The Hartwells have connections this powerful?"

"Is that Gabriel Ashcroft in the photo? And the stunning woman beside him is actually Owen Hartwell's niece? He's never mentioned her before. This explains everything."

"What do you mean?"

"They attended the tech expo together recently. Clearly something's developing between them."

The Ashcroft family's prestige combined with NovaSight Labs's success made Gabriel a rising star under Graham's mentorship.

If Owen's niece and Gabriel became involved, the Hartwells' influence would skyrocket.

Neither the Lancasters nor Hartwells anticipated Graham's appearance at Marianne's celebration.

Watching guests reassess the Hartwells' standing due to Gabriel and Graham's presence, the Lancasters couldn't mask their displeasure.

Giselle, uninformed about tech circles, knew Selene sought mentorship but hadn't bothered learning the name.

"Is Graham Bellamy important? Why the fuss?" she asked.

Selene answered flatly, "He's a globally renowned AI pioneer who advises governments. My ideal mentor."

Giselle gaped. "That's... impressive."

After a pause, she added, "So this is why Uncle Malcolm was furious with Camille for costing you that meeting?"