From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 267: Honor Seat

Sweeping her gaze across the private dining lounge, Riley instantly recognized familiar faces—top executives partnering on the Cedar Creek Project, alongside senior municipal officials in charge of urban construction planning.

At the center of the crowd, Aiden sat surrounded by others, chatting and laughing with effortless poise.

Yet all eyes drifted inevitably to the most prominent spot in the room: the honor seat directly facing the entrance, reserved for the guest of highest status, sat empty and untouched.

A sudden, unprompted flutter stirred in Riley's chest.

In elite circles of this caliber, only one man held enough prestige to make someone as influential as Aiden willingly step aside and yield the head seat.

The thought had barely settled in her mind when Aiden rose to his feet, his tone warm and resonant as he addressed the entire room, "Everyone, I've got some wonderful news. Mr. Torres will grace us with his presence tonight, squeezing time out of his packed schedule to join our gathering."

A hushed ripple of shock swept across every guest at the table.

Riley's breath caught short.

She had never shared a formal public dinner with Sebastian amid such a crowded, watchful crowd.

Their secret relationship was the one thing she guarded above all else.

Her fingers drifted to her phone instinctively; she was tempted to send a message to warn him or ask what lay behind this sudden appearance.

At that very moment, a subtle shift in Sophia's demeanor caught her peripheral vision.

A flush rose unbidden across Sophia's cheeks.

Her hands twisted nervously together in front of her torso, her gaze locked rigidly on the lounge door—so intense it seemed capable of burning through the wooden frame entirely.

Old office gossip flitted back to Riley's mind, unconfirmed rumors claiming Sebastian paid far more attention to Sophia than to other colleagues.

What baffled her most was Lucas standing plain in sight. How could Sophia harbor such inappropriate longing for another man right in front of Lucas?

The lounge door swung open calmly from the outside soon after.

A tall, statuesque figure stepped over the threshold, carrying an intimidating aura that saturated the entire room in an instant.

With his tall frame clad in a tailored black suit and his features chiseled like a masterpiece, he stood cold and aristocratic, casting every other male guest into the shade.

Silence descended instantly. Every pair of eyes in the room gravitated toward him without restraint.

Sebastian's gaze drifted casually over the assembly, lingering for the briefest moment on Riley's carefully composed expression before sliding away.

With long, unhurried strides, he walked past the respectful crowd and settled into the vacant honor seat with quiet, unassailable composure.

Aiden began the round of introductions amid polite murmurs and nods from the guests.

His gaze paused deliberately when it fell on Riley, his smile taking on a subtle, knowing undertone. "Mr. Torres, allow me to introduce Ms. Riley Harper.

"She is a core elite of the Ashford Group, the key driving force behind resolving the holdout disputes for the Cedar Creek Project—and also Mrs. Ashford. With your endless professional commitments, I doubt your paths have crossed formally before now."

Riley saw straight through Aiden's deliberate ploy.

He had witnessed her private conversation with Sebastian once, yet now pretended they were strangers, plainly testing Sebastian's attitude in full view of everyone.

Lifting her gaze gently, Riley met Sebastian's calm, unfathomable eyes.

No extra emotion crossed his stoic features; he merely inclined his head faintly toward her.

"Ms. Harper's reputation precedes you. I've long heard your project proposals are meticulously crafted and exceptionally well-executed."

Though Riley understood his need for discretion, his flawless performance as a stranger stoked a faint twinge of disappointment within her.

She lowered her lashes, returning a perfectly conventional smile. "You overpraise me, Mr. Torres. All achievements stem from collective teamwork."

Their hollow, formal exchange sparked a flicker of understanding in Aiden's eyes.

Just as Aiden prepared to steer the dinner back into full swing, Lucas' phone rang.

A quick glance at the caller ID revealed Jeremy's kindergarten teacher.

Sophia had messaged him earlier to remind him of a scheduled evening parent-teacher call, and fate had chosen this exact awkward moment for it to come through.

A look of mild regret crossed Lucas' face. He offered the room an apologetic smile and rose to his feet. "My apologies to everyone. An urgent personal matter requires my attention; I'll step outside to take this call."

Parent-teacher consultations always ran long, certain to last no less than half an hour.

The second Lucas stepped out of the lounge, Sophia seized the perfect opening without hesitation.

She pressed a hand lightly to her forehead, putting on a delicate, unwell demeanor.

"Oh dear... the air vent blows straight toward me. The draft is giving me a splitting headache."

A middle-aged guest beside her spoke up at once with genuine concern. "Are you feeling unwell, Ms. Myers? Shall we adjust the thermostat?"

"There's no need to trouble yourselves, thank you." Sophia offered him a grateful smile, her gaze drifting subtly toward the seat beside Sebastian.

Turning to the gentleman seated next to him, she wore a soft, winsome expression and made a gentle request. "Would you mind if I swap seats with you? I simply can't bear the direct draft from the vent."