You Looked Down on Me Once, Now You Look Up. novel Chapter 482

482 /577

Emerson drummed his fingers on the stainless steel railing. “There’s a business cocktail party tonight. You’ll be going with your dad.”

Business was all about connections. By now, Tina and Emerson had reached that stage where they weren’t just networking with the people they needed, but also dealing with plenty hoping to climb the ladder by cozying up to them.

One of the old CEOs in Riverdale had just bought himself a fancy estate. He spent his days raising horses and growing grapes, living that half-retired, half-lavish lifestyle everyone envied. With his reputation, he got along with most of the city’s big shots. So he decided to throw a private party.

Out in the garden, chefs were grilling steak and lamb. Inside, the music played softly. A bunch of men in their fifties and sixties hung out, talking politics and current events. Some brought their kids, hoping they’d get a taste of the “real world.” The whole place buzzed with compliments and introductions, everyone eager to show off their connections. After all, these empires were built for their kids to inherit.

Emerson wasn’t any different.

As the wine flowed and conversations heated up, a woman laughed and teased, “Whoever marries Ruby is seriously lucky. Mr. Martin only has one daughter—everyone knows how rare that is in our circle. Only daughters are practically gold.”

People chimed in right away, agreeing.

Emerson, hearing that, couldn’t help but picture Ruby’s sweet, innocent face.

While everyone was busy complimenting her, Ruby slipped her arm through Emerson’s and smiled. “Everyone says my dad spoils me. I guess I just lucked out with the family lottery.”

Someone from the media crowd pulled out his phone, pretending to be casual. “Come on, let me get a photo. Gotta dig up some news for the company, right?”

Emerson started to lift his hand to stop him, but Ruby tightened her grip on his arm, holding him back. The photo was snapped anyway.

And just like that, Tina—who’d been waiting for this—made her move. Within hours, that photo was everywhere.

By the next morning, everyone knew Ruby Martin was Emerson Martin’s one and only daughter. Headlines screamed: Billionaire Heiress! Only Daughter of the Martin Group, Spoiled and Beloved.