The Princess and the Pauper

Chapter 1957

Thank goodness for live streaming.

The online crowd erupted in heated debate, with comments flying across the screen faster than the eye

could follow. Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

"Man, that girl is drop-dead gorgeous. 'A beauty beyond compare' is an understatement!"

"Does anyone know who she is? How did she get the five esteemed Collins boys and Romeo to bend

over backward for her, quite literally."

"Isn't that the necklace Shirley left for her granddaughter-in-law, and the one Mrs. McMillian passed

down to her daughter-in-law? Could she be Romeo's fiancée?"

"But if she's Romeo's fiancée, where does that leave Serena??"

"Such a grand event today, and no sign of Serena? Where is she?"

"Yeah, where did Serena go?"

"What on earth is going on? Could there have been a switch in fiancées?"

"No way! If there was a new fiancée, would both families be getting along like this?"

"To book an entire luxury hotel for the Collins family on New Year's Day so they can hold a press

conference shows the families are close. But why are all the Collins brothers and Romeo bending over

to lift this girl's dress? That gesture is a clear sign of deference!"

Everyone was baffled by the situation, and the buzz had already crashed several social media

platforms multiple times.

When the media on-site and the photographers snapped out of their daze, all they caught was their

retreating figures entering the hotel.

Flashes kept going off as all the reporters swarmed in pursuit, but they were a step too late.

Arabella, clad in an exquisite gown, entered the elevator, her elegant updo giving off an ethereal vibe,

as if she were a celestial being untouched by worldly matters. Romeo and her five brothers lifted her

gown's hem, escorting her into the elevator.

Outside the hotel, a parade of movers and shakers from various industries followed suit – some were

relatives and friends of the Collins family, others belonged to Louisa's side of the family, and then there

were Arabella's own friends and trusted associates.

Once everyone had arrived, the media was finally invited to the banquet hall. Unseen was the fairy-tale

world that unfolded before their eyes.

A vast canopy of twinkling stars, spheres from the Milky Way, and glittering stars served as blessings,

while luminescent, fluttering butterflies could be seen everywhere. An array of flowers combined to

create grand visuals, and swathes of white lights constructed a castle.

The scattered starlight and the lunar haze gave the illusion of stepping into the most beautiful, pure,

and romantic dreams of a young girl.

The media and photographers feverishly captured the scene.

The Collins family had outdone themselves, hosting two hundred tables for some sixteen hundred

guests – aside from the hundred-plus reporters and handful of photographers, everyone else was

connected to the Collins and McMillian families or to Arabella herself.

The lights dimmed, highlighting Kenneth and Louisa as they rose and walked down a luminescent path,

flanked by tables, towards the dreamlike circular stage at the far end, with the white castle and

fantastical stars as their backdrop.

Kenneth, visibly moved, took the microphone, his eyes surveying the gathered crowd.

"First off, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to

attend this press conference hosted by the Collins family. We invited you here today because we have

a major announcement to make."

Louisa stood poised on the stage, declaring, "I, Louisa, along with Kenneth, am thrilled to announce

that Arabella Collins, our daughter who was lost to us for eighteen years, was found and returned to us

six months ago."

With those words, the entire assembly was taken aback, and even the media didn't miss a beat,

snapping away at this explosive revelation.

They had a daughter who'd been lost?

When did this happen, and why was it only being announced now?

"Bella, come up here," Louisa beckoned with a loving smile, her eyes soft with maternal affection and

tenderness.

The spotlight found Arabella, her features as perfect as a painting, exuding an air of cool elegance and

an otherworldly charm that was both high-class and captivating.