THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.
Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Chapter 14

At that moment, when William’s words echoed through the grand hall, a heavy silence fell across the room.

The gentle background music faded into a distant hum in everyone’s ears. All eyes were wide, mouths slightly agape, and postures stiffened with disbelief.

"What did William just say?"

No one moved not even the waiters who had been walking through the aisles with silver trays. It was as if the whole room had been frozen in place by that single revelation.

The Victor family wasn’t giving out the mega contract tonight? They had not selected James yet?

And worse... the contract was still open for another month?

People began whispering among themselves in low, urgent tones, their voices heavy with confusion and disbelief.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. No this wasn’t how they heard about it.

For weeks, the city had been buzzing with rumors and headlines. "Victor Family Seeks New Partner Winner To Be Crowned At Upcoming Gala." The public had taken it as gospel that whoever won tonight’s Rising Business Guru Award would automatically walk away with not just recognition, but a multi-billion-dollar deal with one of the most powerful family in the city.

And James James had positioned himself as that man.

People had fought, bribed, and begged to get close to him. Over the past few days, his phone hadn’t stopped ringing. Influential businesspeople, socialites, politicians everyone was dying for a chance to be listed among his inner circle. Some had even offered their daughters or sisters for dinner meetings, hoping to build an alliance before the deal became official.

Even here at the event, James had walked in like a king.

He had been treated like royalty.

And yet... now? Now everything felt like an illusion that had just crumbled into dust.

At that moment more murmurs rippled through the crowd. Some guests looked at one another with raised brows. Some leaned close to whisper things like:

"Wait, so the deal isn’t even secured?"

"I thought James was already in. Wasn’t that the point of this whole award?"

"Could it be... we misjudged everything?"

Meanwhile, a few business tycoons who had spent the evening flattering James now slowly stepped away from his side.

Quietly, Cautiously, As if not to draw attention to the sudden shift in their allegiance.

Those who had loudly pledged partnerships with James just minutes ago began pretending they hadn’t even spoken to him. Some pulled out their phones, already drafting messages to other rising stars they had ignored in favor of James.

Others those who had confidently bet on James’s win now stood red-faced, rethinking their strategies entirely.

How could this happen? why hadn’t anyone seen this coming? all of them had believed that tonight would crown James as the next business juggernaut of the city. He was supposed to be untouchable after tonight. They thought the Victor family had already made their choice behind closed doors, and this entire ceremony was simply a formality.

Now... it seemed they had all jumped the gun.

They had all gambled everything connections, resources, influence on a man who was no more than a temporary front-runner.

And in business, nothing was more dangerous than betting too early.

The atmosphere changed entirely.

People started avoiding James’s gaze. Some who had greeted him with eager handshakes earlier now didn’t even glance in his direction. The weight of embarrassment and strategic miscalculation hung over their heads like a dark cloud.

Some even began subtly drifting toward the Victor family’s direction, hoping to reposition themselves. Hoping to fix the mistake before it was too late.

At that moment, the thick fog of disappointment settled hard across the entire hall.

But nowhere did it weigh heavier than on James.

He stood on the stage like a statue that had just been cracked from the inside. His fingers were still loosely curled around the edges of the award plaque, but it felt weightless now hollow, as if it meant nothing.

His expression was frozen at first. A faint smile still hung on his lips, the same one he had proudly worn moments ago when he delivered his speech. But now it was lifeless. His eyes once glimmering with confidence now darted in small, frantic movements as if trying to make sense of what he just heard.

’This couldn’t be happening.

This wasn’t what they said would happen.’

He swallowed hard, but the knot in his throat stayed. His jaw clenched tightly. His brows began to twitch as he fought to maintain his composure, but his chest was rising and falling a bit faster now.

In his head, James replayed the official announcement the same one that had circulated for weeks in newspapers, news outlets, and even on billboards.

"The Winner of the Rising Business Guru Award will receive exclusive partnership with the Victor Family and a contract worth billions."

It was everywhere. Every soul in that room had read it, heard it, believed it. Hell he had lived it, invested in it, planned his future on it.

And now William Victor—cool, confident, untouchable William was saying the contract was still open?

Like none of that mattered?

’No, no. This had to be something else.’

At that moment James forced his lips into a sarcastic smile.

He gave a soft chuckle that had no warmth in it. Just bitter disbelief.

"Wow..." he said, low but loud enough for those near the stage to hear.

Then he turned slowly, his sharp gaze searching the crowd as if expecting someone to jump out and say this was all a joke, but no one did.

He straightened his back and lifted his chin high, then turned his head toward William. "Is this because of what happened earlier?" he asked, his voice dripping with venom hidden under calm.

He didn’t wait for an answer.

Instead, he swung his hand to point toward Cora still standing coolly in her pristine dress, her arms relaxed and her eyes unshaken.

James sneered.

"Is it... because she showed her ugly face here, and disturb the ceremony?"

Gasps rippled across the hall like thunder.

James took one step forward on the stage, still holding the award in one hand and pointing with the other. His voice now rose just enough to carry his frustration.

"If this," he said, motioning toward Cora again, "is the reason for the sudden change, no problem at all."

He gave a dry laugh, twisted and strained.

"I’ll make amendment, of course. Easy ones."

His tone darkened as he added coldly, "And the first amendment will be kicking that fool out"