Chapter 143: A man of means

Inside the grand hall of the naming ceremony, Cassandra's uncle paced back and forth, his eyes darting from one doorway to the next, then shifting to the tall windows that lined the walls.

His brow was furrowed with worry, his mind racing with a thousand questions. "Where is she?" he muttered under his breath, his fingers drumming anxiously against his thigh.

'She is supposed to have returned from wherever she had gone by now,' his mind raced. His unease grew with each passing second.

'Did she turn it down once again?' he wondered, a bitter feeling welling up inside him. 'Has she disgraced me by changing her mind?'

'It won't be funny if she tries to play games today.'

He took a deep, steadying breath, trying to push down the rising bitter feeling.

His eyes darted to the other guests, all of them elegantly dressed and engaged in conversations with one another.

Clenching his jaw, he forced himself to maintain a calm, collected demeanor.