Chapter 57: A Gift Beyond Measure

The atmosphere remained tense, but Ethan had done his part—Chris's identity remained hidden.

To the guests, he was still just a hardworking young man, lucky enough to win the favor of the Huntingtons.

And then—

Ethan pulled out a small, elegantly wrapped box and handed it to Skylar's father, Jonathan Huntington.

"A small token to celebrate the occasion," Ethan said smoothly.

Jonathan took the box with a polite smile, but his fingers trembled slightly. He wasn't foolish. A gift from Ethan Vaughn, the Chairman of Blackwood, was never just a gift.

Guests leaned in, curiosity lighting their faces.

Jonathan carefully unwrapped the box, revealing a sleek, black velvet case.

When he opened it—

The room gasped.

Inside lay a set of keys—platinum, engraved with intricate designs, alongside a stack of pristine, official documents bearing the Blackwood seal.

A private island.

Fully developed, equipped with state-of-the-art luxury resorts, a personal airstrip, and a fleet of private yachts.

The kind of gift that even billionaires only dreamed of.

Silence stretched across the ballroom.

Jonathan blinked, struggling for words. Even Skylar was frozen in shock.

Ethan smirked slightly. "A little getaway for the young couple. Compliments of Blackwood."

Murmurs erupted.

"A whole island?"

"Blackwood property…? That's insane."

"This is beyond wealth—this is power."

Skylar's father quickly masked his shock, forcing a grateful smile. "This… this is incredibly generous, Chairman Vaughn."

Ethan waved off the thanks. "Chris is a good kid. Hardworking. I figured he and Skylar deserved something special."

Chris remained silent, his expression unreadable. He knew what Ethan was doing.

This wasn't just a gift.

It was a statement.

A move to cement Chris's place—without revealing the truth of who he really was.

Skylar finally turned to Chris, her heart racing. "Did you… know about this?"

Chris simply smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Surprised?"

Skylar stared at him, emotions warring in her eyes.

More than surprised—she was beginning to realize that nothing about Chris was ordinary.

And if he could receive a gift like this?

Then she had

 barely scratched the surface of the man she was about to marry.