The Power Of The Powerless Gambler

Chapter 17: The Backfire

As the attendees began to pour into the opulent banquet hall, the atmosphere grew charged with an almost electric tension. The vast space, adorned with glittering chandeliers and luxurious drapes, seemed to shrink under the weight of the high-profile guests and their whispered conversations.

The arrival of the state president intensified the already palpable pressure. His entrance was marked by a wave of hushed murmurs and stares as everyone in the room acknowledged the gravity of his presence. And as the last distinguished guests settled into their seats, a heavy tension hung over the room. The attendees, from the glittering elite to the curious onlookers, could hardly contain their skepticism. The event was more than a mere charity auction; it had become a spectacle where every moment would be analyzed and every misstep magnified.

Whispers rippled through the crowd, punctuated by stifled laughs and dismissive shakes of the head.

"Can you believe it?" One attendee murmured to another, her voice dripping with disdain. "She used to work in a tavern. How could someone like that possibly manage an event of this magnitude?"

Another guest, adjusting his cufflinks, added with a smirk, "She's completely out of her mind. It's laughable that Zack Avere would leave this to his uneducated wife."

As the grand casino banquet unfolded, the TV screens around the venue flickered to life, broadcasting the event live on the largest social media platforms.

Streamers and commentators seized the opportunity to indulge in mockery. The top comment on the screen read: "Is this a joke? How is someone with no experience supposed to manage an event of this caliber?"

One prominent streamer, their face illuminated by the glow of their screen, commented with a smirk, "I can't believe Zack Avere left this to his wife. What a trainwreck!"

Amidst the murmurs of scorn and negative comments, the reception hall suddenly plunged into darkness, and a low-pitched humming filled the air, creating an anticipatory buzz among the guests. Then, the hall was bathed in the enchanting glow of holographic butterflies and fireflies drifting gracefully through the vast space. The audience marveled at the lifelike holograms of their favorite fantasy characters. The musical characters serenaded the crowd with cheerful tunes, their voices harmonizing in a magical chorus. As the animated figures sang, the butterflies metamorphosed into delicate fairies, and the fireflies transformed into tiny, colorful creatures with iridescent wings.

The stage underwent a breathtaking transformation, becoming a shimmering, mystical forest gateway. Through this portal, the holographic characters exited as the lights slowly returned to the hall. The large TV screens flickered to life, displaying a blue circle adorned with a red ladybug at its center.

As the holographic figures faded, one captivating character remained—a mesmerizing fairy in a revealing pale pink gown that accentuated her graceful curves. Her gown shimmered with every movement, and her pink hair was adorned with sparkling pink and gold crystal accessories. Her ethereal beauty was enchanting, captivating every gaze in the room. The camera focused intently on her, and the live broadcast comments section erupted with excitement and curiosity. Viewers flooded the chat with questions, eager to identify the striking fairy and speculate about the fantastical world from which she had emerged.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Yuna Collins Avere. Thank you all for coming to this charity event and for your support. On behalf of my husband, Zack Avere, I do apologize for his absence. He's deeply committed to this cause, and I hope you'll bear with me as we carry on with the evening."

She had a soothing quality that seemed to wrap around the audience, holding their attention effortlessly.

Gasps of disbelief filled the air as they slowly recognized that the captivating figure before them was Yuna Collins—the woman they had openly ridiculed.