Chapter 4
The banquet was bustling, full of clinking glasses and lively chatter.
I sat in the dessert area, watching Julian, with a faint smile, chat with the playful Seraphina and other guests.
After watching for a while, I suddenly felt suffocated. I grabbed a glass of juice and went to the outdoor gazebo for some fresh air.
Outside, the moonlight poured down like liquid silver, and a faint floral scent hung in the air. I leaned against a pillar, gazing up at the moon.
The way Julian looked at Seraphina was ardent, a look none of his mistresses had ever received.
It was almost time to leave.
I turned my head to look at the wall.
Through the wall, I saw Julian’s smiling face—a blessing I had never received.
Suddenly, a man emerged from the shadows and stood before me. “Beautiful lady, all alone?”
The man leaned in, his warm breath almost brushing my face. “May I buy you a drink?”
I frowned, subtly stepping back two paces. “No, thank you. I don’t really drink.”
“That’s odd,” the man scratched his head. “Aren’t you the one who’s always so good at drinking on behalf of Julian Davies? How can you not drink now? Are you refusing to give me face?”
Hearing that he knew my background, I didn’t dare refuse outright. I simply raised my glass, my smile flawless. “It’s a special occasion, sir. I hope you understand. Perhaps another time?”
“Alright,” the man stepped out of the shadows, revealing a face five parts similar to Seraphina’s. “You’re interesting, Chloe. Let’s arrange something for next time.”
He pulled out his phone to open a QR code, casually bringing up another matter. “But I wonder, your boss wouldn’t be mad if I asked you out, would he? A man and a woman, alone together, it might not look good.”
“He wouldn’t.” I obediently scanned his SnapChat code and explained softly, “Mr. Davies is just my boss. He doesn’t interfere with my private time.”
Seeing the relaxed expression on his face, I knew my answer had satisfied them.
I saw Seraphina in the distance, holding a drink and raising an eyebrow at me, her face exuding the air of a victor. Julian was draped his coat over Seraphina, adjusting her collar, without sparing me a glance.
After the banquet, sitting in the car on the way back, Julian calmly said, “Well done.”
“Mm.” I looked down at the back of my hand, silently calculating how much longer I could stay with Julian. “I’ll be careful to maintain my boundaries with you, Mr. Davies.”
That night, he didn’t give me a farewell kiss, nor did he walk me up. He simply told me to start contacting wedding planners.
Watching Julian’s car drive away, my knees buckled, and I crumpled to the ground. I stared blankly at the asphalt, not crying, not sad, just feeling all emotions stripped from my body, leaving only an empty shell.
It took me a week to sell off all the jewelry, apartments, and the car Julian had given me.
During that same week, the news of Davies Corp. and Hayes Group’s impending union spread like wildfire.