"Do you know him? He’s the president of ’Skytop’ Group... He’s even more handsome than people say, absolutely captivating..."
After a brief gaze, Rebecca Quentin slowly withdrew her eyes, bowing her head and laughing awkwardly.
It had been a while since her divorce from Howard Geoffrey, and aside from Roger Leonard, there didn’t seem to be anyone who truly recognized her as Howard Geoffrey’s ex-wife.
She had been puzzled at first, but after some thought, it seemed quite normal. Her short, two-year marriage with Howard Geoffrey hadn’t afforded them many opportunities to appear in the news together. Besides, many people had said she wasn’t good enough for him. Since she wasn’t as stunning as Christine Quinn, she likely hadn’t left much of an impression on anyone. This was especially true now that she had gone from being a T City debutante to a woman struggling to make a living. Even if their names were identical, no one would likely connect her to Howard Geoffrey.
Her coworker daydreamed, "If I could spend a night with him, my life would be complete..."
Rebecca Quentin joked, "He’s already engaged. You should give up on that idea and cherish the man you have!"
Her coworker suddenly turned her head and asked seriously, "There were rumors a long time ago that he wasn’t very good... in that department. I bet it’s just gossip, spread by malicious people!"
Rebecca Quentin frowned, "What?"
Her coworker giggled, "I’m talking about *that* aspect..."
OMG, what are these girls thinking these days? She had unwittingly been caught in the crossfire.
But thinking about it, she had been pretty "malicious" herself back when she was with him...
She remembered how he used to exhaust her to the point of complete disorientation; she often didn’t even know when he had carried her to bed. The thing was, the next day her entire body would be unbearably sore and aching. One time, she actually slept for an entire day...
Ugh, why was she thinking about these things...
Thankfully, the dim lighting hid her flushed face. Flustered, she blurted out, "Oh dear, if the supervisor finds out we’re slacking off and chatting, we’ll definitely get an earful!"
Her coworker slapped her forehead, "Oh no! I almost forgot I have to go announce the guest list over there. I’m leaving..."
The young woman, holding her skirt, practically skipped out of Rebecca Quentin’s line of sight. Rebecca Quentin couldn’t help but shake her head. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Howard Geoffrey was no longer where he’d been standing, but she didn’t try to track his movements. Instead, she immersed herself once again in the work before her.
「The main characters had arrived, and the gala began in earnest.」
A government representative stood on the temporary stage, speaking eloquently about the government’s far-sighted vision for the project. This was followed by the announcement of the group that had won the bid.
For some reason, as the official made the announcement, her heart inexplicably tightened. She strained her ears, her breathing slowing as she listened intently.
"I will now announce that this time, the government’s project will be undertaken by the ’Oversky’ Group..."
Her heart lurched, and Rebecca Quentin’s hand trembled. In that instant, the champagne tower beside her collapsed.
The harsh sound of the collapsing champagne tower instantly cut off the official’s speech, drawing everyone’s attention.
The government official was visibly displeased, his brow tightly furrowed.
The hotel manager immediately rushed over to their supervisor, gesticulating and berating her...
Rebecca Quentin was momentarily flustered and unsure what to do. Instinctively, she glanced up, wanting to see everyone’s reaction, but her eyes accidentally met Howard Geoffrey’s gaze as he looked in her direction.
In that fleeting second of eye contact, she instantly sensed that Howard Geoffrey recognized her. But she had no time to dwell on it; she immediately crouched down and began picking up the glass shards from the floor.
With the help of several colleagues and hotel waiters present, the minor disturbance was quickly managed. Just as Rebecca Quentin was about to go to the kitchen to wash her hands, she heard the government official announce anew— "This time, the government project will be jointly constructed by the ’Skytop’ Group, with the ’Oversky’ Group providing assistance..."
At this moment, Rebecca Quentin was filled with such profound regret it felt like her insides were turning green; she loathed herself for her pathetic lack of composure. In truth, she didn’t genuinely care about the project’s outcome; perhaps it was just some lingering feelings deep down that hadn’t completely faded.
「Just outside the kitchen, Rebecca Quentin stood with her head bowed, enduring a tirade from Eleanor, the supervisor assigned by their company.」
"Do you have any idea how important this occasion is? Even government officials are treating today’s guests with the utmost care, yet you dared to cause such a huge disturbance! If I didn’t know Isabella was the one who recommended you, I’d throw you out this instant!"