(Chapter 66) A Surprise

"Miss Borjan, how was the auction?" Astrid was now looking at Lewis's cold face with her own emotionless gaze.

"It was fine, I expected more from the Guilliano family." Astrid spoke her true thoughts. Making some of the men in their vicinity freeze.

'Does she want to die? Is she hoping for her entire family to be blacklisted!?' The businessmen couldn't help but feel bad for this girl who seemed to be too headstrong...

But to everyone's surprise. Lewis didn't react strongly. He nodded instead. "We do have more items for auction. But that is for next year, the idea of these auctions aren't just buying things you take fancy to." Lewis seemed to have... told off the woman?

Astrid just tutted. "Didn't I say you had loads of women lining up for you? Who would you choose from the options available here tonight?" Astrid then asked a question that made the girl's ears perk up.

Clearly this woman and Lewis had a connection to each other. They weren't lovers based on the cold looks they gave each other, so maybe partners? Or even family? But they hadn't heard of such a beautiful woman Astrid's age in the Guilliano family. Only a few that were a bit older...

Lewis inwardly felt like grinding Astrid into pieces. 'Oi! Clearly it's you! Look at all of these vultures, they only care about my name and money. At least I could have a conversation with you and not want to drink mouthwash afterward.' He was upset, only he knew how badly he wanted to shout 'You!' Outloud but couldn't...

Lewis seemed to take his time to think. Making all of the girls inwardly sweat and fiddle around. Astrid kept her gazes on those girls and her expression seemed to have darkened?

"A gentleman wouldn't have the heart to hurt any of those beautiful women. So I won't be able to answer that question with a smile." Lewis replied, thinking he had understood Astrid's subtle change in expression.

Astrid looked like she ate shit. "Revolting." She then turned and took another glass of wine.

After this conversation. Not only did the other girls feel like they fell in love with Lewis even more. But they had their new public enemy number one...

Hearing Astrid, Lewis was left a little surprised, did he misunderstand her expression. He thought she didn't like the idea of him being envied by many women, so he went to make her jealous.

'So that approach doesn't work, I should ask Viviano how he pursued his wife.' Lewis was now in no mood to entertain anyone. Luckily for him, most of the important guests had already talked to him.

Most of the businessmen were the richest in Europe for a reason, so they noticed Lewis talking to that stunning woman they all had spotted, but only thought she was a date to someone. But maybe they misunderstood, she seemed to be someone who was invited based on merit of her own...

So they all decided to try and approach Astrid for their own benefits. "Miss... Borjan was it?" A gentleman with a greying goatee and sharp eyes also introduced himself.

That shocked a lot of the guests that didn't see the exchange with Astrid and Lewis. 'What is Mr. Bagna talking to that woman for?' They couldn't believe it, the man who controls most of the car market was talking to a date?

"Mm, it's an honor to meet you Mr. Bagna." Astrid didn't bow, didn't curtsy, she looked into his eyes head-on.

The people all kept their breaths in their mouths. She was rude. Extremely rude. Mr. Bagna could ruin her for being so rude. But they were stunned when Mr. Bagna didn't seem insulted... Or didn't even seem surprised?

"I guess so. So will you be coming back to England any time soon?" Mr. Bagna gave an elderly smile at the woman he honestly respected.

He first saw her almost 3 years ago. She was the same as she was now. She didn't bow to him at his own birthday party! He did feel insulted at first, but then he continued to hear the company that this woman controlled in the news.

He then decided to get on her good side, the people who cared about business touted the CEO behind the many companies this woman controlled to be 'geniuses' 'one of a kind' So his reaction when Astrid had turned up to his company as the President of not only Auxil and Hanxi, but also at the time, 7 other companies that were rising rapidly in the European market.

How could he believe it at first? No sane person would believe that a teenage woman had done so much in such a short space of time. But she slapped his face many times. As the CEOs or Vice Presidents of those rising companies, all respectfully called her boss.

He then realized that Astrid was not a one-in-a-million genius. No, she could manipulate people, the stock market, she knew how to bargain deals in her favor while also making it impossible for the other to refuse. She could make crazy portfolios that made even him bow down to her. She was a once-in-a-lifetime genius. One even he decided to respect.

"I'll think about it. I'm quite busy you see? I don't need to hold their hands to do everything." Astrid swirled the wine in her glass. She felt that this wine was affecting her quite a bit tonight. Her eyesight was slightly blurry.

Mr. Bagna lightly chuckled. "I see, that's quite the shame." He then remembered that every time he spotted her tonight, she had a wine glass in her hand...

"I won't keep you for long, I hope you got what you wanted from tonight." Mr. Bagna then moved his focus elsewhere, he had done what he wanted tonight now...

Now other businessmen wanted to go up and speak to Astrid. But Astrid didn't give them much small talk, she just left them with Stephan or Wu's numbers based on what they were involved in.

Astrid felt quite liberated when the banquet was officially finished, she left quietly and entered her car a few streets away.

She went inside the glovebox and immediately took out a packet of cigarettes, she lit one and puffed away on it in thought.

After smoking 2, she started the engine of her car, driving into the night...