The Show Begins

Twenty minutes later, we heard the expected knock on the door, a knock that sounded anything but friendly. I quickly lay down on the sofa in the living room while the man who brought me here dried his wet hair as he went to answer the door.

As the door opened, an enraged Sean barged in, with a gloating Anna trailing behind him. I deliberately appeared startled, sitting up quickly and looking at Sean in surprise. "You... why are you here?" I asked.

Sean's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at me and roared, "If I hadn't come, would I be seeing this?"

Confused, I looked at the furious Sean, wondering why he seemed to care so much. Wasn't he planning to kill me? Why was he this angry? Such good acting—I could only assume this was an act.

My dazed expression must have been mistaken for fear.

"Chloe, do you really have a death wish?" Sean shouted, pointing at the man who was still drying his hair. "Tell me, who is he? What are you two planning?"

Anna, who had entered with a smirk, crossed her arms and seemed eager to watch the drama unfold.

"Sir, this is not a place for your outburst!" The man raised his arm to block Sean. "Please leave immediately!"

Blinded by rage, Sean swung his fist, but the man dodged easily, causing Sean to stumble forward. I let out a startled scream.

At that moment, several people rushed out from the adjoining room of the suite. Leading them was Gabriella, the wife of the business director. Behind her stood a line of elegantly dressed women, including the pregnant Autumn, who was cradling her belly and observing the scene.

The scene was jarring: on one side, stunningly beautiful and fragrant women; on the other, a man with bulging eyes, looking utterly disheveled.

"What's going on here? What is this about?" Gabriella demanded, her authoritative voice cutting through the tension. She seemed to recognize Sean and asked in confusion, "Isn't this Mr. Deng? What's happening here?"

I quickly stood up, gesturing apologetically and grabbing Sean's arm. "Gabby, I'm so sorry! I—" I began.

Autumn, never missing a chance to stir trouble, interjected, "Judging by Mr. Deng's demeanor, could it be that he's here to catch someone in the act? Why did he come in swinging?"

All eyes turned to Sean, filled with ridicule.

Inara, unable to resist, chimed in, "What's this all about, Sean? Are you really here to catch someone? Your wife's too frail to be doing anything strenuous. If she could, she wouldn't be sitting here; she'd be lying down. You need to trust her more!"

I feigned distress and waved my hands, urgently trying to defend Sean, playing the part of the dutiful wife. "Inara, stop it. Sean didn't mean that… he..."

Sean seemed to come to his senses as I tugged on him. Realizing he was the center of attention, his face turned crimson with embarrassment. He looked at me, searching for an excuse. "You... what are you...?"

Gabriella's expression darkened, but she spoke up. "I invited some friends here today to have some fun. Since Chloe recently recovered, I thought she could use some fresh air and company, so I had my driver pick her up."

Her explanation was reasonable, but she cast a displeased glance at Sean. "Mr. Deng, you seem rather unhappy about this."

Sean quickly plastered on a fawning smile. "Gabby, not at all. I had no idea you were here for a gathering. It's a misunderstanding. I'm glad Chloe could join you all. She's been cooped up at home for too long. I've always encouraged her to get out and socialize more. This is just a big misunderstanding!"

His quick change of demeanor was impressive, and his charming smile could make even the dead sit up. But Gabriella wasn't easily swayed. Her face remained stern, clearly upset at the disruption.

In NorthSea City's business circles, no one dared offend Gabriella. She was like a patron saint of wealth. Many would do anything to get close to her. Sean, having taken over Danfeng, was no exception. He had exploited all the resources at my disposal, but he still feared Gabriella. Despite his sycophantic attempts, her aloofness meant his efforts often fell flat.

Gabriella, still visibly displeased, finally spoke up again. "Today's not just for fun. There's a significant business matter too—a provincial entrepreneurs' networking event with international connections. When Chloe heard about it, she saw it as a great opportunity. She's mentioned it to me several times. If your equipment gets an overseas market, it could soar. Considering my relationship with Inara, I planned to give Chloe an invitation since spots are limited. I didn't expect this mess."

Turning to the man with wet hair, Gabriella's tone grew sharper. "Chen, have you fixed it? Why are you still wet? It's disgraceful!"

Her words were a clear rebuke, aimed indirectly at Sean. The room fell silent, the tension palpable. In business, no one dared cross Gabriella. Her influence could surpass even that of the business director.

Sean's face changed colors, from pale to purple to green. He looked at the man suspiciously. The scene upon entering had indeed seemed ambiguous.

Sensing Sean's doubts, Gabriella pointed at the damp man. "Mr. Deng, this is my driver and bodyguard, Chen."

She turned back to Sean, speaking coolly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Deng. I was worried Chloe might not be up to driving, so I sent Chen to fetch her. I apologize for the misunderstanding and the trouble it caused."

Gabriella's firm tone left no room for argument. The situation had spiraled into a public embarrassment for Sean, orchestrated perfectly.