Chapter 23: Are You Polite?

Vivian had a small habit. No matter the level of the banquet or event, she always arrived half an hour early.

While familiarizing herself with the venue, she would also walk through every corner, preparing for any unexpected situations.

Today was no different.

However, her attention wasn't fully on the task at hand.

In the spacious, elegant banquet hall, she sat in a secluded corner, flipping through the guest list.

She stopped at the page with Daniel's name and found herself lost in thought, staring at it for quite some time.

That was until someone gave her a gentle push.

"What's wrong?"

The person in front of her was unfamiliar. The woman wore an earpiece, her hair tied up neatly, exuding a professional aura. She seemed to be part of the staff.

When she noticed Vivian looking up at her, her expression faltered slightly.

What a beautiful face.

Her brows were like distant mountains, eyes dark and crystal-clear like polished obsidian, shining with a mesmerizing light. Her skin was flawless and pale, serene as an immortal, and her aura was gentle yet elegant.

The woman couldn't help but admire silently—today's event was indeed top-tier. Even the waitress sitting in the corner was so stunning, almost like a fairy descended from heaven.

As much as the beauty was captivating, the work still had to be done.

She adjusted her earpiece, forcing herself to ignore the shock Vivian's beauty caused her, "What are you spacing out for? The guests are arriving one by one, and you still haven't served tea?"

Vivian pointed to herself with a finger. "Me?"

The noise in the earpiece grew louder, and the woman became more irritated, thinking that beautiful people were often useless.

She didn't even notice the host's badge that Vivian had pinned to her chest.

"Learn to pay attention," the woman said dismissively, pointing forward. "I shouldn't have to tell you everything!"

In any other setting, Vivian would have ignored her, but this was Rosewood Hotel, Emily's domain.

Besides, the woman wasn't entirely wrong. This event was important, and many influential figures from the city were attending. Vivian couldn't afford to be negligent.

It was just serving tea, after all. Vivian had done it countless times before.

She walked to the front row, tea pot in hand, filling the cups of the guests as she moved down the aisle. As she reached the center, she smiled and spoke.

"Would you like some more tea...?" The word tea was still on her tongue when her eyes met a pair of ones that were half-smiling, half-teasing.

"Wait, sis... is that you?!" Lawrence's voice was filled with surprise, and he almost blurted out without thinking. He was so used to being overly familiar.

He remembered Daniel's warning just in time and quickly corrected himself.

Daniel, hearing the commotion, looked up.

Their gazes locked for a split second, and Vivian felt her heart race.

It was the first domestic press conference for UX.Inc., so of course, Daniel would be there. What she didn't expect was for him to arrive so early.

At previous events, the more important the person, the later they would show up—usually the closing act.

But today, Daniel gave her a completely different impression.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his hair slicked back with a few strands left loose on the sides, and gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, he didn't just hide his handsomeness—in fact, it added a touch of scholarly charm.

A little bit of the "bad boy" vibe too.

As he looked up from the file he was reading, he casually pushed his glasses up with his index finger, his gaze lingering on her name tag for a brief moment.

Vivian didn't know how to respond.

Her smile slowly faded.

Without asking if he wanted more tea, she filled his cup anyway.

"Looks like the 300,000 you took from me emptied out your entire savings. Now you're here moonlighting?" Daniel's voice wasn't loud, but it was just audible enough for her to hear.

Vivian: Are you polite?

She couldn't shake the feeling that those glasses made him seem even more arrogant!

Vivian's face turned bright red, and she was furious.

As expected of him, he always knew how to hit her where it hurt.

"What's it to you?" she shot back, louder than usual, not caring if anyone was watching.

Lawrence didn't dare speak, quickly lowering his head and remaining silent.

Once the tea was served, she continued past Daniel, walking forward.

"Who pissed you off? You're really fiery today," Daniel said, standing up and easily grabbing her by the arm.

They stood side by side, but Vivian felt uncomfortable—to onlookers, it probably looked like they were flirting.

Daniel leaned down, saying something to her, and Vivian's face flushed with a mix of annoyance and something else—her eyes a blend of both affection and reproach.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice lower than before.

Vivian shot him a glance but didn't respond.

Daniel didn't wait for an answer. He took her hand and gently turned it over, inspecting it carefully, as if looking for injuries.

Her delicate hands, soft and smooth, felt like pure jade in his grip, making his heart soften.

With all these people around them, her hand in his, Vivian couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them.

"Let go of me." She pulled her hand, but his grip was firm.

Daniel ignored her protests. "You know, it must have taken hours to slash through all those clothes in your closet, didn't your hand hurt?"

"If you didn't like my clothes, just tell me. You didn't have to do it yourself. And you're still sick—don't strain yourself."

Vivian looked at him, confused. How could he not be angry that she had wrecked his place?

At that moment, she had been both impulsive and a bit hurt.

Daniel's gaze grew darker. "Vivi, when you get angry at me, it actually makes me happy."

…

So he was a masochist now?

Vivian quickly yanked her hand out of his grasp and ran off.

She even began to wonder if she had gone too far that day and upset Daniel so much that he was now talking nonsense.

The rest of the conference was a blur as Vivian pushed aside all her chaotic thoughts and focused solely on hosting. She did an excellent job, and the event went smoothly.

The applause was thunderous, and the press conference was a success.

However, throughout the entire event, Vivian couldn't shake the feeling that someone's eyes were glued to her.

She knew exactly who it was, but she dared not meet his gaze.

It felt like her whole body was paralyzed under his relentless stare.

The final segment of the event required her to take live questions from the audience, which would be displayed on the broadcast.

Vivian let out a quiet sigh of relief—at least the end was in sight.

But then, to her surprise, the live Q&A didn't require a large group.

The stage manager had set up a small table for just two people, with only enough room for them to sit side by side, facing the phone camera to answer questions.

Earlier on stage, she could have avoided him, but now, sitting so close, there was no escape.

"Miss Pruitt, please take a seat." Daniel, ever the gentleman, gestured with a courteous air.

But his eyes flashed with something darker, something predatory.

That look was enough to make her skin crawl.

As soon as she sat down, Daniel followed suit, pulling his chair closer, their sides brushing.

Vivian felt uncomfortable, shifting away, but Daniel's keen gaze caught it instantly.

"Don't move out of the frame," he warned, his tone deceptively innocent.

She had no choice but to stay where she was, frozen in place.

Daniel smirked, and the subtle scent of cedarwood, which seemed to emanate from him, filled her senses, taking over the entire room.

"Let's start," he said softly.

His breath brushed against her ear as if speaking to her alone, though he was addressing the stage manager.

"Miss Pruitt, why is your face so red?"

A voice off-camera asked the question, and Daniel, ever the opportunist, casually placed his hand on her forehead, as if checking her temperature.

The action was casual, but the effect was electric.

The livestream exploded with comments.