Stuck in you

"Yes," Rick answered. When he failed to Lea, he joked about it. "Lucas came with two beauties. The other one is like fire while this one is like ice. He is really fortunate to be able to bring two beautiful women here."

The last sentence was meant as a hidden taunt that men could easily comprehend the meaning.

It was the kind of joke that Jack would normal laugh upon hearing it.

However, this one sounded a little harsh to him. It seemed that Rick wanted to imply that there was there was something between Rachel and Lucas.

He pursed his lips, not saying anything more.

Rick never expected that he had invited Jack's wife and mistress to the party.

Jack's disinterest was eventually noticed by Rick, and it made him wonder whether his jests lacked its usual kick.

He lightly cleared his throat and immediately shifted the topic. He started to talk about corporate plans and Jack's interest was finally piqued by the new topic.

Rick paused to think about the plans and eventually decided to get it all done with Jack. Although he had already signed contracts with several hospitals, the health care hospitals of the MK Group and the Zhou family's hospital were his two major targets because of their longstanding reputation.

Rick was an ambitious man, and he wanted to capture fifty percent of the medical market of Ninwell City.

The lights on the host platform finally lit up.

The host walked up to the stage, approached the microphone stand and adjusted it. Loud applause filled the area as Rick was about to start his speech.

Rachel turned towards the direction of the balcony. She wondered how Lea could be so heartless and leave without warning.

"What brings you here?" Michael asked.

"My friend was invited. And I came with him," she replied casually.

Michael burst into laughter at her reply. "Do you know that Jack is here too?" he asked with a wink.

He briefly looked around the gathered crowd until his sight stopped at the row right in front of the stage. He turned to Rachel and twitched his lips to direct her to look at where his lips were pointing. "There, front row," he said to her as she leaned forward to look.

Rachel followed the line of seats in front of the small stage. At length, she saw someone familiar among the crowd.

And true enough, Jack was there. He listened attentively to the speech that was being delivered on the stage. One hand was in his pocket and the other held a glass of champagne. He looked downward for a moment and suddenly turned his head towards her direction when he sensed that someone was looking at him.

met despite the distance between them and locked on each other. Rachel eventually looked

as if she was

lips, trying hard

she decided to look away before

unable to understand what was being said at the stage at

decorations and forced herself to be calm as she waited for the blush

her crush. The teasing glances of Michael and Marcus exchanged were made obvious for her. They stared and

Rachel turned towards the stage and saw Rick in a black suit talking in front of the

more when Rick

a moment on the stage as the applause faded. He twisted his lips into a slight frown as he weighed what he was

celebration this year. This project is both a springboard and a foundation for us to attract more cooperative partners in the

today. The other reason is that today is my

paused as silence filled the area. What he said just surprised everyone present. They thought rick's mother was living abroad. They didn't expect her to have already passed away. But the Ying family never posted an obituary for her

my career, my mother passed away in an accident. And it happened on a

head and closed his eyes after he spoke as he tried to hide the buildup of emotion on his face. After a brief pause, he raised his head once more with a

have passed by, I thought that the wait was

that Rick would reveal his past to the crowd

them. And I want to do something

that I will not be able to help everyone, but I will

was eloquent and

Rachel thought that his speech was not as stimulating as it should

words that will

for effect. He then raised his voice slightly as he delivered the next lines of his speech. "I invited all of you to come here because I want us to reach out and make

Jack clapped his hands. A loud burst of applause followed his example soon

scratched his nose with his finger and leaned

touched him slightly as a signal. Michael understood what Marcus meant to say and immediately became

to for the rest of the people to notice

his throat and

the host was over and yet Lea was still nowhere to be found. Even Lucas had

the party together, and yet Rachel was left

away from them, Michael

Jack together, shall we?"