THE day of the banquet has come. Victoria was nervous and excited at the same time. It felt like a judgement day, but on the contrary, a good thing was about to happen—her much-awaited promotion as the Griffith Group’s new general manager.
“Do you need a hand?”
She turned her gaze in the direction of the bedroom’s door and found her husband leaning on the door frame, still dressed in his wet exercise clothes. She did not know why he had to do some exercise just when there were leaving.
“Max, if you don’t move now, we will be late for the banquet. You know Grandma will give us a scolding and maybe a beating if we are late.” She shook her head and still try to zip the back of her dress on her own. Through the mirror, she saw him sauntered towards her and zipped her dress for her. “Thank you.”
“We are not running late. You just prepared way too early because you are so excited.”
“Of course, I am. Aren’t you excited too? Our lives are about to change.”
“I am excited to see your cousins’ gloomy faces—”
“Max…” she said in a firm tone. “We shouldn’t be happy for someone else’s downfall. And besides…” Victoria heaved a sigh and sat on the chair. “Whether my cousins, especially the male ones, have a position on the company or none, it doesn’t mean that they won’t be getting any favors from my grandmother.”
“Are you worried?” Maximilian crouched in front of her and caught her hands. He gently squeezed them, which brought her comfort somehow.
“I told you before, I am worried about Franklin. He is capable of everything… anything.” She bit her lip.
“Well, it seems to me that he accepted his defeat this time. Look, everything is going on smoothly, isn’t it?”
Victoria faked a smile to show him that she agrees with him. But truth be told, that was the thing that bothers her the most. The calm before the storm, as what they say. She could not help but think that her cousin Franklin was doing something behind her back.
“Come on, Victoria, this is your day!” He patted her cheek and stood up.
“And you should hurry up,” she told Maximilian, changing the course of their conversation.
“Aye, aye, Madam!” He grinned and then headed to the bathroom.
After a few seconds, Victoria stood up and picked her phone from the bedside table. She phoned her grandmother’s secretary, who answered her call after a couple of rings.
“Yes, Victoria?” asked Charlotte.
her throat. “Is everything okay
to arrive as well as your
heard voices in the background, guests chitchatting with one
and I are getting ready.
the president of the LS Group really coming?” Charlotte lowered her voice a bit. The voices in the background
But she said she cannot guarantee that he
of tales and speculations about
tales?” Victoria’s
gosh! You are so outdated. You should browse the internet at least once a day.” Charlotte laughed. “Anyway, back to the topic, I heard from some guests that he was spotted
I think there is already too much scoop there.” She glanced at the bathroom door. Her husband was not coming out yet. “I think
are missing a lot, you know.” She heard someone called Charlotte. “Anyway, I have to hang up. See you
“Hm…”
the same time her husband exited the
Maximilian asked as he dried his hair
asking how things are
mirror and sat there. “Can you fix my hair
course. Anything for you,
Maximilian arrived. Relatives, business tycoons, and a few politicians close
and
me, Max. I want you to be with me the
crowd. They were almost
wife a peck on the cheek and smiled at him. “Oh, Victoria,
you,”
it?” Iris took
it’s the
you now, Iris?” Perhaps you are trying to get close to my wife now that she is about
“You are
to say something when he noticed that the old Mrs. Griffith was being assisted as she went up on the makeshift stage. Victoria saw it too and immediately pulled her towards the crowd. They occupied the vacant
Victoria leaned her head on his
Maximilian grabbed her hand and
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!