Chapter 150 Get engaged At Ease
Chapter 150 Get engaged At Ease
"It doesn't matter. I have a little riding experience. May I try first?" Maria asked.
"Okay, wait a minute."
In the CBD Exhibition Center, the conference that James attended had just finished.
While walking out of the meeting room, he asked Summer, "What is she doing now?"
"Maria has just taken a tour of your villa. She's now having an afternoon tea on the balcony."
"Okay."
Summer and James returned to HL Group after the conference. James had another meeting at the company.
As soon as it ended, he asked Summer again, "What is she doing now?"
Summer answered truthfully, "Maria is riding horses. She rode a thoroughbred horse just now. Currently, she is riding a Ferghana horse."
"Okay. Call them and tell them to let her ride all the horses."
"Ahem." Summer cleared her throat to suppress her laughter. She then answered at once, "Yes, Mr. Xi."
When it was getting dark, James called Summer and ordered, "Ask a Michelin-star chef to prepare dinner for her. Let her choose whatever she wants to eat. After dinner, arrange a helicopter for her to take her to a city night view trip. Then invite a few masseurs to give her a full-body massage." James wanted to keep Maria busy until his engagement party was over.
In James' manor, there were also two two-story villas. They were used by the staff who provided services for James or for other purposes.
"Okay. I got it, Mr. Xi." Summer couldn't help clicking her tongue after hanging up. Maria was really a headache for James.
She wondered if James only cared so much about Maria that he didn't want her to feel bored.
Or he was so eager to marry Alina that he didn't want Maria to sabotage his engagement party.
Summer shook her head and thought to herself, 'Maybe both.'
How could Maria, who was now enjoying the Michelin-star cooking, not understand what was on James' mind? It was getting dark, and she knew that the founding anniversary party of Tang Group would start soon. But she was not in a hurry at all. She continued to enjoy the delicious meal arranged by James.
Money was such a good thing. It could not only make the mare go but also allow people to do many things. So she didn't need to do things by herself and dirty her hands.
James, who was standing at the top, knew this reality better than anyone else. But he firmly believed that as long as Maria didn't make trouble in person, he could easily resolve all the accidents.
However, most people, including him, had underestimated Maria. They didn't know that she was a scheming woman who came back to take revenge.
Compared to James' quiet villa, the hotel, where the founding anniversary party of Tang Group was held, was more lively and crowded.
Tonight, many bigwigs in the financial world were present, including Sebastian and his wife, who had just returned from abroad.
And since Alina and James' engagement was also part of this event, Sebastian went to HQ Road before going to the hotel to invite James' grandparents. However, Augustine didn't even open the door for him, so he had to bring Judy to support his son's engagement.
But Augustine and Charlotte's absence inevitably caused a lot of rumors in the banquet hall. Guests were assuming that the two elders of the Xi family were against the Tang family.
However, since it had nothing to do with them, they dared not discuss it in detail.
Alina was sitting on the sofa in the lounge, waiting for the banquet to start. She was wearing a pinkish-purple evening dress and a set of expensive jewelry. Obviously, she was overjoyed as she was grinning from ear to ear. After all, she had been waiting for this day for too long.
A few moments later, the door was opened, and James came in.
Seeing him, Alina stood up happily and walked towards him. "James, here you are."
James nodded slightly.
However, Alina's happiness didn't last long. Her expression dimmed when she noticed a suspicious bite mark on his neck.
She knew that no one else was bold enough to leave marks on James' body but Maria.
Upon realizing it, her face turned pale. She asked in a trembling voice, "James, you just sit and watch her provoke me like this?" 'Maria Song, you bitch! Didn't you say you're marrying Lawrence soon? And you said that you don't like James anymore. Why did you still do this?' she thought to herself, cursing Maria millions of times inwardly.
James, who was looking at his phone, knew what she was talking about. After a moment of silence, he said indifferently, "If you have a problem with it, you have the right to cancel the banquet. I will bear the consequences."
Alina gaped upon hearing his words. She was so close to the crown of Mrs. Xi. How could she cancel this event?
Her father had just told her firmly that she must become Mrs. Xi whatever it took. Otherwise, Tang Group would follow the Qin Group's footsteps soon, and she would end like Stella.
Alina didn't want such a tragedy to happen, so she had to endure everything.
Eventually, she chose to swallow all her grievances and kept silent.
It hadn't rained in H City for a long time. But tonight, it suddenly began to drizzle.
The banquet went on smoothly. Before coming up to the stage again, Clayton checked the hall inside and out. He was relieved when he heard from his secretary that Maria was nowhere to be seen.
Standing on the stage with his wife Miranda, he couldn't wait to announce Alina and James' engagement.
Accompanied by the crowd's warm applause, Alina and James slowly walked to the stage arm in arm.
Summer arranged for someone to substitute her and made sure that James wouldn't be looking for her for the time being. She then sneaked into the backstage quietly.
When James and Alina were already on the stage, James took the microphone to deliver his speech.
Everyone's eyes, including both of their parents standing below the stage, were filled with gratification.
Miranda smiled at Judy beside her and said in a low voice, "Mrs. Xi, James is becoming more and more excellent. You've really made a great contribution."
Judy, who was wearing a brown evening dress and a set of jade jewelry, smiled back and answered modestly, "I actually didn't do anything. It's just that James is naturally a self-motivated man."
"You are just being too modest. Everyone in H City knows how kind you are to the two children." Miranda didn't mention that they were Judy's stepchildren, but everyone already knew what she meant.
"Well, it's what I ought to do," Judy answered with a smile. Her position as Mrs. Xi definitely had a price.
Before he spoke, James' gaze swept over the hall. When he didn't see Maria in the crowd, he felt relieved. However, mixed emotions also surged up in his heart. He secretly took a deep breath to calm himself and said, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." Without any gorgeous introduction, he announced his engagement to Alina. "From now on, Alina Tang is..." All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
However, before he could finish his words, loud music suddenly filled the quiet hall.
With the rhythm of the music, two banners were then unfolded from both sides of the stage. One banner said, "The baby in my womb has been aborted." The other said, "You can get engaged at ease!"
The guests burst into an uproar. But they were not talking about James having a mistress. Instead, they discussed how arrogant the mistress was that she dared to provoke the Tang family openly on such an occasion.
They surmised that she might be loved deeply by James so she didn't fear anything.
After reading what was written in the banners, Alina's face turned pale as a sheet. She subconsciously looked at James beside her.
With eyes fixed on the banner, James' face darkened at once. 'The same old trick again?' he thought.
When everyone thought that it was over, the LED screen on the stage lit up. Then some photos began to play one by one with some background music.
Each photo showed a man and a woman kissing and hugging each other. While the man's face was clearly exposed, the woman was only either on a side view or back. The man in the photos was James.
Actually, anyone familiar with Maria would know that the woman in James' arms was her. Only those who didn't know her were still guessing who his bold mistress was.