Chapter 24: A Deceiver?
Paige was standing by the buffet table, enjoying the food, surrounded by a few wealthy young men.
“Hey, beautiful, why haven’t we seen you around before? Which family are you from?”
“Here’s my card, let’s get to know each other.”
Paige wasn’t interested in talking to them and reached for a macaron from a delicate plate on the buffet table.
Suddenly, a sharp female voice rang out, “Who’s this beauty? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
The wealthy young men turned towards the voice.
Nancy walked over with a provocative look, staring directly at Paige.
Paige stood there, not even bothering to lift her eyes.
“I’ve met all of Molly’s friends, but I haven’t seen you before. I’m sorry, but could you show me your invitation?”
Paige shook her head, “I don’t have an invitation. Mr. Smith, Miss Clarke’s boyfriend, brought me in.”
“Miss Clarke’s boyfriend?” Nancy sneered. “You didn’t even bother to do your homework, did you? Bryan just danced the first dance with Molly. He’s not her boyfriend. What nonsense are you spouting?”
“A deceiver?”
The surrounding rich young men suddenly looked at Paige differently. They had assumed they’d met a fellow socialite. If she was just a freeloader, they didn’t want to be associated with her. It would be too embarrassing.
Paige noticed their looks but remained calm. She took a bite of the macaron in her hand.
“You’ve got some nerve. Even after being exposed, you still have the gall to eat and drink here?” Nancy said, her voice full of disdain.
Paige finished the macaron, calmly put her hands in her jacket pockets, and looked directly at Nancy. Her voice was cold, “And what right do you have to say that?”
“Still pretending?” Nancy scoffed. “Fine, you claim to be Molly’s friend. Come on, let’s go find Molly!”
Saying that, she grabbed Paige’s hand and led her towards the exit.
“I can walk by myself,” Paige shrugged off her hand, calmly following along.
Several wealthy young men immediately followed, and bystanders, curious about what was happening, joined in to see what was going on.
More and more people surged towards the entrance of the venue following Nancy.
Molly stood at the door with a champagne glass, chatting with people, but keeping an eye on the situation.
“Molly!”
Molly turned around, feigning surprise as she looked at the crowd. “What’s going on? Why are there so many people?”
Nancy forcefully dragged Paige into the bright lights near the entrance, intentionally speaking loudly. “Molly, this person claims to be your friend. What kind of friend is she?”
Molly held her champagne elegantly and looked at Paige. “Miss, I don’t think we know each other, do we?”
A wave of murmurs swept through the guests.
“Got exposed, huh?” Nancy looked triumphantly at Paige.
Paige casually put her hands in her jacket pockets .
“What’s going on?” Molly pretended to be surprised.
A friend chimed in immediately, “Molly, this person came to Heaven Hotel and even managed to sneak into your birthday party to freeload. It’s hilarious.”
“Yeah, after being exposed by me, she’s still eating. Isn’t she afraid of overeating?” Nancy mocked.
“I can’t believe Heaven Hotel let someone like her in.”
“What a downer. I bet she touched all the food. I’m not eating anything now.”
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Paige remained impassive, quietly watching Molly’s performance.
Molly looked apologetic. “Alright, alright. It’s my birthday party today, and I’ve ruined everyone’s mood. I’m sorry. Waiter, please replace all the food with fresh ones.”
“What about this freeloader?” Nancy asked, “What are we going to do with her?”
Molly looked at Paige, smiled softly, and said, “Miss, you must have had your reasons for coming here, right? Let me have some food packed for you to take home.”
Paige smirked, her eyes cold. She felt like Molly was humiliating her as if she were a beggar.
“Molly, you can’t be so kind-hearted. We can’t let this kind of person off.”
“Yeah, Molly, you’re too kind.”
“Don’t let this woman off.”
Voices buzzed around them.
Molly stood in the midst of it all, thoroughly enjoying the praise from everyone.
Upstairs, in a VIP suite, on a long table draped in gold cloth, men in suits flattered and fawned over the man seated at the head.
Under the dim yellow lights, Enrico sat expressionless in the main seat.
One man, with a smile plastered on his face, held a wine glass in both hands as he toasted, “Mr. Gustin, In Country A, without your approval, no one can prosper in business. Please continue to favor us in the future.”
Enrico’s finger tapped idly on the rim of his wine glass, showing no intention of raising it.
The man’s face darkened.
“You toast to me while secretly wishing for my demise,” Enrico smirked as his eyes swept over everyone present.
The room fell silent with surprise. “Mr. Gustin, what are you implying?”
“Last time, I almost got killed by a female assassin in the night market. Who was behind it? Step forward and explain yourself,” Enrico casually remarked.
Jaden stood beside Enrico, holding his coat, looking coldly at the guests.
“What? Mr. Gustin encountered an assassin?”
“How could this happen?”
“Who did it?”
“Mr. Gustin, I have always been loyal to you.”
Everyone looked panicked.
The tension in the air was palpable as Enrico slowly rose from his seat. “It’s stuffy in here. I’m going for a walk. When I return, if that person still hasn’t confessed, things won’t look good.” With that, he picked up a highball glass from the table and casually splashed the red wine through the air. The deep red liquid splattered across the table, resembling blood, instilling fear in everyone present.
After that, Enrico tossed the glass aside and turned to leave. Some guests attempted to follow, but Jaden quickly intervened, blocking their way, then followed Enrico out.
Heaven Hotel had a circular design, and from the winding corridor, one could see the lobby at a glance.
After walking a few steps, Enrico suddenly stopped, turned around, and leaned against the railing, gazing down below with his hands pressed on the railing.
The air conditioning in Heaven Hotel was set quite low.
Jaden walked over and draped the coat over Enrico’s shoulders. Seeing Enrico lost in thought, Jaden followed his gaze downward.
At the entrance on the floor below, two large banners stood erect, displaying photos of a woman Jaden had investigated before-Molly. Gathered around the entrance were elegantly dressed people, surrounding two girls-one clearly Molly, and the other…