Chapter 95: Enrico Arrives
In a prime location apartment in The Capital, the lights were dimmed. Two men sat on a sofa, each holding a game controller, fingers deftly moving as a brutal battlefield played out on the TV screen.
Jaden sat there quietly, glancing at Enrico beside him. Was the boss here today just to torment him? Just because Miss has gone to the banquet, he didn’t even want to go home? After bowling, they had to play games again. He was tired, he wanted to sleep.
“Another round,” Enrico clearly had no intention of letting him sleep.
Jaden’s phone vibrated.
“Boss, it’s a call from Miss Rachel.” None of the Gustins had Enrico’s private number. When they needed something, they could only call Jaden’s phone. Normally, Enrico wouldn’t bother, and Jaden could choose whether to answer. But today… the Gustins were hosting a banquet, and Paige was there.
Enrico stopped manipulating the game controller, his eyes slightly dimmed. “Answer.”
“Yes.”
Jaden paused the TV game, turned on all the lights, picked up the call, and put it on speaker. “Miss Rachel.”
“Jaden, I’ve done something wrong and I want to confess to you,” Rachel said with self-blame.
“Go ahead,” Jaden replied.
“I invited Joss to the banquet, but I didn’t take care of her. I wasn’t paying attention, and she was insulted,” Rachel lamented. “I know she’s my brother’s girlfriend. I’m really sorry. Please tell my brother I’m sorry for not taking care of his person.” Her voice choked up towards the end.
Enrico’s grip on the game controller tightened suddenly, his expression growing darker: Insulted. Who dared to insult her?
Enrico sat there, grinding his teeth.
“Is she okay?” Jaden asked anxiously upon hearing this, “Joss is fine, but I don’t know if she’s upset.”
Rachel hesitated for a few seconds before adding, “Should I ask my brother to come pick up Joss? Comfort her?”
“I understand. I’ll pass the message to the boss.”
Jaden hung up and turned to Enrico. “Boss, should I go to the estate?”
Enrico sat there unmoving, neither allowing him to go nor stopping him.
Jaden looked at him, unsure of what he meant for a moment.
After a long while.
“I’ll go myself.” Enrico stood up from the sofa, grabbed his suit jacket, and walked out.
Suddenly, a message from Paige appeared on the screen.
[Paige: Don’t believe whatever Rachel says, and don’t come over.]
Enrico stopped in his tracks.
…
The Gustins’ villa.
Leah, dressed in a silver evening gown, walked gracefully down the stairs, arm in arm with Jeremy, catching everyone’s attention.
Jeremy, in a black tuxedo, his face still showing sharp and handsome features, somewhat resembling Enrico.
Paige stood among the guests below, her gaze fixed on Leah. It was her first time meeting the lady of the house-petite and graceful in stature, with a gentle demeanor. Such an amiable appearance belied her actions on the night her best friend gave birth, when she ended up in bed with her friend’s husband. People are truly unpredictable.
“Welcome, esteemed guests…” Jeremy took the microphone and spoke loudly.
Paige looked up at the two figures above but didn’t join the applause like the others. She wasn’t particularly sympathetic by nature, but seeing the seemingly loving couple above and thinking of Enrico’s deceased mother and sister, she felt no inclination to applaud.
“Joss, please believe me. I genuinely want to be your friend. After the banquet, I’ll even plead with those elders to ensure you get into the Elite Club,” Rachel stood beside her, earnestly pleading, clapping along with the others.
“I don’t know if you’re sincere with me, but wanting to use me to get closer to Enrico seems pretty genuine,” Paige scoffed.
Rachel’s face turned pale at her words, and it took her a while to respond, “Okay, I admit it. I invited you today partly to introduce you to the elders and partly out of some selfishness.”
“I thought if you came, maybe my brother would come too. Father would be delighted to see him at the banquet. Perhaps it would soften his desire for vengeance, and they could reconcile.”
“Well, I hate to burst your bubble. Your wishful thinking won’t come true,” Paige flashed her phone in front of Rachel, indifferent. “Enrico won’t be coming.”
On the screen was the text Paige sent to Enrico.
There was also Enrico’s reply-
[Enrico: I wasn’t planning to come anyway. Whether you get bullied or not is none of my business.]NôvelDrama.Org: owner of this content.
Rachel was momentarily stunned, looking at the message with some bewilderment. “Is my brother always this harsh with you? He doesn’t seem sweet at all.”
“Yeah, Enrico doesn’t care about me at all. So, you don’t need to bother arranging for me to get into the Elite Club. Whether you want me to kill someone or help you repair your relationship, I won’t do it.”
Rachel’s mood was complex as she looked at the message. Could it be true that their relationship wasn’t as good as it seemed?
“So, you don’t need to worry about me anymore. My purpose for coming to this banquet has been fulfilled. We can pretend not to know each other at school in the future. Don’t come bothering me again.”
Having said that, Paige turned and left.
The banquet hall was crowded with guests. Paige pushed through the crowd to leave, taking only a few steps before hearing an excited voice.
“Mr. Gustin is here! Mr. Gustin is here!”
Mr. Gustin referred to Enrico. With those words, the room erupted into a murmur. No one paid attention to Jeremy’s speech anymore; instead, everyone was whispering to each other.
“Don’t he and his father always clash? Mr. Gustin actually came to this banquet?”
“Could it be that the relationship between father and son has improved?”
“It looks like we made the right decision to come today. If we had declined the invitation, we might have ended up on his blacklist.”
Jeremy and Leah were both taken aback. They hadn’t expected Enrico to come to tonight’s banquet and looked towards the entrance.
Leah smiled gently, “Rachel said she would find a way to get Enrico to come tonight’s banquet. I didn’t expect her to actually manage it. Since Enrico is willing to come, you two must take the opportunity to communicate.”
Upon hearing this, Jeremy snorted coldly, “You and Rachel are too naive. If he doesn’t ruin this banquet, that’s already good enough.”
Rachel stood among the astonished guests, also looking towards the entrance. She had just accepted Paige’s claim that Enrico didn’t care about her and wouldn’t come. But the next moment, Enrico arrived.
Paige was equally surprised. Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t come?
Bodyguards in suits strode in from outside, pushing aside the guests crowded around the doorway to clear a wide path. Each bodyguard stood straight, handguns holstered at their waists.
All guests had passed through security checks upon entry, where weapons like guns and knives were strictly prohibited. So, seeing the guns at their waists, many gasped in shock.
The band, unaware, continued playing passionately, the music rising and falling romantically.
Amidst this music, Enrico walked in casually from outside. He was the only man Paige had ever seen who could command the attention of everyone in the room the moment he appeared.
He wore a navy shirt and a matching lightweight trench coat, not overly formal.
The music suddenly stopped.
The hall fell into an eerie silence.
Many were surprised by his appearance, holding their breath.
“That’s Enrico. He’s even more handsome than in the news,” Nancy and a group of girls stood together, staring at him in awe.
“I feel a bit breathless.”
Paige’s eyes met his from a distance, wondering if he would walk over in front of so many people.
“He’s looking over here.”
“Who is he looking at?”
Several girls behind Paige were trembling with excitement.
Rachel lifted her skirt and walked towards Enrico, stopping in front of him. “Brother, you really came.” Her words made it sound like Enrico had come for her.
A group of business moguls exchanged knowing glances. It seemed the rumors were wrong; Enrico’s relationship with his sister seemed quite good. As everyone thought this, Enrico didn’t even glance at Rachel, nor did he respond, continuing forward on his own.
‘He didn’t come over.’ Paige secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Bryan glanced at Enrico, then at Paige, feeling bitter inside.
“Enrico, I’m so glad you came,” Leah said warmly, walking down with Jeremy, holding his arm.
Jeremy’s face remained stern, saying nothing.
Enrico spoke up, his words dripping with sarcasm, “All this fuss for a remarried man?”
The room fell silent at his remark. Leah’s face turned pale.
“You-” Jeremy erupted in anger, but Leah quickly held onto his arm tightly, her eyes pleading with him, silently urging him not to argue with Enrico in front of everyone.
The business moguls continued exchanging glances, realizing they had misunderstood-Mr. Gustin was still estranged from his family.
Rachel also stood there with a somewhat unpleasant expression, but she quickly composed herself, smiling as she approached.
“Brother, you must be tired coming so late. Let me get you a drink,” she said warmly.
Enrico ignored her, simply sitting down on a nearby sofa.
The air in the hall grew uncomfortably quiet.
Paige took out her phone and sent a message.
[Paige: Why did you come?]