Chapter 15 I’d Like to Bring a Friend With Me
Due to a rainstorm, Zachary’s flight had been delayed, making him unable to arrive ahead of time for F&M Apparel’s annual dinner. As the representative of F&M Apparel’s fashion design team, Nicole couldn’t be late for the annual dinner, so she had no choice but to head to the venue in advance for the annual dinner.
Straightening her evening dress, Nicole looked at her adorable son before her, saying, “I’ll probably be home late tonight. Eat some snacks if you’re hungry, but don’t overeat, and don’t open the door for strangers.”
“Mom, aren’t you sick of saying this every time you leave home?” Hayden replied while looking at the gorgeously beautiful Nicole before him. Then, he urged, “What you should really do right now is hurry to the dinner and be the center of attention at the event!”
Nicole’s radiant face relaxed into a gentle smile as she was amused by Hayden’s remark. “Alright. In that case, I’ll be leaving first.”
For the occasion, Nicole dressed in a royal-blue evening dress that was slightly tight-fitting to outline her curvaceous figure, as well as a pair of matching high heels. Since the weather was chilly at the moment, she wore an overcoat of the same color over her dress. The long evening dress was designed to reach down to her ankles, lending her the graceful air of a young maiden when she walked.
On her way to the hotel, Nicole’s phone rang; it was a phone call from her assistant in the country. After returning home for so long, I’d almost forgotten that I had an assistant, thought Nicole.
Queenie’s voice was gentle with an obsequious note to it. “Hi, Ms. Lisa.”
“Uh-huh. What’s the matter?” Nicole asked. Now that I think about it, it seems that I’ve never met this assistant of mine even once.
Queenie replied in a tactful way, “Uh, well, it’s just that I’d like to bring a friend with me to F&M Apparel’s annual dinner. Could you let him join us at the annual dinner, Ms. Lisa?”
F&M Apparel’s annual dinner this year would be a gathering place for the upper-class people in the country. Most importantly, Lisa would also be present at the annual dinner. As F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer, Lisa was fawned on by countless people across the country, and Joseph was one of them. After all, for a clothing company like Mann Clothing Co., knowing Lisa—F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer—in person would elevate it to a higher rank. At first, Joseph had wanted to find his way into the annual dinner by spending some money, but all the money he had spent didn’t yield him any results. Left with no other choice, he could only put on a bold front and ask Queenie for help.
As it happened, Queenie also had a favor to ask of Joseph, so she braced herself and pleaded with Lisa.
Nicole had just wanted to turn Queenie down when she recalled that this assistant of hers was the future Young Madam of the Gardner Family. She pondered over it for a moment. Colton looks annoying, but he’s the business partner who I’ll be working with, after all. As a result, she nodded and replied in a husky voice, “Okay.”
“Thank you so much, Ms. Lisa!” The assistant’s voice took on a hint of delight as she thanked Nicole before hanging up.
Queenie put her cell phone away with a radiant smile on her face before turning to look at Joseph next to her. “See? Told you I’ll get you into the annual dinner.”
Dressed in a well-ironed reddish brown suit, Joseph curled his lips into a groveling smile. “As expected of you, Queenie. You managed such a difficult thing with just a few words.”
Queenie was very pleased by the man’s flattery. As she walked inside, she said, “Just don’t forget what you’ve promised me.” She couldn’t keep Nicole’s son alive, but she couldn’t make an attempt on his life herself, thus could only get someone else to do so on her behalf, which was why she had brazenly helped Joseph.
Joseph nodded. “No problem. Everything’s been taken care of.”
…
It was already past 7:00PM when Nicole arrived at the Crown Hotel, and the annual dinner would begin at 8:00PM sharp. Let’s hope that Zachary will make it on time.
The Crown Hotel was a seven-star hotel of the highest class in Goldwick. As F&M Apparel took this year’s annual dinner very seriously, they spent a lot of money to book the entire hotel for the event. As soon as Nicole arrived at the entrance, someone came to show her the way. When she handed out her invitation card, the person led her all the way to the banquet hall on the top floor.
Right now, the annual dinner hadn’t begun yet, but many guests had gathered in the banquet hall. When Nicole ran her eyes over the crowd, she noticed the presence of many reporters. Seems like the annual dinner will be a grand event, she thought. She had never been in touch with any of the employees of F&M Apparel’s branch in the country, so she knew none of the people coming and going around her. After pondering for a moment, she decided to find a random seat and sit down to wait for Zachary’s arrival, for she didn’t know who she could go to otherwise.
However, as soon as she found a seat in the corner and seated herself, a shrill female voice sounded. “Nicole, why are you here?!”
