Chapter 422 Declaring Sovereignty: She Is My Girlfriend
Aurelia hung up the phone and asked, "Mr. Heilbronn is joining us for dinner. Mr. Sinclair, you won't mind, right?"
Caleb shrugged with an indifferent expression, "No problem. It's been a while since I've seen our old classmate. It's a good chance to catch up."
Caleb left his suitcase in Aurelia's office, and the two headed downstairs.
As soon as they exited the elevator, Aurelia saw Nathaniel standing in the lobby in a sharp suit, waiting. Their eyes met briefly before Nathaniel's gaze shifted to Caleb behind her.
The atmosphere was tense as the rivals faced each other.
Aurelia felt a strange tingling on her scalp and tried to break the awkward tension by asking, "Mr. Sinclair, what would you like to eat? There are many types of restaurants nearby, you can have whatever you want."
Caleb smirked but kept his eyes locked on Nathaniel, "I'm not picky, anything is fine. Ladies first, you choose."
It was clear who he thought was being picky.
As they spoke, Nathaniel walked over to Aurelia, naturally taking her hand and interlocking their fingers, a clear sign of claiming his territory. "Mr. Sinclair, it looks like you need to wash your hair."
Aurelia glanced at him, clearly surprised. She knew he could be sharp-tongued, but this was quite awkward.
Just as she was about to say something to change the subject, Nathaniel continued, "Mr. Sinclair, how can you go out to negotiate deals without paying attention to your appearance?"
Caleb was speechless. If he hadn't just showered and washed his hair that morning, he might have believed this jerk and fallen for his psychological manipulation.
"Mr. Heilbronn, you might have some vision problems. Have you been staying up late recently, doing things that overly exhaust a man? I'm telling you, you need to cut that out. Men over thirty need to take care of their bodies. Don't believe me? Your hairline is already receding. In a few years..." Caleb sighed dramatically, leaving his sentence unfinished.
Nathaniel let go of Aurelia's hand, took her other hand, and walked between her and Caleb, the two men walking in sync.
"Mr. Sinclair, have you seen a doctor? You might not have much experience since you've never been married or had a girlfriend. Don't overdo it."
Aurelia's eyelid twitched, fearing the two might start fighting in the street. Karma Jewelry had been in the area for a while, and though she didn't know the passing white-collar workers, their faces were familiar.
Plus, she was quite friendly with the security and parking staff.
If these two childish men started fighting, she would be mortified.
She looked at the two men, who were outwardly polite but constantly competing with each other. Thirty-year-old men could be more childish than kids.
Aurelia felt a headache coming on.
Amidst the bickering, they reached the commercial street. The Velvet Palate had changed its sign, keeping the name but enlarging the design, making it look more upscale.
Aurelia suggested, "How about we eat at The Velvet Palate?"
Nathaniel had no objections, "Sure, let's have Mr. Sinclair try our restaurant's food. Order as much as you like, Mr. Sinclair, don't be shy."
Caleb caught the underlying message and asked Aurelia, "Are you the owner of this place?"
Aurelia quickly waved her hands, but Nathaniel answered swiftly, regardless of who was asked.
"It's not wrong to say it's Aurelia's. I hired two chefs from the restaurant at the Imperick commercial center. I remember you've been there. I was worried Aurelia couldn't get authentic Northern cuisine, so I opened this place nearby for her convenience. I didn't plan to make a profit, it's just for Aurelia."
He wasn't lying about not planning to profit. Since taking over The Velvet Palate, he had turned it into a high-end restaurant. The number of diners had decreased, but the quality had improved.
Nearby restaurants were packed at lunchtime, but Nathaniel's changes made The Velvet Palate a quiet, elegant, and expensive place, attracting wealthy patrons like bosses and executives who valued a peaceful environment for business meetings or client entertainment.
This unintentional move actually increased revenue several times over.
Nathaniel wasn't trying to show off his wealth; he was flaunting his relationship with Aurelia to make Caleb uncomfortable.
As men, they knew each other's tricks and how to make a rival suffer.
Caleb's expression remained calm, but he was indeed uncomfortable.
He had chased after Aurelia for years, and then this jerk showed up, dashing his hopes. Who wouldn't feel bad?
But a man had to maintain his composure, especially in front of the woman he liked.
Caleb suppressed his jealousy, and the three of them entered the restaurant.
The manager, seeing Aurelia, immediately approached, "Ms. Semona, the private room upstairs is reserved for you. Please follow me with your friends."
Only then did he notice his boss was also there.
When Nathaniel took over the restaurant, he had shown the manager Aurelia's photo and instructed him to give her the highest level of service, reserving the private room upstairs exclusively for her. He even informed the manager of her preferences to tailor the dishes accordingly.
The manager, being perceptive, understood the nuances between men and women. His boss was courting this lady, making her the most esteemed guest, and he dared not slack off.
The manager asked, "Mr. Heilbronn, you are here too."
Nathaniel nodded politely, "Bring three menus."
He then led the way upstairs to the most quiet and elegant private room.
The manager followed with the menus, but Nathaniel started ordering without even opening them, choosing all of Aurelia's favorite dishes, which were also the restaurant's specialties.
After ordering, he asked Aurelia and Caleb if they had any additions.
Aurelia thought, 'You've already ordered all my favorites, what else is there to add?'
Caleb added a few more dishes, and the three of them ended up ordering over ten dishes, covering all the restaurant's specialties.
Getting to the point, Caleb didn't forget the purpose of his visit, "Aurelia, you mentioned on the phone that you were looking for a spokesperson?"
Aurelia had just won an award and was about to be interviewed, making it the perfect time for advertising, doubling the promotional effect.
She wanted to build her brand and couldn't stay low-key anymore. The current situation was the best opportunity for Karma Jewelry to make a mark in the industry.
"I want the most popular spokesperson. The endorsement fee is not an issue," Aurelia spoke confidently.
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