Chapter 176 Mr. Harriman, Where Are You Headed
The banquet hall was bustling with people, and Jessica felt like she had come back to life after finishing that piece of cake.
She had been up early this morning, getting ready for the expo, the fashion show, the presentations, the photo ops, and the signings. In the afternoon, she had only nibbled on an apple during makeup changes. Feeling both tired and hungry, she had managed to catch a brief nap in the dressing room for over half an hour, but unfortunately, she had a nightmare that left her feet feeling a bit shaky. It was only now, with a full stomach, that she finally felt a bit relieved.
As she was about to walk away from the dessert table, she didn't notice a step hidden under the flat tiles on the floor. She stumbled for a moment, almost losing her balance, when a hand suddenly reached out from the side and steadied her."Thank you." Jessica instinctively lowered her head to adjust her dress and then turned to the person who had just helped her.Suddenly, she met a familiar face and gaze, causing her to retract her hand, and the gratitude in her eyes quickly cooled.
Seeing Jessica's sudden change, Keegan didn't pull back. Instead, he extended his hand, inviting her to dance. "Ms. Jenner, would you honor me with a dance?"
Jessica glanced at the hand he offered, then looked around and saw Trinity standing not far away, having witnessed the whole scene.
There were many cameras here, and several media outlets were present in the crowd. This moment would definitely be captured. It was just an invitation to dance, but Trinity couldn't step forward to intervene, and Jessica couldn't outright refuse either. After all, Keegan's manners were impeccable at the moment, and she didn't have a male companion by her side. Rejecting him would be impolite and lacking in grace.
She remained silent for a moment, making no move, just looking calmly at Keegan. She didn't believe that his public insistence could be equated with gentlemanly behavior.
Keegan, however, continued to look into her eyes with a warm and gentle smile, patiently extending his hand to her, maintaining the gesture of inviting her to dance.It wasn't until Jessica reluctantly placed her hand in his that Keegan's smile grew wider. He took her hand and led her toward the center of the banquet hall, where people were dancing.
Meanwhile, Trinity, not far away, clenched her fists tightly, watching as Keegan led Jessica with a tender expression. She felt as though he was holding onto a precious treasure, her nails digging into her palms.
It was just a dance, and it would be over soon.
Jessica raised her hand lightly, placing it on Keegan's shoulder in a seemingly embracing dance move. He didn't act overly familiar, maintaining a gentlemanly and proper posture. Jessica also made sure to keep her distance.
With so many people around, Jessica's attention was solely focused on the situation at hand, and she didn't notice the surprising scene unfolding on the other side of the bustling crowd.
The rarely-seen president of the Harriman Group had made a low-key appearance at the banquet hall today. While many in the room were still unclear about the situation, a few high-ranking individuals who were aware of the news approached him to greet and chat.
Unexpectedly, after a brief conversation with some executives from Tilans, Gabriel glanced towards the dance floor for some reason.
Sharon Allen, the daughter of Tilans's advertising department director, had been standing beside her father with an admiring look towards Gabriel but couldn't find an opportunity to speak to him. Seeing him looking towards the dance floor, she summoned the courage from somewhere and boldly asked Gabriel to dance.
Everyone expected Gabriel to decline, aware of his usual avoidance of such interactions, particularly with women. His presence at such events was rare, dancing with someone even rarer. However, to everyone's surprise, Gabriel's cool gaze fell on Sharon's face, and he calmly raised his hand, gesturing for her to join him.
Do pigs fly now?Or was there something different about Sharon that could captivate Gabriel?
Excited and shy, Sharon placed her hand in Gabriel's, elegantly walking towards the crowded dance floor with him. She even took the initiative to put her arm around his waist, her face flushed with nervousness at the sight of Gabriel's perfect posture. Dancing with Gabriel was a dream come true for many women, a scenario they had only imagined. But just as they entered the dance floor, and even before she had spent two minutes in his presence, Sharon felt as if she was being pushed back in a certain direction.
Raising her eyes, Sharon noticed that Gabriel's gaze had never rested on her face.
"Mr. Harriman... Where are you going?"
"Mr. Harriman, can we go over there? I twisted my foot... Mr. Harriman."
Gabriel finally gave her a cold glance, but it was this look that sent a chill down Sharon's spine, making her unable to resist or speak further.
While Jessica remained silent during the dance, Keegan kept his eyes on her face, saying, "Jessica, can we talk after the banquet?"
Jessica finally looked at him, showing no extra emotions in her eyes. "Mr. Chloe, your fiancée is standing just ten feet away, looking in this direction. Is it appropriate for you to talk to me?"
Keegan's hand around her waist suddenly tightened, and he leaned in close to her ear, saying, "I don't want to make any more mistakes. I can explain everything that has happened in these past few years."
As he spoke, the hand holding hers also tightened gradually, as if he wanted to pull her into his embrace.
With media cameras around, Jessica felt impatient but couldn't show any signs of resistance on the surface. After all, if their interaction was just a polite dance, it would only be a passing topic for gossip. However, if her expressions and actions were too intriguing, the gossip could linger for days.
Her attitude and tone were both icy cold. "Mr. Chloe, please behave yourself."Keegan confessed it had been years since he last saw her. Now, with the woman he loved before him again, he struggled to keep his composure. He loosened his grip slightly but didn't let go of her, still holding her waist tightly. Lowering his gaze, he took in all of Jessica's coldness and impatience. "Jessica, give me some time."
Before Jessica could respond, she suddenly felt a shadow approaching from behind. Without realizing it, a long and powerful arm wrapped around her waist, forcibly pulling her away from Keegan.
At the same time, Sharon was pushed in front of Keegan.
Confused, Jessica turned to Gabriel, then at Sharon, who also seemed bewildered, being swiftly pushed into Keegan's arms.
