Chapter 826 Congratulations!
The party was held at the exclusive club owned by the Sinclair family.
Isaac's company had secured a significant contract, making him too occupied to organize the event himself. He delegated the task to Barrett, who shared his enthusiasm for parties. Initially, Barrett considered hosting the event at one of his luxury resorts, but its location was rather remote. However, he later decided on the convenience of a venue closer to home.
At the club's entrance, Wyatt and Isaac greeted Natalie and Oliver, radiating warmth and excitement. They exclaimed with broad smiles, "Natalie, congratulations!"
Natalie glanced at Oliver, who nodded, signaling that he had already informed them of her pregnancy. She smiled and replied, "Thank you!"
Barrett looked on, puzzled by the congratulations.
'Is it for Oliver and Natalie's reconciliation?'
Despite recent rumors about their intimate relationship, it was common knowledge they had resolved their differences.
"Oliver, everyone's inside," Barrett said, masking his confusion. He then awkwardly added, "Heard you had a fall? Are you all right?"
Natalie briskly replied, "If I were still injured, would I be here?"
Barrett mumbled a reply, "I was just concerned."
"Thank you for your concern, Barrett," Natalie said, her tone playful, acknowledging his care.
Barrett, feeling somewhat dismissed, feigned indifference.
Isaac and Wyatt chuckled, knowing that Natalie was only teasing Barrett. In truth, she had a good impression of Barrett.
The club was spacious, and Barrett led the group across a lawn to a standalone building—a private place seldom open to the public and usually reserved for the Sinclair family or their close friends. Although offering the same services and ambiance as the main club, this place provided more privacy.
"Barrett, where did you bring us? What's all this?" someone questioned.
"Yeah, when did your tastes change? Or did we come to the wrong place?" another added humorously.
"Barrett, did you have a mental breakdown? Do you need us to get you psychiatric help?" a third joked.
As they entered, a mix of sounds emerged from inside.
Aware of Natalie's pregnancy, Oliver deliberately slowed his pace and gently placed his hand on her waist, presenting them as a loving couple to onlookers.
Natalie wanted to assert that she could walk normally, even in high heels, and did not need to be treated delicately.
Inside, the gentle strains of a waltz played by an ensemble of cellos, violas, violins, pianos, flutes, clarinets, and drums filled the air. To the left of the entrance, several women in dresses arranged flowers, while two men painted.
On the right side of the room, several women in European-style dresses were busily decorating desserts, adding a whimsical touch to the surroundings.
The area had been transformed into what seemed like a temporary art gallery. Instead of the usual party decorations like balloons and colorful lights, the decor featured exquisite porcelain vases and renowned paintings, creating an elegant atmosphere.
The group of young men and women in the hall looked at Barrett with puzzled expressions, questioning his choices.
"What kind of party is this?" someone whispered, unable to place the eclectic mix of styles.
Isaac, despite being the host and having delegated the organizing duties to Barrett, was visibly taken aback by the setting as well.
Oliver glanced at Isaac with raised eyebrows, his expression seemed to ask, 'Is this what you mean by elegant?'
Isaac felt a mixture of helplessness and confusion, struggling to make sense of Barrett's arrangements.
However, as the guests approached, their expressions gradually shifted from confusion to smiles, charmed by the unique setting.
The turnout was not large; the gathered crowd was a close-knit group, mostly people who had a deep connection with Natalie and had shared many experiences with her.
Barrett had carefully selected the guests this time around, mindful of avoiding the issues from a previous party that had been disrupted by an unwelcome guest.
Despite Barrett's lack of academic prowess, his social skills were impeccable.
"Barrett, why did you arrange it like this?" someone asked.
"Oliver, Natalie, and everyone else are here, and you arranged all these mismatched things," another guest added, voicing their confusion.
Barrett looked around, his expression one of bewilderment. He gestured toward Oliver and explained, "Oliver wanted an elegant party."
Isaac interjected, "I said 'elegant', not eclectic."
Then, Isaac quickly turned to Oliver and Natalie and said apologetically, "Oliver, Natalie, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have entrusted that fool, Barrett, with this task."
Barrett, stung by being called a fool, defended his choices passionately. "Isn't this elegant? Look at the live band I hired, the live painting, flower arrangement... and this, this! I borrowed these renowned paintings from my family's collection, which you can't see just anywhere! This is all high-class art!"
Barrett pointed out each feature with pride, and Natalie took a moment to appreciate each element, reconsidering her initial judgment of the setup.
As Natalie surveyed the room, her gaze eventually settled on the guests. Their outfits were sharply at odds with the surroundings—they looked as though they were ready for a night out at a club, not a sophisticated gathering in an art-filled venue.
Mia, unable to hold back her thoughts, said to Barrett, "Even a novice like me, who writes online, knows that elegance requires a cohesive dress code. At least you could have given us a dress code, right?"
Another guest chimed in jokingly, "Oliver, I have a question. Why did you think Barrett would understand elegance? I'm afraid he doesn't even know how to spell the word 'elegance'."
This comment sparked a round of muted laughter.
At that moment, Isaac also recognized his mistake. Why had he entrusted this task to Barrett? Perhaps his assistant would have been a better choice. Leaning close to Oliver and Natalie, he murmured apologetically, "Oliver, Natalie, I didn't mean to delay your daughter's prenatal education."
His voice was so low that only they could hear.
"It's okay," Natalie replied calmly, not bothered by the mix-up. She understood that prenatal education was typically more focused starting from the fourth month of pregnancy, and she had not paid much attention to it yet.
Isaac breathed a sigh of relief at her easygoing response and glanced at Oliver. Despite Oliver's initial disapproval, he seemed more at ease now, especially after hearing Natalie's reassurances.
'Ah, Natalie really has a way of calming Oliver's emotions,' Isaac thought to himself, admiring her ability to diffuse the tension.
Natalie then turned to Barrett and said to lighten the mood, "Barrett, why don't you ask these people to leave? Let's just have fun as we usually do. And these vases of yours—if we accidentally break them, your father will be angry."
Barrett nodded. In fact, his father had loaned him these treasures because of Natalie and Oliver. If it were not for the duo, he would not even have the chance to handle such exquisite items.
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