Chapter 60 The Meeting of Rivals

They arrived at the small restaurant for the dinner gathering. The private room was already filled, waiting for Charles and Vivian. Vivian could hear the hustle and bustle inside and wondered, "Have they all arrived? Why does it feel like there are so many people?"

Charles grabbed her hand and said, "You've come this far, it's too late to run now, isn't it?"

Vivian felt like crying but had no tears left. When Charles pushed open the door, she saw a large table full of people. Charles held the door open for Vivian to enter first. The people inside the room got a clear view of the girl entering. She was dressed like a student, with a beautiful and cute appearance, delicate features that were highly praised by everyone, and they all agreed that Sam wasn't exaggerating.

Sam was sitting in the middle with two empty seats beside him. The other seats were already filled with people. Vivian wanted to cry. Sam acted as if nothing was wrong and waved to them, saying, "Charles, bring the little sister-in-law over!"

Now Vivian really wanted to cry. It was one thing for him to call her that privately, but why would he do it in front of so many people?

Everyone at the table burst into laughter. Charles pulled Vivian and squeezed their way to the seats inside. Vivian recognized some of the people at the table. After all, they were all from the entertainment industry and it was unavoidable to appear in front of the camera. As she passed by Lena, their eyes met briefly, and she nodded as a greeting. Vivian could only smile back.

Everyone at the table noticed this small detail, exchanging glances with each other. There were already rumors that Lena had turned down several collaborations just to act alongside Charles in this film. Now, everyone seemed quite interested. However, they didn't dare to go too far. After all, Charles' face was something even the director and producer would give extra consideration to.

Today's gathering of the crew was the most organized so far. Everyone knew it was because of Charles, and of course, because of his mysterious girlfriend. Even the director, who was usually absent from these dinners, sat next to the main seat, smiling at Charles. They had collaborated on several films and were good friends in private. They usually didn't enjoy such gatherings, but surprisingly, they showed up today.

Charles pulled out a chair and gestured for Vivian to sit. She was still blushing from entering the crowded room. Charles sat down next to her, and on the other side was Sam. Vivian felt a bit more relaxed. Sam smiled discreetly, observing the two of them.

Vivian noticed that everyone at the table was looking at her without saying a word. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, she stood up and introduced herself politely, "Hello, everyone! My name is Vivian Garcia. It's nice to meet you all!"

The table burst into laughter. In the end, it was the director who received Charles' silent signal and stood up, smiling, "Hello, please have a seat."

Dishes were served one by one, and Vivian quietly ate. It was inevitable to drink at the dinner table, and because they arrived late, some people had already requested a drinking penalty. Vivian was never good at holding her liquor, and as she looked at the full glass of vodka in front of her, she felt doomed.

Charles' expression darkened, and he picked up his own glass, downing it in one gulp. Everyone cheered and looked at Vivian. She had no idea what to do, but then Charles picked up her glass, drinking half of it. Vivian remembered Sam mentioning earlier that he had a weak stomach and could only handle a certain amount of alcohol.

"Go ahead, I'll handle the rest myself," Charles said fiercely.

Suddenly, Charles burst into laughter, leaving everyone at the table astonished. Taking advantage of the distraction, Vivian grabbed her glass and wished she could gulp it down, even holding her nose if necessary. Charles handed her a bottle of water, and Vivian thought it was spicy and difficult to drink, so she ended up chugging half a bottle of mineral water. Now, the delicious food on the table couldn't be enjoyed anymore.

Lena's face looked displeased. She occasionally glanced at her phone while everyone else continued to coax Charles and Vivian. Vivian didn't know if it was due to shyness or the half glass of vodka, but her face remained flushed. Moving closer in a low voice, she asked, "Where's the restroom?"

Before Charles could respond, Lena stood up and said, "Excuse me, I'll go to the restroom."

Vivian didn't think much and stood up too, saying, "I'll go with you." She noticed the strange gazes of everyone at the table and felt the need to explain, "I don't know where it is. Could you please show me?"

Lena smiled gracefully and nodded, positioning herself by the door to wait for her. The two of them disappeared from the sight of the others, leaving them all still stunned. Sam approached Charles and asked, "Is there a problem?"

Charles hadn't forgotten about the morning incident or the dress mishap. Giving Sam a cold stare, he replied, "No problem." He wasn't someone who enjoyed lively atmospheres, so he continued eating his food, minding his own business. Indeed, for Charles, there was truly nothing to fuss about.

The director had to step in to break the awkward silence. "Do we have any other activities planned for later? Our producer finally joined us for dinner, and it's a rare opportunity. Let's have a feast and not hold back."

Lena hadn't expected Vivian to approach her before she could do so herself. It was just as well. Inside the restroom, Vivian splashed cold water on her face, gradually reducing the warmth on her cheeks. Lena washed her hands and stood beside Vivian, waiting. As Vivian turned around, she caught Lena's gaze.

"Miss Garcia, you seem easy to get along with," Lena remarked.

Vivian was confused by this random statement, unsure of what Lena was trying to express. She could only smile in response. Lena continued, "The difference between you and Charles is quite vast."

Upon hearing this, Vivian was still puzzled. Wasn't it for me to question her? And how could she call him Charles? Fueled by the wine, she wanted to address this issue once and for all.

Firmly, Vivian said, "I don't think I'm any less deserving of Charles. Although there may be some differences, I have my own job and can support myself. My family background is also quite good, and I don't need his support. I'm not just a kind-hearted Cinderella who can't do anything. It's a bit unfair for you to say that."

Lena couldn't help but laugh gently. "Alright, I was just teasing. I understand why Charles likes you," she said, taking Vivian's arm and leading her back to the table.

Vivian still wore a confused expression as they left the restroom. What was this all about? She felt that this conversation didn't bring her any satisfaction; instead, it made her feel stifled, as if she were being irrational.

Upon their return to the group, she saw confused looks on other people's faces. She smiled slightly and she sat back next to Charles, still lost in thought.

The group at the table looked at this peculiar scene. Why did Vivian come back looking so downcast? And why did Charles become so happy after receiving a phone call where he didn't even utter a word? People were very puzzled.

After the dinner, Charles bid farewell to everyone, taking the drowsy Vivian with him. "She's drunk, so we'll go back first. We'll meet again next time." The others didn't know what to say and could only let the two of them leave. Before leaving, Charles nodded at Lena, and she responded with a smile. What did this mean? The onlookers had no idea.

During the journey, Vivian remained in a dazed state, murmuring some random words. Charles knew she was really drunk. But she still seemed to have some consciousness left. He escorted her all the way back to the hotel, thinking about the words he heard in the phone call. It was truly an indescribable feeling, and he wondered if it was the alcohol that gave her courage. Under normal circumstances, would she ever say those things?

That night, Vivian slept in a haze, and suddenly she grabbed Charles and vented her dissatisfaction, "You're too flamboyant! I want to take you home! I promised."

Charles smiled and embraced her. "Alright."

For a marriage proposal, this was too simple, Vivian thought afterward, feeling somewhat regretful.

Vivian had thought that even if she agreed to his proposal, it would still take some time before they actually got married. However, she didn't expect Charles to be so efficient. The next day, he informed his parents, and then took two days off from the set to bring Vivian to visit the Garcias.

Mrs. Garcia was already a fan of Charles, so when she heard that he wanted to marry her daughter, she couldn't be happier. She kept saying how she would be able to see him all the time now and exclaimed that she no longer had to worry about her daughter. In short, it wasn't the tearful farewell Vivian had imagined.

Next, Charles took her to handle the marriage registration. "Let's get the certificate first, and after I finish filming this movie, we'll hold the wedding ceremony." There was simply no room for negotiation. Vivian called Evelyn and lamented over the phone, "I'm getting married at such a young age, can you believe it?"

Evelyn teased her as usual, and Vivian asked her, "Will you come to my wedding?"

Looking at her own belly, Evelyn could only regretfully tell Vivian, "I don't think I can make it, maybe next time."

Vivian was furious, "What do you mean next time? You mean I'll be divorced as soon as I get married?"

Evelyn responded, "The future is long, who knows?"

Vivian was cursed, but she wasn't angry. "That's right, temporarily happiness doesn't mean it will last forever, and temporarily sadness doesn't mean it will last forever. Right?"

Charles, who had just come out of the bathroom, recognized that Vivian was talking to Evelyn on the phone again. Seeing him, she said goodbye to Evelyn, "Go rest early, my dear."

Remember to send me the prenatal examination photos, oh! Also, I will livestream my wedding with you."

Charles felt helpless, that no matter what, she liked Evelyn a little more.

As soon as Vivian saw his expression, she knew she would be in trouble and quickly grabbed her clothes and slipped into the bathroom. Everything was happening too fast. Thinking about the red notebook lying in the drawer, she felt like everything was happening too quickly. She was getting married already? She couldn't casually flirt with guys anymore... Well, she was thinking too far ahead.

Charles sat on the couch in the living room reading the script. He had to rush back to the film set soon and felt a bit reluctant this time. Although it felt somewhat forced, at least they were getting married like this, which wasn't bad.

When Vivian came out and saw him still sitting on the couch, she quietly approached from behind and saw that he was reading the script. "So disappointed, thought you caught something!"

"What did you expect me to do?" Charles sighed helplessly.

"Well, do something bad so I can divorce you," Vivian joked.

"Divorce right after getting married? You'll be disappointed because you won't be able to divorce me in the future," Charles said.

Vivian sat in his lap, rubbing his face. "Charles, why do you like me?"

Charles hugged her. "I'm not good with words. Can I show you rather than tell you in the future?"

Vivian felt like she was melting, blushing more and more.

"Oh my, coming to visit again~"