Chapter 344 You Are Sick
"Why are you acting like you're selling your daughter?" Bruce snorted at Marigold's comment. "I think Coralie and James are a perfect match."
"Come on, James, let's head inside. Ignore Marigold," Bruce said, leading James into the private room. "Always scheming, that one."
Marigold was so angry she stomped her foot, wishing she could slap Bruce and throw James out.
James hadn't wanted to come to this dinner, knowing it would be uncomfortable, but Bruce had been genuinely kind to him, and he didn't want to disappoint Bruce.
"Everyone, this is my nephew James, here to make a name for himself in Glowing Oasis," Bruce announced to the other guests with a hearty laugh. "Please look out for him in the future."
He didn't really know why James had come to Glowing Oasis, so he just said he was here to work hard.
The guests nodded and smiled, and James greeted them politely. They were mostly Bruce's business associates.
"Why should we be happy about him coming to Glowing Oasis? In the end, won't it be us who suffer?" Marigold sneered. "All these favors and connections, aren't they our burden?"
Bruce frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about? James's father and I are like brothers. Of course I should help James."
"Besides, James will be successful one day. We might even benefit from his success."
James felt a warm feeling in his heart. Bruce was really good to him.
"I don't care. What can a poor boy achieve?" Marigold scoffed, flipping through TV channels with the remote. "And he didn't even graduate from a prestigious university."
To her, James's father was a shipping transporter, his mother sold coffee, and he himself wasn't from a well-known university. What could he possibly accomplish?
Bruce snapped, "Shut up!"
A few stylishly dressed women chuckled, but their eyes showed a hint of disdain as they looked at James.
Just then, a well-dressed couple walked in with an air of arrogance.
The man was tall and handsome, wearing gold-rimmed glasses that gave him a refined look, though his eyes held a hint of arrogance and coldness.
The woman was elegant and fashionable, her slender waist swaying gracefully, a blue and delicate Hermès bag hanging from her arm.
It was Vance and Coralie.
"Vance, you're finally here," Marigold's demeanor changed instantly, her face lighting up with a smile.
"Coralie, weren't you going for an interview at Wish Group? How did it go?" she asked.
Coralie smiled lightly. "With Vance's help, the interview went smoothly."
Vance chimed in with a smile, "She starts on Monday as the Deputy Director of Public Relations. The original salary was ten thousand dollars a month, but I made a call and doubled it."
"Vance, you're amazing. You're so good to Coralie," Marigold beamed. "Coralie is so lucky to have met you."
"Mrs. Howard, you're too kind. It was nothing," Vance smiled warmly. "I could have brought Coralie earlier, but I was picking up a new Maybach, and the paperwork took a bit longer."
He was subtly showing off.
The guests' eyes lit up, their faces showing admiration and flattery.
The stylish women covered their mouths, their expressions exaggerated and shocked.
"You bought a new Maybach?" Marigold exclaimed, her eyes wide. "That must have cost a few million dollars, right?"
She clicked her tongue and glanced at James. "Look at Vance, so young and successful."
James ignored her, sipping his drink calmly. Bruce, though disliking the show-off, said nothing since it didn't directly involve James.
"By the way, Mrs. Howard," Vance said, breaking the flattery. He took out a gift and handed it to Marigold with a smile. "This is Royal Essence, a new health supplement from Wish Group. It's very good for your health. Please accept it as a token of my appreciation."
He smiled. "It's not expensive, just a small gesture."
Bruce nodded lightly. "Thank you."
"Royal Essence?" Marigold exclaimed again. "The one that's supposed to be great for health? This is the top health supplement, selling for a hundred thousand dollars a bottle. And you brought five bottles? That's so generous."
Marigold praised Vance, then glanced at James. "Vance is so thoughtful, much better than some people."
James smiled faintly.
Coralie, growing impatient, said, "Mom, enough with the small talk. Vance and I are starving."
"Right, it's lunchtime." Marigold clapped her hands. "I'll call the waiter to serve the food."
"Mr. Howard, Mrs. Howard," Vance greeted the guests in the room, appearing very familiar with them. Finally, he looked at James with hesitation. "And who is this?"
"This is James," Marigold smiled. "He's a relative from Bruce's hometown, just happened to be in Glowing Oasis today, so we invited him to join us for a meal."
Coralie had recognized James but didn't greet him. She discreetly observed him. Though James still looked as clean-cut as before, he was still a bumpkin in her eyes, wearing nothing of note.
'Like father, like son. James hasn't changed at all over the years, still so unimpressive. How could I have been so foolish to say I'd marry him when we were kids?' Coralie thought, shaking her head internally.
Vance was her new boss, a department manager at Wish Group, a member of the Traditional Medicine Association, and the nephew of Milo, the vice president of the Mystic Alliance. He was a true rising star. Compared to him, James was like mud on the ground.
If James weren't Bruce's nephew, Coralie wouldn't even spare him a look.
But what annoyed Coralie was that James didn't seem the least bit awed by her. He just nodded indifferently, which made Coralie uncomfortable.
Then she quickly rationalized it as James playing hard to get, acting aloof to catch her attention, though he was actually thrilled inside.
Yes, that must be it. Coralie felt she had seen through James, a look of disdain crossing her pretty face. 'Childish,' she thought.
"James, aren't you going to stand up and greet him?" Marigold turned to James. "This is Mr. Murphy, practically a mayor in your family's eyes."
"So you're the James Coralie mentioned, the one who doesn't know his place," Vance said, then smiled insincerely. "I'm Vance. Nice to meet you."
He extended his hand.
"You're sick," James said calmly. "I won't shake your hand."
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