Chapter 120

"My bad, Agnes. I'm sorry; it won't happen again," Leopold comforted her, his tone carrying a hint of subtle flattery.

Agnes huffed proudly. "I'll forgive you since I'm okay!"

"Should I thank you then?" Leopold asked.

"Of course! But there's no need to be too polite. After all, we're family!" She stood under the shade of a tree, her face beaming with a happy smile in the sunlight.

Family. Fr the first time, Leopold felt the word was so wonderful. "Agnes, wait for me to come back!"

"Okay!" Agnes replied.

As night fell, various luxury cars continuously stopped in front of the Grand Excelsior, and elegantly dressed men and women got out one after another.

The hotel was exclusively reserved for the 50th anniversary celebration of Paragon Industries Group. Whether in the lobby or the back garden, guests were everywhere, totaling over a thousand.

In the hotel lobby, the president of Paragon Industries Group had already begun his speech. The public relations team responsible for welcoming guests glanced at the time; the banquet had started six or seven minutes ago, but Kevin and the VIP, whom the boss had specifically mentioned, had not yet arrived.

At this moment, a bright red Pagani sports car roared up and came to a steady stop at the hotel entrance with a sharp brake.

The public relations team immediately recognized the prominent car logo and concluded that it was Kevin from ZL Group and the mysterious guest. They respectfully stepped forward to greet them.

Inside the car, Agnes, who was driving, almost hit her forehead on the steering wheel when she braked abruptly. Kevin, in the passenger seat, was similarly startled, clutching his chest and saying, "Mrs. Neville, you can get out now!"

Agnes lightly adjusted her makeup, showing a bit of helplessness in her eyes. "Kevin, we're already ten minutes late. What should we do?" She couldn't help but silently blame Leopold, who had been on a video call the entire time she was picking out her evening dress and refused to hang up no matter how much she persuaded him.

As a result, her entire outfit, from the luxurious evening dress to the smallest earrings, was meticulously chosen by Leopold remotely. He even insisted on "supervising" every outfit she tried on, not missing a single moment of the changing process!

Despite her excellent driving skills and the superb performance of the sports car, they were still ten precious minutes late.

"It's okay." Kevin calmly got out of the passenger seat, quickly walked to the driver's side, straightened his clothes, and solemnly opened the car door for Agnes, extending his right hand like a gentleman. "Mrs. Neville, please."

Agnes found the high heels she had temporarily set aside for driving, then lightly placed her hand on Kevin's and slowly got out of the car.

The public relations team naturally recognized Kevin. Seeing Leopold's personal assistant Kevin being so polite and respectful to Agnes, it wasn't hard for them to guess that Agnes was someone extraordinary!

Agnes carefully stepped in her high heels, slightly nervous, as she walked into the hotel with Kevin's light support and the guidance of the public relations team.

As the security personnel pushed open the hotel doors, the president of Paragon Industries Group happened to finish his speech on stage.

Almost simultaneously, everyone's eyes were drawn to Agnes, who was standing at the entrance in a stunning red dress.

Appearance and attire can significantly influence the impression one makes and the value they project. Agnes's outfit, meticulously crafted by top international stylists, was enough to outshine all the socialites and popular actresses present.

Her originally light purple hair had reverted to its natural golden hue, now styled into an elegant five-strand braid and coiled into a princess updo, adorned with a diamond-studded tiara hairpin, adding a touch of nobility.

She took off her white long coat and handed it to a nearby bodyguard, revealing the mid-length sleeve, high-neck red evening dress underneath, with her graceful collarbone faintly visible. This gown, crafted by a renowned designer and recipient of numerous awards, was adorned with crystals and diamonds, luxurious yet understated.

Under Leopold's meticulous care, her previously dry skin had become smooth and supple, her cheeks glowing with a healthy blush, radiating a happy glow.

Under the dark-toned eyeshadow, her eyes, covered by long eyelashes, exuded a sense of aloofness, yet also hid a hint of vulnerability. Below her high nose bridge, her lips, adorned with a red lip gloss matching the dress's tone, subtly shimmered under the lights, like rose petals kissed by morning dew, soft and alluring.

She wore a matching set of white crystal necklace and bracelet, with understated yet valuable crystal earrings on her small earlobes.

She walked gracefully in black high heels, exuding a cool aura that made people hesitant to approach lightly.

Although everyone was unfamiliar with her, they speculated about her identity and relationship with Kevin. "Who is she? I've never seen her before."

"Kevin isn't married, right? My aunt was just trying to set him up with someone recently!"

"Judging by her outfit, it's understated yet expensive, not something Kevin could afford. Could she be Mr. Neville's girlfriend?"

Paragon Industries Group's president, Leon Jackson, was the first to approach, smiling and politely greeting, "Mrs. Neville, Kevin!"

After the three exchanged handshakes, Agnes handed over the prepared gift, smiling. "Hello, Mr. Jackson, this is a gift from my husband, Leopold. He couldn't make it today, and he sends his apologies."

Kevin took two glasses of red wine from a waiter's tray, handed one to Agnes, and clinked glasses with Leon.

Leon was quite surprised by her politeness. It turned out that Agnes was not only low-key but also well-mannered. "Mrs. Neville, you're too kind. It's a pity Mr. Neville couldn't attend due to work, but your presence is our honor."

Agnes, not accustomed to flowery language, smiled sincerely with a hint of nervousness. "Thank you for understanding, Mr. Jackson. There are many guests today, so I won't take up too much of your time. Please, go ahead with your duties!"

"Alright, Mrs. Neville. Feel free to enjoy yourself. If you need anything, just let us know. I apologize in advance for any shortcomings in our hospitality," Leon said.

"Thank you, Mr. Jackson!" The three of them clinked glasses again. Agnes took a small sip of the red wine, and Leon then left.

Watching Leon's departing figure, Agnes secretly breathed a sigh of relief and softly asked Kevin beside her, "Did I say anything wrong just now?"

Kevin smiled reassuringly and replied, "No, Mrs. Neville, you were perfect." At that moment, Kevin seemed to understand why Leopold trusted Agnes to attend the banquet on his behalf.

Even without extravagant compliments and smooth social skills, Agnes's grace and well-dressed appearance were enough to represent Leopold!

Leopold had invested a lot of time in Agnes, and in just a few months, she had transformed remarkably. A few months ago, Agnes was still a straightforward, rough-mannered girl who often got into fights, frequently visited the Office of Student Affairs, and struggled academically.

Now, although Agnes's temper was still a bit quick, her personality had become more gentle when calm. In her spare time, she learned dance, yoga, flower arranging, piano, and painting. It was said that she hadn't fought in a long time, hadn't visited the Office of Student Affairs, and her grades had significantly improved.

These changes might be hard to notice for those who spent every day with her, but for those who reunited after a long time, the difference was striking.

Kevin privately thought that a girl should be like this, a balance of strength and gentleness, not overly submissive, not overly willful, and not overly aggressive.

Of course, Leopold himself had also changed.

His temper seemed to have gotten a bit worse when he was angry. However, when in a good mood, he would chat with people more generously and even occasionally smile.

It had to be said, their influence on each other was profound and significant.

A waiter approached and informed Agnes, "Mrs. Neville, there are many delicacies in the food area; you might want to take a look."

Agnes looked at Kevin in surprise, and Kevin smiled. "It was arranged by Mr. Neville in advance. He specifically instructed the dessert shop and hotel to prepare many snacks."

A happy smile involuntarily spread across Agnes's face. Even when Leopold was away, he still thought of her.

She pulled Kevin's sleeve and headed towards the food area, encountering many acquaintances along the way, such as Grace and her classmates, Ella, and Justin, who was eager to move, worried that Leopold might appear at any moment.