Chapter 35 Satisfying a Craving
Reward?
Regina was momentarily lost in thought.
She felt that Douglas lacked nothing and could easily get anything he wanted. What kind of reward should she prepare to bring him some surprises?
It certainly couldn't be something cheap.
But even if the reward were extravagant, would he appreciate it?
Regina pondered earnestly, her serious expression eliciting a chuckle from Douglas. Was she considering spending her entire fortune on a gift for him?
Regina sighed softly, "Can you give me a hint? What do you want? I'll do my best to fulfill your request."
Douglas maintained his lowered posture. "I've already come so close to you. Isn't that hint clear enough?"
Regina suddenly lifted her head. Lost in thoughts of what gift to give him, she hadn't realized how close his stunning face was to hers. A strong masculine presence enveloped her, causing her cheeks to flush and her ears to grow warm.
After much contemplation, she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his charming cheek.
Only then did Douglas straighten up, satisfied. He was, in fact, not easily pleased, but for now, this was enough.
He was afraid his eagerness might startle Regina.
Regina always seemed exhausted on Monday mornings, especially after staying up until 2 a.m. to watch the fireworks the night before. She sat in the office, stifling a yawn. Soon, she perked up, organizing some documents that needed translation.
Recently, there have been occasional visits from foreign clients at the headquarters. Apart from one occasion when Douglas took her to meet a Frannice client, Regina was not asked to attend with him during this time. The incident where she asked him for a belt at a gathering caused a lot of trouble. Despite Douglas always having Regina by his side and no one daring to gossip openly about him, Regina still faced a lot of unfair treatment.
Douglas was very considerate of her feelings and respected her emotions. Sometimes, he noticed subtle details about her that even she easily overlooked. For example, he realized she didn't drink much water, so he made her a pot of coffee every day. If she took an extra sip of something, that item would frequently appear in their home. Or, if she happened to glance at a female celebrity on TV, the next day, their home would be filled with items similar to what the celebrity had worn. Thinking she admired the star, he would ask if she liked that celebrity and if she wanted to meet her.
What puzzled Regina even more was that he seemed to know about the difficulties she met at work, yet he didn't use his authority to help her. Instead, he would suggest solutions when they returned home to prevent her from facing similar challenges in the future.
Regina learned many things from him, things that money couldn't buy.
As Regina was about to work off, her phone kept vibrating. It was Melissa calling.
Regina couldn't ignore these calls anymore, so she picked up her phone, placed it to her ear, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Upon hearing Regina's cold tone, Melissa furrowed her brows, but she didn't show any dissatisfaction. Instead, she continued gently, "Regina, are you getting off work soon? Let's have dinner together tonight."
Regina replied, "I can't eat anymore."
Melissa sighed, her tone turning melancholic. "Why is it so difficult for me to see you? We can't continue like this. If you persist, I will go to your grandmother. I hope she can help ease the tension between us."
Regina felt a headache coming on. "Tasha's condition is not well. Please don't bother her with such matters."
"But I really don't want our relationship to become so distant. I was also forced back then; I didn't intentionally abandon you. Do you know how much pain I went through during that time?"
"Enough said." Regina didn't want to hear anymore. "A meal. Fine, but promise me, don't go to see Tasha, and don't bring up these trivial matters to her."
"Okay," Melissa agreed readily.
After work, Melissa sent a driver to pick up Regina. A luxurious Rolls-Royce Cullinan, with a hefty price tag, stopped in front of the Century Group building. Regina calmly opened the car door and sat in the back seat.
It was only then that she realized Melissa had come in person. Melissa was dressed in an elegant gray suit. Despite nearing fifty, her figure and appearance were well-maintained, and her face was still exquisite. The few wrinkles on Melissa's face were hard to notice if one didn't look closely. Regina couldn't remember the last time she had seen Melissa.
As soon as Regina got into the car, Melissa smiled and said, "Don't be nervous; it's just a regular family gathering."
She looked Regina up and down. When she saw the bag Regina was carrying, she felt a twinge of guilt. Regina's bag was from a lesser-known designer, worth only six hundred dollars. She remembered that Sandra had recently spent about 1.2 million dollars on cars and high-end luxury goods.
Melissa quickly picked up a gift box from the side and opened it, revealing a designer handbag inside.
"Isn't this bag beautiful? I bought it, especially for you."
Regina casually took it and set it aside. She knew that if she didn't accept it, Melissa would say a lot.
Regina was a little tired, so she closed her eyes and rested in the car. After about forty minutes, the car came to a stop.
Tonight was their family dinner, held at a luxurious and upscale restaurant called Oriant.
Everyone was already there when Regina entered the private room. There were more than a dozen people in total.
Sandra, in a red dress, exuded confidence and arrogance. She was clearly the center of attention, but of course, she was only in the spotlight because she had brought her wealthy boyfriend.
"Regina, come, let me introduce you."
Over the years, Regina had hardly interacted with their family, so this was her first formal meeting with them. Melissa smiled as she introduced Regina to the people present, including Sandra's stepfather, brothers, and some relatives from her stepfather's side.
Finally, she introduced Sandra's boyfriend to Regina: "This is Sandra's boyfriend, Vitas Johnson. He's also from Norman University."
Regina greeted each of them in turn. Vitas squinted slightly, his gaze lingering on her for a moment, as if contemplating something.
She was an outstanding student in the Department of Foreign Languages, and her photo often appeared on the school's official website.
She hadn't participated in the campus beauty pageant that year, but if she had, she would have surely won.
In any case, Vitas had heard of her at Norman University and was quite fond of her.
It seemed they were destined to meet in such a setting.
