Chapter 65 The Dinner Party
Listening to Douglas's gentle voice, Regina felt warmth in her heart.
She found that Douglas had an uncanny ability to peel away her hard exterior, gently coaxing out the softness buried deep within her heart, bit by bit.
She said, "I was upset then, but I'm over it now."
Douglas finally smiled.
Every year-end, Regina's work got busier.
In the past, she was always excited about Christmas and time with her grandmother.
But this year, her enthusiasm faded.
When she was feeling down, Melissa called. "Regina, spending Christmas alone is lonely. Why not join us?"
Regina closed her eyes and replied, "No need, I have someone with me."
Melissa asked, "Who?"
Regina had lived with her grandmother. After her grandmother's death, her relationship with Fred worsened, so she couldn't go to Fred's place.
Melissa had heard Fred was struggling; his company even went bankrupt recently.
But Melissa wasn't doing much better, especially with recent issues with Vitas.
Vitas had damaged vocal cords, couldn't speak, and was blind in one eye. Yet, David still prioritized his interests and forced Sandra to please Vitas.
Sandra, being proud, couldn't stand the idea of marrying a disabled person.
More importantly, Vitas became more irritable after his injury. Once, he slapped Sandra for no reason.
Sandra begged Melissa to ask David to stop pushing her towards Vitas, but Melissa couldn't. The more she begged, the more annoyed David became, making Sandra resent her and the family.
Melissa sighed and said, "Regina, will you spend Christmas with me this year?"
Regina retorted, "In that house? Can you even make decisions there?"
For years, Melissa had been indecisive.
She couldn't give up the comfortable life David provided and was used to obeying him.
Melissa added, "Regina, I didn't call to argue. I'm really exhausted."
"Exhausted?" Regina laughed softly. "You've been lost in self-sacrifice and altruism. You think you've done a lot for the future, for your daughter, and you feel wronged. But I think you're foolish."
Melissa opened her mouth but couldn't say a word.
After a brief silence, Regina hung up.
As Regina put away her phone, Douglas came out of the study.
He said, "I just spoke with Grandpa Semona. He said I should bring you home for Christmas. If you don't want to..."
Regina quickly agreed. "I do, but you have to help me."
"Help you?" he asked.
"Yes, it's my first time meeting them, so I need to prepare gifts and stuff, but I don't know their preferences."
Douglas thought, 'So that's what it was.'
He said, "Mrs. Semona, remember, you're going there to receive gifts."
Faced with Douglas's confident tone, Regina was momentarily speechless.
Luckily, she had added Nicole on Instagram last time, so she figured she could ask Nicole for help.
On Friday evening, Regina got a last-minute task from Ms. Liam.
Ms. Liam said, "Regina, you'll need to work overtime tomorrow night and accompany Mr. Semona."
Regina asked, "What?"
Ms. Liam clarified, "You need to attend a banquet with Mr. Semona tomorrow night."
She handed over an invitation to an international economic and trade cooperation banquet.A plethora of prominent political and business figures from both domestic and overseas would be attending this prestigious event. Douglas, in particular, needed to bring along a translator who was proficient in multiple languages.
Ms. Liam said, "I trust you with this."
Regina replied, "I'll handle it."
Regina never slacked off at work.
The next day, as they were getting ready for the banquet, someone delivered a custom-made gown and matching jewelry for her.
Regina looked at Douglas curiously, "Mr. Semona, I'm just your translator tonight."
The outfit seemed too extravagant.
Douglas said, "Tonight, you're attending as my wife. Put it on, we're going to be late."
Regina hesitated but eventually put on the gown, though she skipped the jewelry.
Douglas didn't push it.
When they arrived at the banquet, they drew a lot of attention.
In that society, good looks always caught people's eyes, especially when both were exceptionally attractive.
After the initial amazement, people's gazes turned more curious.
It was known that among the domestic elites, the Semona family was the most powerful yet the most low-key.
Douglas was even more low-key; he never accepted interviews and rarely appeared in the media. It was hard to find even a single front-facing photo of him online. But tonight, Douglas, with such a beautiful woman by his side, was hard to ignore.
One guest said, "The woman with Douglas is so beautiful and elegant. Is she his plus one?"
Another guest asked, "Plus one? Didn't some reports say he was already married? At such an event, he'd only bring his wife, not some random woman."
Someone who knew the truth interrupted, "You're all wrong. She's actually his company's translator."
Another guest remarked, "But you have to admit, they look like a married couple."
Another chimed in, "They're just too good-looking."
In the glittering, opulent banquet hall, a low murmur of hushed conversations filled the air.
Unnoticed by most, in a secluded corner, Philip was on the verge of shattering the stem of his champagne flute.
Mars, sensing Philip's agitation, whispered, "Mr. Sterling, Mr. Brook just went to the restroom. She'll be back soon."
Philip's face darkened, his gaze fixed on Regina.
He watched her stand gracefully next to Douglas, and turmoil brewed in his heart. Instinctively, he wanted to move forward, but Mars, alarmed, grabbed his wrist.
Mars said, "Mr. Sterling, the Azure Gateway Bridge project was supposed to be a sure thing. Now that it hasn't been secured, your father is already very angry. If you mess up your relationship with Mr. Brook..."
The consequences were worth considering.
Mars thought he had made his point clear enough for Philip to understand.
Philip was well aware of the stakes, but at that moment, he shook off Mars' grip and strode purposefully towards Regina.
