Chapter 66 Quite Ambiguous
When Regina saw Philip coming her way, her smile faded.
Douglas noticed and followed her gaze.
The tension was thick in the air.
As Philip was just a few steps away from them, a flash of pale blue darted past him.
Before he could react, a woman's arm slipped around his own.
He abruptly halted in his tracks and turned his gaze to the person now at his side.
Juliet smiled. "Sorry, I was fixing my makeup. Did you wait long?"
All of Philip's impulsive emotions were immediately quelled the moment Juliet's arm wrapped around his.
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them calmly. "No, just a bit."
Juliet gestured ahead. "Let's go. I saw my dad."
These events were perfect for networking.
Juliet's background made her a good match.
Philip always knew his family would pick his wife. He once wanted to marry for love, but Claudia's betrayal killed that dream.
Now, he just needed someone suitable, love or not.
Feeling empty, Philip glanced at Regina, but she had turned away.
At the dinner, Regina effortlessly mingled at Douglas' side, translating for him while he occasionally deflected a drink being offered to her. No one dared to act as inappropriately as in the previous incident with the man named Frannice. It was clear to all that Douglas was attentively protecting his accompanying translator throughout the evening.
As the night drew to a close, the banquet hall was alive with the vibrant spectacle of a fireworks display outside.
Guests eagerly made their way to the lawn to enjoy the show.
Regina asked Douglas, "Shall we check it out?"
Douglas saw it was cold, and Regina only had a dress and shawl. He worried she'd be cold.
But he rarely said no to her.
So he draped his jacket over her shoulders, gentle and caring.
"Let's go."
As she felt the added weight on her shoulders, Regina's heart seemed to warm instantly.
They walked out together, the spacious lawn already crowded with guests. The darkness of the evening and the large crowd helped them blend in, making their presence less conspicuous.
Although the dinner had maintained a warm and harmonious atmosphere rather than a stern and formal one, dealing with the high-profile political and business figures still demanded a certain level of seriousness. It wasn't until this moment that Regina finally felt she could fully relax.
Douglas watched as Regina grabbed some sparklers but couldn't find a lighter.
She looked at him. He chuckled. "I'm quitting smoking."
So, no lighter.
Regina, on a whim, had taken a few sparklers after seeing others playing with them on the lawn.
Just as she was about to put them back, Douglas said, "Wait, I'll borrow a light."
She watched as Douglas chatted with a passerby. The man thought Douglas wanted a light for a cigarette and handed him one.
Douglas lit the cigarette, thanked the man, and walked back to Regina, using it to light her sparklers.
The sparklers lit up like tiny stars. When one fizzled out, Douglas lit another with the cigarette.
The sparks reflected on Regina's smiling face. "Am I being a bit childish?" she asked.
Douglas saw through her. "Even if you're 36 or 46, it doesn't matter."
With him, she could always be that pampered little girl, free to do as she pleased.
Regina handed him two more sparklers.
The ember rested on the tip of the sparkler.
Sparks flew between them in a brief, dazzling burst.
Fireworks were fleeting, but in Douglas' eyes, Regina seemed to embody eternity.
It was only when Regina had lit every sparkler she held that he felt the moment truly linger.
Above them, the fireworks display continued its endless, brilliant show.
Halfway through, Douglas' phone rang. It was too noisy, so he leaned down and said to Regina, "I'll take a call."
"Okay."
Douglas found a quiet spot on a bench and took the call.
Ten minutes later, he was ready to return to Regina.
Then, an uninvited guest appeared.
"I need to talk to you," Philip said, looking grim.
Douglas stayed calm. "What do you want to say?"
Philip asked, "What's your relationship with Regina?"
Though he hadn't spoken to them, Philip had been watching Douglas and Regina all night.
Douglas replied lazily, "What do you think it is?"
Philip didn't want to guess. "I noticed your interest in her outside The Century Group. Tonight, it's even more obvious. This isn't how a boss treats a subordinate."
The atmosphere between Douglas and Regina was clearly ambiguous.
"I don't know if Mr. Semona, you're aware of my history with Regina, but we've been together for six years. A bond that deep isn't something you just walk away from. Even I can't do that, so how could she?”
After all, over those six years, it was clear to everyone that Regina was the one who loved the most.
Philip had always doubted that she could be so resolute in ending things.
"What makes you think you can compare to her? Don't overestimate yourself. She's much better than you."
Though the words were harsh, Douglas' eyes betrayed a fleeting crack in his composed facade.
Philip said, "She still loves me."
He played recordings on his phone, proof of Regina's deep love for him.
Douglas listened quietly to the familiar voice.
"Actually, I never thought about dating or marriage at first, but after meeting you, I wavered. Philip, would you marry me?"
Regina had said this to Philip when she was twenty-four, four years into their relationship.
Though people later thought Regina was the lesser party, she wasn't a fool. Without bait, how could she have been hooked?
Philip had pursued Regina passionately at the beginning.
He had been tender and loving.
Regina struggled for a long time before she fell in love with Philip.
