Chapter 182 Who Will Win the Prize
Ada's first visit to Mugden grabbed tons of media attention, thanks to the Wellington Group's heavy promotion. For the past three days, headlines had been all about the international superstar and the hotel she was staying at.
During this time, the Wellington family kept making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The Wellington family's hotel had a great reputation for decades. As a top-tier brand in Mugden and nationwide, it hosted VIPs from politics, diplomacy, economics, culture, and sports. Even the former President of Valoria always stayed there when visiting Mugden.
But in the last six months, a series of incidents tanked the hotel's reputation. Now, when people spoke of the Wellington family, they thought of Edward getting cheated on by Nicole.
Reputation takes years to build but can crumble in an instant!
So, Edward poured in a lot of effort and resources to win over Ada, hoping to restore the hotel's image.
He wanted this win way more than Evelyn did!
At exactly six in the evening, media reporters and fans were already outside the hotel, eager to see Ada.
A fancy red carpet was rolled out at the entrance, adding to the event's grandeur.
"I'm a huge Ada fan! I've seen all her work! After ten years, I finally get to see her!"
"When it comes to hotels in Mugden, the Wellington Group is still the best! KS WORLD can't compare in reputation, facilities, or overall quality!"
"But the Wellington family's recent actions have been really confusing."
"That doesn't stop them from being a top player in the hotel industry! Ada staying here shows the Wellington Group's strength!"
A bodyguard opened the door of a luxurious stretch Lincoln.
The star of the night stepped out to the cheers of her fans.
Ada, a beauty with deep brown curly hair, stood about 6 feet tall, with long legs and broad shoulders, making her stand out.
Since it was her first time in Mugden, she underestimated her fans' enthusiasm. In a good mood, the proud superstar smiled and waved.
"Ada! I grew up watching your movies!"
"Oh my God, how does she never age?! She's stunning!"
Ada, escorted by her manager and bodyguards, walked into the hotel and took a private elevator to the banquet hall.
Edward and Bart waited outside. When Ada appeared, Edward calmly and gracefully stepped forward to shake her hand.
"Welcome to Mugden."
Edward, in his signature four-piece suit, exuded elegance and charm, matching Ada's presence.
"Hello, Edward," Ada said, shaking his hand.
"How are you finding your first time in Mugden?" Edward asked.
"My mother is from Valoria, and she's a Mugden native, so Mugden feels like home. Even though it's my first time here, I fell in love with the city the moment I arrived," Ada said.
Edward's impeccable image and smooth conversation eased the initial awkwardness. They walked into the banquet hall, chatting and laughing.
Inside, celebrities and socialites mingled, creating a glamorous scene.
Ada's appearance caused a stir, with some A-list stars eager to take photos with her.
Almost all the female celebrities cast longing glances at Edward, who looked incredibly handsome.
Tiffany and Debra stood to the side, holding champagne. As members of the Wellington family, they felt overshadowed, their makeup unable to hide their gloomy expressions.
"Tiffany, we're also part of the Wellington family. Why should we play second fiddle to Edward?!" Debra grumbled, while Tiffany's face grew increasingly tense.
As Mrs. Wellington and a former film star, Tiffany was used to the spotlight and couldn't stand being ignored.
So, she plastered on a fake smile and strutted over to Edward and Ada.
"I've heard so much about you. Meeting you in person is truly extraordinary."
"And this is?" Ada asked Edward.
"I'm Tiffany, the wife of Mr. Wellington, the chairman of the Wellington Group," Tiffany introduced herself, lifting her chin slightly with a hint of arrogance.
"Edward, I don't understand what she's saying, but you don't need to translate for me because I'm not interested in her identity," Ada said, not even glancing at Tiffany, speaking to Edward in a foreign language.
Tiffany only caught bits and pieces of what was said.
Just as she was about to reintroduce herself in the foreign language, Edward's lips curved slightly, and he said with a faint smile, "We are on the same page. I don't intend to introduce irrelevant people to you," leaving Tiffany completely stunned.
She could clearly hear the surrounding whispers and laughter!
"Ada daring to confront Tiffany head-on is really impressive! I used to think she was just good at acting, but now I see it's her true nature!"
"This is hilarious. Ada doesn't care about the domestic market at all. There's no way she'd pay attention to Tiffany!"
"Exactly!"
Hearing the mocking comments, Tiffany's face turned red and white, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepening.
But she couldn't swallow her pride, so she forced a smile and said, "Ada, you might know that our hotel has always been a competitor to KS WORLD. Your choice to attend our banquet tonight is a recognition of our Wellington Group. As the hostess of the Wellington family, I feel deeply honored."
Edward's expression remained cold and distant.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Bart translated Tiffany's words for Ada.
"No, I think you misunderstood," Ada shook her head after listening. "KS WORLD is just as excellent as the Wellington Group. I chose to attend the Wellington family's banquet not because your hotel is better than KS WORLD, but because Edward's actions and charisma impressed me."
With these words, Tiffany's cheeks burned as if she had been slapped in the face.
Ada might seem arrogant and overbearing, but she was actually very smart.
If she had publicly agreed with Tiffany, even superficially, it would have been like admitting that the Wellington family's hotel was superior to KS WORLD.
This would not only offend KS WORLD and the Knight Spear Group, one of the Fortune 500 companies, but also leave her with no choice but to continue letting the Wellington Group host her wedding.
She wasn't foolish enough to fall into Tiffany's trap so easily!
In the somewhat tense atmosphere, the doors of the banquet hall opened.
Jessica, wearing a pink evening gown adorned with rhinestones, walked in gracefully, like a fairy among flowers, capturing everyone's attention.
"Isn't she the famous pianist Christian's protégé?"
"She's not just a female pianist. She's also Mr. Clark's younger sister from the Clark Group!"
Debra's eyes scanned the room like radar when she saw Jessica, frantically searching for Eric.
But she was disappointed.
Jessica felt immensely proud as she noticed the crowd's attention shifting from Ada to herself.
In fact, she had strongly persuaded Edward to let her play the piano, with the main goal of quickly becoming popular in Mugden's high society.
She didn't want people to think of her only as Eric's sister from the Clark family. She wanted to be seen as an unattainable and significant presence herself!
Jessica lifted her long skirt, walking towards Edward, her beautiful face displaying an incredibly sweet smile.
However, Edward merely looked at her with an indifferent gaze, his overly cold attitude making her feel uneasy.
Suddenly, sharp, steady, and decisive high-heeled footsteps echoed from outside the door.
'How familiar!' Edward thought as his heart tightened, his eyes fixed on the door, and his breathing became instantly erratic.
