Chapter 78
Alice went on and on with all the details, and Esme just stared at her like she was nuts. "Alice, have you lost it? Do you really think Marcus is the only one benefiting from his collaboration with David? If David wanted to, with his smarts, he could make even more and probably put Marcus out of business!"
Esme was beyond frustrated with Alice. "You should seriously consider ditching computer science for finance. With your naivety, David's gonna take you for a ride sooner or later!"
"How could Marcus hog all the profits in a partnership? You think David wouldn't make a dime?" Esme flicked Alice's forehead gently, looking exasperated. "Do you even know who David is? Just his name alone would have partners lining up to work with him!"
Alice swatted Esme's hand away. "How am I supposed to know all this stuff?"
Esme sighed, "That's why you need to learn, so you don't get played." Especially not by David.
Alice couldn't care less about this stuff; her homework was already driving her nuts, let alone diving into other fields.
"David probably gets tons of party invites. Why don't you ask him if there's one coming up and have him take you? It'll be good for you to see how things work," Esme suggested.
She had thought about taking Alice herself, but those events usually only allowed female companions or family members, and bringing Alice would just be weird.
As luck would have it, someone was throwing a business banquet and wanted to invite David. He never went to these things, so the organizers were iffy about sending an invite. They decided to go for it anyway. Whether he showed up or not, at least they wouldn't seem rude. David got the invite and decided to bring Alice along.
The night before the banquet, he took Alice dress shopping. On the day of the event, he cleared his schedule and had Garrett prep the guest list. When he picked Alice up from school, he handed it to her.
"What's this?" Alice asked.
David replied, "The guest list for the banquet. They're all big shots. I'm taking you to get you familiar with this world and formally introduce you to this circle. You need to start getting used to it."
In this world, talent alone wasn't enough; connections mattered just as much. No matter how strong you were, you couldn't do it alone. Relationships were key; mutual dependence and balance kept the circle in check.
They went home to change into their formal wear and headed to the hotel. The dress David picked for Alice was simple and classy, not too revealing or too casual.
David rocked a black suit, his hair perfectly styled, with a bit of his forehead showing, and a fancy watch on his wrist. Alice held onto his arm as they walked into the banquet hall.
The crystal chandeliers sparkled, the hall was decked out, and soft music played in the background. Waiters moved around, offering fine wine and gourmet snacks.
Felix was chatting with a business partner in a corner when he spotted David coming in. He raised his glass to greet him but then noticed the woman next to David, who was listening intently to him.
Felix was taken aback. With David blocking his view, he couldn't see who the woman was. Since when did David start showing up at these business banquets, and with a female companion no less?
Just then, David noticed Felix and made his way over. Only then did Felix realize the woman clinging to David was Alice. Felix gave a wry smile. "I thought you brought someone else."
David grinned and gently tapped Alice's hand with his finger. She winced and shot him a glare.
"No alcohol," he said, catching her trying to snag a glass of wine from a waiter's tray.
"I won't get drunk," Alice muttered, pouting.
"Do you even know your own limit?" David chuckled. "Remember what happened last time you got drunk?"
Alice couldn't remember; she had blacked out. How could she? But the drinks at the banquet were nothing compared to those at a bar. The alcohol here was mostly low-proof, so it wasn't easy to get drunk.
David wanted to talk business with Felix, so he sent Alice away. "There's juice over there. Get us two glasses."
Alice was annoyed, looking back every few steps. David stayed put, waving her on when she turned around. Alice stomped her foot in frustration and headed towards the refreshment area.
"Sending Alice away on purpose, got something secret to tell me?" Felix asked casually, his eyes on David.
Not only was it rare for David to attend a business banquet, but bringing Alice along was even more surprising. At an industry-wide event like this, David's presence alone was enough to draw attention. Alice's presence only fueled speculation about her identity.
David's gaze swept over the gourmet area, then he signaled Felix to follow him to a quieter corner. Only then did David speak in a low voice, "I've signed a five-year partnership agreement with Paragon Industries Group."
Felix's face darkened. "What do you mean? Did you propose this?"
David gave a helpless smile. "Yeah, I did. After the Smith Family incident, Smith Family ended their partnership with Paragon Industries Group, causing losses for the Bailey Family. Now Marcus blames Alice, so I had to fix it for her."
With Alice involved, Felix couldn't criticize directly, no matter how displeased he was. A five-year partnership meant Marcus could gain significant benefits from David, possibly even meddling in David's current projects under the guise of partnership. Maybe he was overthinking, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.
Felix frowned deeply, looking displeased. "Five years is too long. Can't it be shortened to three? How much was the old partnership with the Smith Family and the Bailey Family worth? Just compensate them. Does Marcus insist on partnering with you?"
David didn't respond, just gave Felix a meaningful look.
Felix smiled bitterly and downed his drink. "You're really cunning."
David chuckled softly, "Alice probably knows by now." he said. Garrett hadn't kept it a secret. After Alice found out, she acted all sweet and affectionate, calling him "Baby" and giving him massages, leaving him helpless against her.
Felix frowned, showing some concern. "And then?"
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