Chapter 253
Yann gripped the mic and looked out over the crowd. “In honor of my father’s birthday tonight, I would the to tide this moment to fors wife”
With that, he turned to Audrey, a charming smile tugging at the comers of his lips as he clearly and confidently announced he
Henderson.
The room erupted in murmurs almost immediately,
Someone in the crowd whispered, “Have you heard of her before?”
Another replied, “Nope”
“And you?”
“I don’t think there’s anyone named Henderson in the Ashbourne business circle.”
“What about in politics?”
“Never heard of her there either.”
“Look her up, I want everything on her within the next thirty minutes.”
Taking the mic with a relaxed, confident smile, Audrey said, “Hello, everyone. I know you’re all curious about who i am. I don’t have any big achievements to speak of right now, but I’m working on myself
“I want to be the one who brings more to his life, not someone who just clings to it. If you’re curious about me, keep watching. I won’t let you down.”
Yann reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Audrey’s ear. Then, in a voice only she could hear, he said, “I don’t mind you being
clingy
Audrey tilted her head and shot him a sideways glance, wondering, “Since when did he start flirting in public like it’s no big deal?‘
Lucia had just stepped onto the side stairway when the speech ended, “Thank you so much for making time to be here tonight. Please eat and drink to your heart’s content.” She was completely speechless.
She stood at the head table and pulled out a chair for Logan. After he sat down, she stepped in front of Audrey “Let me introduce you to everyone.” As she spoke, she signaled the waiter with a glance.
Lucia hadn’t expected Audrey to show up, so they were one chair short at the main table.
Lucia smiled, “This is Logan’s cousin, Walter Aldrin
Audrey gave a polite nod. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Aldrin.”
Lucia continued, “And this is Logan’s eldest si
est sister, Margot Winifred.”
Audrey greeted her just as sweetly, “Hello.”
Logan’s mother, Susan Winifred, had been Daniel Winifred’s second wife. Margot was ten years older than Logan, and Daniel owed the start of his fortune entirely to Susan
After both Daniel and Susan passed away, Logan’s uncle’s son tried to get involved in the company. At the same time, Margot, who was Logan’s half sister, also wanted a share.
The three sides had been at odds for years, both openly and behind the scenes. In the end, it was Tann who took over with a firm hand and impressive results, securing the final say in the company
Chapter 253
So, Walter and Margot were naturally wary of any woman who might suddenly show up and become a contander for the family’s assets.
Walter’s daughter, Olida Aldrin, looked Audrey up and down with a smirk. “How old are you?
“Twenty–three,” Audrey answeled.
“I was still studying abroad at your age, you know,” Olivia said as she brushed her fingers along the face of her watch hnt don’t go on and on about self improvement while actually living off Yann’s money”
Audrey kept her smile steady. “Olivia, when you studied abroad, were you paying your own tuition and living expenses?”
That hit a nerve, and Olivia’s expression tightened ever so slightly.
It was the Winifred family who arranged her study abroad, picking out the school and taking care of all her tuition, living expenses, and men hiring tw attendants to go with her. Even now, Walter’s small company still relies on Darkshell International to survive
Under the table, Olivia nudged Walter’s foot. He abruptly set down his fork and looked at Yann, “Marriage is a big deal, Yan, You didn’t even talk to ut first. Do I mean nothing to you as your uncle?”
Yann scooped a spoonful of butternut squash purée onto Audrey’s plate without sparing Walter a glance. “I brought my wife here so you could see her for yourselves, not to ask for your approval.”
Walter’s expression turned sour, his knuckles whitening as he balled his hand into a fist beneath the table.
Lucia quickly stepped in to ease the tension. “The food is getting cold, Walter, just eat, okay?
Turning to Audrey, she said in a half joking, half–admonishing tone, “They just want what’s best for you. Just go along with what they say, alright? You ne the youngest here, after all”
Audrey didn’t respond. She just kept her head down, quietly enjoying her butternut squash purée. She hardly ever reached for food herself, if she wanted something, a quick look was all it took for Yann to put it on her plate.
eto
Olivia couldn’t hold back any longer. “What, she doesn’t have hands? She needs someone to serve her at the table now?
Audrey had just finished a piece of rib. She spat the bone onto her plate, looked up, and said, “Where’s your husband today? Couldn’t make it, so now you’re taking it out on me?”
Olivia’s eyes practically popped out of her head as she grumbled inwardly, ‘I’m Yann’s cousin, for God’s sake. I always get treated with respect. Nobody has ever dosed mouth off to me before.
And
d this girl, just married in, is already throwing her weight around? This can’t be happening
Olivia snapped, “Audrey, don’t you know the family rules?”
With a blank look, Audrey asked, “Whose rules are we talking about?”
Wiping the corner of her mouth, she looked from Walter to Margot and said with a sly smile, “Do you mean the Aldrin family’s rules, or the Winifred family’s?”
Gratting her teeth, Olivia immediately looked over at Margot.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that Margot was a woman. When it came to fighting over the inheritance, her ambition rivaled Walter’s, and her methods were far more ruthless than anyone in the Aldrin family
y were in charge, so
Yet Margot simply glanced at Audrey with barely a reaction, keeping quiet. It was Logan’s birthday, after all, and the Winifred family were Margot let it drop.
Halfway through the banquet, the toasts began. After Keith and the other two toasted Logan, they waved Yann and Audrey over to ming
Chapter 253
Yann looked at Audrey to make sure she had eaten enough before standing i
and fearfing hver
Most of the guests had come out of respect for Yann. So, as soon as the bar of them moved, the people tring up fo direction
Logan didn’t mind at all. After all, he was kind of in retirement mode these days, just running a small budna riding and tennis
illa side and keeping action with pu
But Margot, on the other hand, looked sullen. Ever since her power had been taken away, it had become much harder for her to get things d
She was managing a Dackshell International subsidiary now, so whenever she got the chance, the tried to network and was only interested in Yann, which basically left her sidelined.
“I’m going to mingle,” Margot said, lifting her wine glass and heading off to make connections on her own
In the meantime, Walter shot Olivia a look. She caught on quickly and said, “Mr. Winifred, I’ll go with my father to meet i picked up her glass and linked arms with Walter as they walked away together.
That left just Lucia and Logan at the table.
Lucia poured him a cup of coffee and said quietly. “I originally wanted them to keep their marriage under wraps because I was worried the family wouldn’t accept it. I never expected things to turn out like this…”
Logan took a sip of coffee without commenting
Lucia continued, “Actually, I was the one who bought that antique compass. That day, Audrey had her eye on a bracelet, so-
Logan cut in, asking, “Wasn’t your supplementary card already frozen?”
Hearing that, Lucia immediately froze, unsure how to respond.
Seeing her dodge his eyes, Logan absentmindedly ran his finger over the rim of his coffee cup. Aher a moment, he said calmly. “There are no real trends in the business world. Everything comes down to profit.”
What he implied was that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Once someone took the bait, they would just be dragged along by someone else’s agenda.
beaded on Lucia’s forehead. Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped her fork, and she murmured in a voice barely above a whisper,” L
Sweat b
Keith brought them to the garden in the back, where a server immediately arrived with a tray of wine and fruit juices
He said, “Champagne for you, Audrey. This red wine p
packs a punch
“Sure, I’m allergic to red wine anyway” Audrey picked up a glass of juice. “Save the white for when I’ve got time to drink with you.”
Keith’s hand jerked, sloshing his wine. He incredulously asked, “You’re allergic to red wine but fine with Tequila?”
Audrey smiled, “It’s not a physical allergy More of a mental thing. One glass and I’m drunk. But Tequila is fine”
“I thought Hardy was the weird one, but you’re something else too,” Keith said, handing Hardy a glass of red wine
aid a single word. Is he mute of
Audrey glanced at Hardy and thought, “This guy is ridiculously quiet. Ever since I met him, I don’t think he has said a something
Hardy took a sip of wine and turned to look off to the side
Quentin leaned toward Audrey and explained, “He could eat pecans by themselves just fine, but baked goods with pecans would trigger his allergy
Chapter 253
When it got bad, his throat would swell, and he would struggle to breathe”
C
