Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Finally, it was the day of the Hartman Group’s cocktail party. Doris had been busy all day since the morning.
Hartman Group had rented out the entire Hampstone Hotel for the event, which was scheduled for 6 PM.
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For this event, Lewis had hired a professional security company to handle the activities inside, not using the hotel’s staff and not allowing any media or reporters inside.
All attendees were required to surrender all electronic devices.
To ensure Doris didn’t discover his true identity, Lewis had taken extra precautions, going to great lengths to cover his tracks.
Hampstone Hotel was also placing great importance on this event. The departments had started preparing early in the morning, striving for perfection with no room for error.
Doris had just finished the part of the desserts she was in charge of and sat down to rest when Leon arrived.
“Doris, Joan has a fever. You need to take her place and welcome guests at the hotel entrance,” Leon announced her new task in front of everyone.
Doris knew Leon was deliberately picking on her, as she hadn’t listened to him earlier, and now he wanted to punish her.
“Okay.” Doris didn’t dare show any sign of displeasure.
She changed into a bright red dress, with dark floral patterns, a fitted cut, a slender waist, and an elegant figure.
Her long hair was styled into an updo with a beaded hairpin, revealing her pale, graceful neck. She looked like a classical beauty straight out of a painting, with a smile that could captivate anyone.
As dusk fell, guests continued to arrive.
Doris’s outfit stood out like a blooming flower in the dark night, naturally attracting attention at the entrance.
As soon as Ryan got out of the car, he was drawn to Doris’s presence.
Leia followed his gaze and, upon seeing Doris, her expression changed to one of displeasure. Jealousy grew in her heart like a wild vine.
“Ryan, I dressed up today. Do you think I look pretty?” Leia tugged at him, trying to get him to look at her.
“Sure,” he replied.
“So who looks better, me or Doris?”
“Of course, you look better,” said Ryan.
Upon hearing that, Leia smiled with satisfaction.
He bent his arm, and–Leia took the opportunity to hook her arm with his. Together, they walked in.
Ryan wore a wine–red suit with a black shirt, tall and handsome.
His fiancee, Leia, wore a strapless gown in the same color, shimmering with jewels, radiant and charming.
He walked a few steps and then stopped in front of Doris, sizing her up from head to toe.
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The dress suited her well. Her eyes were clear and bright, her lips a rosy red, with a captivating charm that was both innocent and seductive.
“So you’ve become the greeter now?” Ryan asked with a light laugh.
Doris just smiled faintly, “I’m an employee of the hotel. I’ll be wherever they need me.”
Ryan lowered his voice, “Doris, if you were still with me, you’d be the one accompanying me now. You’d have the chance to see the heir of the Hartman family. Standing here in the cold wind in high heels is tough, isn’t it?”
Doris usually wore flat shoes, and the seven–inch red heels she was wearing now felt like torture.
After standing for just a short while, her feet felt numb, as if they didn’t belong to her anymore.
“I’m not interested,” Doris firmly refused.
Ryan was left speechless by Doris’s blunt refusal.
He smirked, “Doris, what a shame.”
“Ryan, it’s her own fault for being ungrateful. Don’t bother with her,” Leia said with hostility toward Doris, then turned to Ryan with a beaming smile. “I’ll cherish you.”
There was a registration desk at the entrance where Hartman Group staff checked the invitations.
Ryan took the invitation out of his suit pocket and handed it over, intending to enter, but was stopped by a staff member.
Ryan wasn’t pleased. “What do you mean by this?”
“Are you blind? Do you know who he is?” Leia was also very displeased.
“Mr. Watson, sorry, you can’t enter,” the staff said formally.
Ryan stared at the staff in shock. “You know who I am, and you
still dare to stop me?”
“You can’t enter,” the staff repeated.
“I have an invitation.”
“Mr. Watson, your invitation is fake.”
“Impossible!” Ryan was stunned, his face stiffened. “This was definitely sent by the Hartman Group.”
There were only a few corporate guests invited by the Hartman Group, and Watson Group was one of them.
Ryan had been quite proud of this, showing it off to everyone, but he never expected this outcome.
“How can you be sure this is the invitation from us?” the staff countered.
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“I want to speak to Mr. Hartman,” Ryan said, trying to use this opportunity to meet the heir of the Hartman family. He never expected that he couldn’t even get through the door.
He didn’t know how he had offended the heir of the Hartman family, who he hadn’t even met yet.
“Mr. Hartman is unavailable today. Mr. Watson, please leave,” the staff said.
Several staff members in black stood in a line, blocking Ryan from entering.
Ryan was forcibly ejected, attracting the attention of onlookers, and even the media outside took pictures.
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“Stop taking pictures! Be careful, Fill send you a lawyer’s letter? Leis warned the media, wire puding Pyn dome Wyen, lee’s
There was no point in staying here. It would only add to the embarrassment.
As Ryan walked past Doris, she called out, “Mr. Watson, I remember you said the heir of the Hartman family is your friend, Just give him a call and ask him to let you in”
Ryan had bragged in front of Doris that the heir of the Hartman family was his friend.
Now, not only was he slapped in the face in front of her, but his lie was also exposed.
“I don’t need you to teach me how to do things” Ryan’s handsome face grew more furious
“Oh, you don’t happen to have your friend’s number, do your Doris’s eyes filled with mockery
She couldn’t contain her joy and smiled secretly, trying to hold back her laughter.
Ryan clenched his fists, lips pressed into a straight line, glaring at Doris, filled with so much anger it semed like he mba explode.
“Ryan, don’t mind her!” Leia also glared at Doris with resentment.
Ryan was pulled away by Leia, leaving in a hurry,
At that moment, Doris couldn’t have been more pleased.
Watching from the second floor, Daniel saw everything that had just happened,
He went to the VIP lounge next to the event hall, where Lewis was sitting on a leather sofa, going over the event details with his secretary, Alyssa.
“Mr. Hartman, Ryan’s gone,” Daniel reported with a smile. “He left looking very embarrassed”
“The game has just started,” Lewis said, his eyes inscrutable. “How about we put him on the news to keep him on edge?”
“Sure,” Daniel said, clearly excited.
“Mr. Hartman, it’s time, You should head to the event now,” Alyssa reminded him.
“Let’s go.” Lewis stood up and straightened himself.
The bodyguard opened the door to the lounge that led to the event hall.
Lewis’s sharp features exuded cold, refined elegance.
The tailored white shirt and black suit highlighted his tall frame and long legs.
With his confident entrance, Lewis became the center of attention, exuding an aura of power. He was a born leader.
Lewis stepped onto the stage and took the microphone, showing off his wisdom and charm, earning rounds of applause.
Daniel handed him a glass of wine, and Lewis raised it. “Cheers.”
Then came the game segment, with generous prizes for the winners.
After the game ended, the lights dimmed in the venue, leaving only a beam of circular light shining on the stage.
In the spotlight, Zoe looked graceful as a mermaid. She played the piano, her music sweet and sorrowful as if telling a
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“Stop taking pictures! Be careful, I’ll send you a lawyer’s letter!” Leia warned the media, while pulling Ryan along. “Ryan, let’s go!”
There was no point in staying here. It would only add to the embarrassment.
As Ryan walked past Doris, she called out, “Mr. Watson, I remember you said the heir of the Hartman family is your friend. Just give him a call and ask him to let you in.”
Ryan had bragged in front of Doris that the heir of the Hartman family was his friend.
Now, not only was he slapped in the face in front of her, but his lie was also exposed.
“I don’t need you to teach me how to do things.” Ryan’s handsome face grew more furious.
“Oh, you don’t happen to have your friend’s number, do you?” Doris’s eyes filled with mockery.
She couldn’t contain her joy and smiled secretly, trying to hold back her laughter.
Ryan clenched his fists, lips pressed into a straight line, glaring at Doris, filled with so much anger it seemed like he might explode.
“Ryan, don’t mind her!” Leia also glared at Doris with resentment.
Ryan was pulled away by Leia, leaving in a hurry.
At that moment, Doris couldn’t have been more pleased.
Watching from the second floor, Daniel saw everything that had just happened.
He went to the VIP lounge next to the event hall, where Lewis was sitting on a leather sofa, going over the event details with his secretary, Alyssa.
“Mr. Hartman, Ryan’s gone,” Daniel reported with a smile. “He left looking very embarrassed.”
“The game has just started,” Lewis said, his eyes inscrutable. “How about we put him on the news to keep him on edge?”
“Sure,” Daniel said, clearly excited.
“Mr. Hartman, it’s time. You should head to the event now,” Alyssa reminded him.
“Let’s go.” Lewis stood up and straightened himself.
The bodyguard opened the door to the lounge that led to the event hall.
Lewis’s sharp features exuded cold, refined elegance.
The tailored white shirt and black suit highlighted his tall frame and long legs.
With his confident entrance,,Lewis became the center of attention, exuding an aura of power. He was a born leader.
Lewis stepped onto the stage and took the microphone, showing off his wisdom and charm, earning rounds of applause.
Daniel handed him a glass of wine, and Lewis raised it. “Cheers.”
Then came the game segment, with generous prizes for the winners.
After the game ended, the lights dimmed in the venue, leaving only a beam of circular light shining on the stage.
In the spotlight, Zoe looked graceful as a mermaid. She played the piano, her music sweet and sorrowful as if telling a
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touching story.
The song ended, but the audience remained captivated.
Zoe picked up the microphone beside the piano and stood in the center of the stage.
Her makeup was flawless, her long hair tied up, wearing a crown–like headpiece, and a white, rhinestone–studded V–neck dress that accentuated her enchanting curves, looking every bit like a princess.
She fixed her gaze on Lewis and shocked everyone with her words. “Lewis, I love you.”
Everyone was stunned by Zoe’s bold confession, looking toward Lewis to see his reaction.
The room fell into complete silence, you could hear a pin drop as everyone awaited Lewis’s response.
Lewis lightly gripped the wine glass in his long fingers, still calm, but there was a coldness beginning to form in his eyes.
He had already rejected Zoe once, and now she was using this opportunity to confess again.
Was she gambling on him not wanting to embarrass her in front of so many people, especially with their elders present?
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