Chapter 134: Could It Be a Coincidence?
The assistant hurried over and bent down beside David Day, whispering several urgent words into his ear.
As the report continued, the color slowly drained from David’s face. His refined expression stiffened, and within seconds he looked as though the weight of the world had landed squarely on his shoulders.
The conversation around the table faded into silence.
Everyone seated nearby could tell something serious had happened.
David pushed back his chair almost immediately. After offering a few rushed apologies to those around him, he strode out of the private banquet hall without another word.
Luca Hale noticed that Hank Holding remained seated, quietly lost in thought. Judging by the look in his eyes, he had probably already guessed what kind of crisis David was dealing with.
Still, David’s abrupt departure was only a brief interruption.
The luncheon continued as planned, lasting another two and a half hours. Between fine food, expensive wine, and relaxed conversation, the shareholders thoroughly enjoyed the hotel’s first-class hospitality.
By the time the gathering ended, Luca and the remaining shareholders made their way together toward the entrance of The Grand Serenity Hotel.
Just then, a spotless Rolls-Royce Phantom glided to a smooth stop in front of the hotel.
The rear doors opened.
Naomi and Nora stepped out side by side.
One possessed an ethereal, innocent beauty that reminded people of first love, while the other carried an elegant, timeless charm.
Both women were undeniably stunning, but Naomi’s gentle, pure appearance had a warmth that seemed to touch people instinctively.
Harvey Adams smiled the moment he saw them.
"Mr. Hale truly has extraordinary luck when it comes to romance."
He had recognized Naomi immediately.
During the platform’s recent evaluations, he had personally reviewed her profile more than once and even approved several of the promotional campaigns that helped propel her rise. He already knew she was beautiful from her photos.
Meeting her in person, however, was an entirely different experience.
She was the sort of woman whose appearance left almost nothing to criticize.
Even Nora Rachel, who countless viewers regarded as an internet goddess, seemed to lose a little of her brilliance standing beside Naomi.
Harvey’s words caused several younger executives nearby to break into cold sweats.
Everything suddenly made sense.
How else could a creator as extraordinary as Naomi rise so quickly unless someone unimaginably powerful had been supporting her behind the scenes?
Luca stepped forward and naturally took Naomi’s handbag from her hands.
He looked carefully at her face before asking softly,
"What’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy."
Naomi forced a small smile.
To anyone else, it looked perfectly normal.
But Luca knew her far too well.
After everything they had shared together, he could tell with a single glance that something was bothering her.
"Honey..." Naomi lowered her head and gently wrapped her arms around one of Luca’s. "I think... I might’ve caused you some trouble."
Her lower lip puffed out ever so slightly, making her look like a child who had accidentally broken something precious.
Luca gently patted the back of her hand before turning toward Phoebe Gates.
His expression cooled.
"What happened?"
Phoebe didn’t hesitate.
She immediately explained everything that had taken place that afternoon.
While Naomi and Nora were enjoying dinner at an upscale restaurant, a man claiming to be one of the industry’s top talent scouts had approached their table.
The instant he saw Naomi, he seemed completely captivated by her appearance.
He enthusiastically pitched his company, promising to transform her from an internet creator into a Hollywood actress.
Naomi politely declined without giving it much thought.
She loved her current life and had no interest in entering the entertainment industry.
She assumed that would be the end of it.
Unfortunately, she had underestimated the man’s persistence.
Roughly thirty minutes later, he returned.
This time, he brought several senior executives from Zenith Entertainment Group.
After Naomi rejected them a second time, their attitudes changed completely.
The smiles vanished.
Instead, they bluntly warned her that refusing their offer would come with consequences.
If she continued to reject Zenith Entertainment Group, they would personally make sure she could no longer survive as a creator.
The fact that they had managed to investigate Naomi’s identity and location in less than half an hour clearly demonstrated that they possessed considerable influence.
If Phoebe Gates hadn’t intervened with the accompanying security team, the harassment likely wouldn’t have ended there.
Luca’s expression darkened noticeably.
"Do you know anything about Zenith Entertainment Group?" he asked.
Phoebe shook her head apologetically.
"I haven’t gathered enough information on them yet."
Before anyone else could speak, Hank Holding quietly stepped forward.
"Mr. Hale," he said, "I’m fairly familiar with Zenith Entertainment Group. It’s Dexter Luiz’s company."
Dexter Luiz?
The name meant nothing to Luca.
Yet the moment Hank spoke it aloud, the expressions of the surrounding shareholders changed.
Several pupils visibly contracted.
Others instinctively frowned.
The reaction alone was enough to tell Luca that this wasn’t an ordinary man.
"Tell me more."
Luca remained calm, but his thoughts were already racing.
If this had happened back in San Fierro, resolving it would’ve been simple.
One phone call would’ve been enough.
But this was New Orleans.
Although he owned significant assets here, it wasn’t his primary base of operations.
As the saying went, even a mighty dragon could struggle against a powerful local snake.
And judging by everyone’s reaction...
Dexter Luiz was far more dangerous than an ordinary snake.
Hank nodded.
"Dexter himself isn’t particularly remarkable. He’s just an arrogant rich heir."
"The real problem is his father."
"Gordon Luiz founded the Luiz Conglomerate."
"It’s one of the most influential business empires not only in New Orleans but throughout the entire Southern Gulf region."
Luca vaguely recognized the company name.
He was certain he’d seen it somewhere in one of the financial reports he’d reviewed recently, although he couldn’t immediately remember where.
Hank continued.
"Dexter has a terrible reputation."
"He’s notoriously lustful, and almost every female artist signed under his company has suffered because of him."
"About five years ago, he became obsessed with David Day’s cousin, the eldest daughter of the Day family."
"She rejected him."
"The incident escalated into quite a confrontation among several prominent families before it finally died down."
"But Dexter never forgot the humiliation."
"Now that the Day family has begun declining financially, he’s using every opportunity to suppress them."
Everything suddenly clicked into place for Luca.
So that was why David had rushed out of the banquet earlier.
The Luiz Conglomerate had probably made another move against the Day family’s business.
Just then, Harvey Adams quietly walked over and patted Hank’s shoulder.
His expression carried unmistakable sympathy.
The other shareholders nearby looked at Hank with similarly complicated expressions.
After a long silence, Hank spoke softly.
"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen David’s cousin."
"I wonder how she’s doing over there in San Fierro..."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
But Luca heard every word clearly.
The eldest daughter of the Day family...
San Fierro...
Luca’s eyes narrowed slightly.
His thoughts connected one clue after another.
Could it really be a coincidence...
The realization made him pause.
The world suddenly felt far smaller than he’d ever imagined.