Chapter 133: The Exclusive Dinner!
Luca Hale found the woman strangely familiar. He studied her face for a few seconds before recognition dawned on him.
She was Scarlett Sinclair, the popular Twist creator who had fiercely competed against Naomi Monroe during the final rounds of the platform championship.
What surprised him was how different she looked in person.
On camera, Scarlett’s skin appeared flawlessly pale and porcelain smooth. Standing here without layers of beauty filters, her complexion wasn’t nearly as unrealistically fair.
Yet somehow, she looked even better. Her features felt more natural, more lively, and far less artificial than they did through a livestream.
Luca had never expected an internet creator to attract a crowd comparable to that of a mainstream celebrity.
Fans surrounded Scarlett from every direction. Some held custom-made banners, while others carried professionally printed posters and stacks of fan merchandise they eagerly distributed throughout the hotel lobby.
The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as phones and cameras constantly pointed in her direction.
If a top streamer could command this level of popularity, Luca couldn’t help wondering what it would look like when an internationally famous celebrity appeared in public.
The thought was almost frightening.
Fortunately, the commotion didn’t last long.
The Grand Serenity Hotel’s security team soon stepped in, politely but firmly asking the fans to clear the lobby so normal hotel operations could continue. Although many looked reluctant, the crowd eventually dispersed under the staff’s guidance.
Over the next several hours, more and more elite Twist creators arrived at the hotel.
Every invited guest boasted a following of at least one million subscribers. Since many of them had collaborated before, the lobby gradually transformed into a lively gathering place.
Small groups formed around the lounge sofas as creators chatted, laughed, exchanged stories, and discussed upcoming broadcasts.
Those who were particularly close, like Naomi and Nora Rachel, had already made plans to spend the afternoon exploring New Orleans together.
With nothing pressing to do before the evening banquet, Luca wandered along the nearby waterfront for a while, enjoying the cool breeze rolling in from the river before making his way back to the hotel.
The moment he stepped into the lobby, Romero Dennis hurried over.
"Mr. Hale."
Romero bowed respectfully before speaking.
"CEO Adams and the other board members have all arrived upstairs. Shall I escort you to the private banquet hall now?"
His appearance immediately drew countless curious gazes.
Many of the creators resting in the lobby didn’t personally know Romero, but they knew exactly what his position represented.
As Twist’s Operations Director, he controlled the platform’s traffic allocation and homepage recommendations. A single decision from him could determine whether a creator appeared on the front page or disappeared into obscurity overnight.
For countless streamers, their popularity, income, and even careers were closely tied to his decisions.
Yet this influential executive was treating a remarkably young man with almost unbelievable respect.
Romero’s posture bordered on deferent.
Even after noticing the entire lobby staring at him, he showed no intention of toning it down. It was as though everyone else had ceased to exist.
Who exactly is that young man?
Many creators silently exchanged puzzled looks.
Could he be the heir of one of New Orleans’ most powerful families?
"Let’s go."
Luca paid no attention to the whispers around him and followed Romero toward the executive elevator.
The doors opened onto a luxurious private banquet hall.
Unlike the hotel’s massive public ballroom, this room contained only three large round tables arranged with elegant simplicity.
The instant Luca entered, conversations throughout the room came to a halt.
Every shareholder and senior executive turned to look at him.
Naturally, they also recognized Romero standing respectfully behind him.
If the Operations Director had personally escorted someone here...
Could this really be the mysterious investor who had recently spent hundreds of millions acquiring a thirty-percent stake in Twist?
Isn’t he... far too young?
Before anyone could process their surprise, a tall, imposing man in his early forties stood up from the main table.
The moment the others saw Harvey Adams, Twist’s CEO, personally rise to greet someone, everyone else immediately stood as well.
Harvey strode forward energetically.
He was still several steps away when he burst into hearty laughter and extended his hand.
"Haha! Mr. Hale! I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for ages. I’m delighted you’ve finally made it."
Luca had already guessed Harvey’s identity without Romero introducing him.
He smiled and accepted the handshake.
"CEO Adams, I’ve heard a great deal about you. It’s an honor to finally meet one of New Orleans’ leading entrepreneurs."
"Hahaha!"
Harvey’s laughter echoed throughout the hall.
Still smiling, he turned toward everyone present.
"Allow me to introduce someone important. This is Mr. Luca Hale, the second-largest shareholder of Twist Streaming Networks. Let’s give him a warm welcome."
Applause immediately filled the room.
Harvey personally led Luca to the central table at the back of the banquet hall.
According to him, everyone seated there represented Twist’s principal shareholders.
Among them, two people immediately caught Luca’s attention.
One was David Day, a refined-looking man wearing rimless glasses. His calm demeanor gave him the air of a quiet scholar rather than a wealthy investor.
The other was Hank Holding, who appeared to share a particularly close relationship with David.
The reason Luca’s interest was piqued by them wasn’t because of their appearance.
It was because they ranked as Twist’s third and fourth largest individual shareholders.
Even more remarkable, both looked to be only in their early thirties.
Accumulating wealth on that scale at such a young age was nearly impossible through ordinary means.
Their backgrounds were almost certainly extraordinary.
While Luca quietly observed the pair, David and Hank were doing exactly the same thing.
Both had grown up among the country’s financial elite and had met countless heirs from influential families.
Yet the young man before them didn’t resemble any of them.
He lacked the arrogance and recklessness common among spoiled rich heirs.
At the same time, he wasn’t burdened by the stiff, overly calculated demeanor often cultivated within old-money families.
Calling him an ordinary man didn’t feel right either.
The effortless confidence he carried in every movement simply couldn’t be imitated.
After exchanging a brief glance across the table, both men saw the same confusion reflected in each other’s eyes.
Neither could figure out exactly who Luca Hale really was.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere relaxed considerably.
Luca gradually became acquainted with the principal shareholders, and conversations flowed far more naturally.
Executives seated at the neighboring tables soon began approaching one after another, raising their glasses to toast Luca and the board members.
Just then, the heavy banquet hall doors swung open.
A man in his late twenties hurried inside carrying a thick stack of financial documents.
His breathing was slightly uneven, and his expression was tense.
After scanning the room, his eyes immediately locked onto David Day.
Without wasting another second, he strode quickly toward him, clutching the folders tightly in both hands.