Chapter 1379 - 1375: Beware the Wolves at the Banquet—Don’t Get Snatched Away
Chloe was momentarily stunned when she received the call—Imperial City’s Shaw Family? Having been with Constantine Stewart for six years, she naturally knew what kind of existence the Shaw Family was, but how did an invitation to such an evening banquet land with her?
"Kyla, should I go?" The young girl’s voice was crisp over the phone, carrying a tone of disbelief.
"It’s you, that’s right. I’ll bring over the dress and jewelry, along with a stylist. Get up now and take a bath, then wait for us to arrive, OK?" Kyla Zamora spoke with the tone of coaxing a child and laughed, knowing that Leah Squire was currently all the rage in the elite circles; getting her invitation to attend this banquet was something many would fight tooth and nail for.
Thinking of how Chloe had recently shone brightly on variety shows and returned to Imperial City, Leah intended to bring her into elite circles—it truly was a double blessing, which made Kyla feel over the moon these days.
"Oh." Chloe obediently replied, hung up the phone, spaced out for a bit, then went to the gym for half an hour of exercise, worked up a sweat, and only then went for a bath.
The 200-square-meter apartment was fully equipped, with luxurious and cozy décor, also featuring an aunt who regularly came to clean and cook for her. Because she had no current schedules, her assistant Qiu wasn’t around either; Chloe was still not adapted, feeling like she had naturally stumbled upon a jackpot.
Though previously living in a private residence on Fulham Road, where life was discreetly luxurious, after being thrown back to reality half a year ago and living in dire poverty, she desperately longed for a home of her own—a place where she wouldn’t be casually thrown out.
Chloe took a look at her bank balance, gathered all the scattered funds from various corners—it seemed she was still far from buying a house in Imperial City.
Now the property prices in prime locations were sky-high.
Kyla arrived with the stylist and saw Chloe wearing a bathrobe, wrapped in a hair-drying cap, lying on the bed muttering under her breath. Kyla couldn’t help but laugh, "Don’t recite prayers, come quickly, the banquet starts at six; other than the hour-long drive, time is really tight."
"Sis, are you going too?" Chloe jumped off the bed, ran over, and hugged Kyla’s arm, asking coquettishly.
"Of course, there are many wolves at the banquet; if I don’t keep an eye on you, what if you get whisked away?" Kyla laughed, knowing that Desmond Wood had scolded Constantine Stewart harshly upon returning. Kyla had also learned about the incident that occurred during the recording. Fortunately, Constantine Stewart had turned off the live stream beforehand; otherwise, if this matter escalated—haha—not even openly declaring Chloe as his girlfriend would salvage the situation.
The stylist quickly applied a light makeup on Chloe, a girl in her early twenties with skin as smooth as a peeled egg, bright and shining; foundation couldn’t be applied. They only used some translucent powder and a bit of a soft blush to accentuate her features, making them look more defined.
"Chloe, would you like a retro wavy perm?" The stylist assessed the length of Chloe’s hair, which reached her shoulders, combined with her delicate features; if she styled with retro waves, it would be truly stunning.
"Okay." Chloe nodded, watching the stylist blow-dry her hair and use a curling iron to craft meticulously beautiful waves, and sighed in amazement.
Once the styling was complete, Chloe changed into the evening gown Kyla had brought, a gradient nude pink long dress with a somewhat aesthetic design—it was low-cut and cape-style, fluttered in the wind like small wings.
"Sis, what kind of banquet is this to be so grand?" Chloe asked uneasily; she had never worn such a beautiful and feminine gown before.
Previously, Constantine Stewart had always prepared cute and youthful clothes for her. As for banquets, he almost never took her along; back then, she threw herself into the sweet talk of men, uncaring and impatient with socializing, feeling so big-hearted. In retrospect, it seemed he never really considered her seriously.
Thinking of past events, Chloe sighed softly.
Kyla had also finished her makeup, changed into a versatile black dress, touched her somewhat chubby figure, took a deep breath, and said, "The Shaw Family’s banquet, even a small one, can cause a stir in Imperial City; it’s best to dress grandly, so as not to feel daunted by those celebrities."
Kyla felt satisfied looking at the girl, as light as a little fairy, nodded approvingly and laughed, "The dress, jewelry, and handbag are all sponsored, but the dress is a high couture piece by S-house, waiting to make headlines tomorrow. If the response is good, I’ll try talking to them to see if we can secure S-house’s endorsement."
S-house’s endorsement? Chloe smiled serenely; such an endorsement from an international brand was merely a dream thought—she just wanted to act and earn some hard-earned money.
Having tidied up, both got into the car heading directly to the venue of the banquet. Kyla was even more nervous than Chloe, rarely attending such genuine high-society banquets; accompanying Chloe, she knew beforehand that Constantine Stewart would be attending tonight and was likely to bring Rowaine Lawson.
Seeing the young girl sitting quietly over there, at just over twenty years old, she had shed the impetuousness, flamboyance, and vitality typical of girls her age—not knowing whether this was a good or bad thing.
And Chloe’s mind was entirely on buying a house; even with the balance payment she received, she couldn’t afford a home in a high-tier community, let alone a house with a small garden. Perhaps still live streaming to make money?
The banquet was nominally to celebrate Leah Squire’s Art Pavilion opening.
Bigwigs from Imperial City’s elite circles were there just to accompany and donate tonight; the Squire siblings extended their influence to Imperial City—no one could resist their expansive reach. Truth be told, everyone flocked to offer congratulations.
"Doesn’t your wife’s Art Pavilion business feel like it overlaps with my auction house?" The banquet was held inside the Art Pavilion; Constantine Stewart stood elegantly in a corner with a champagne flute, asking Richard Shaw.
He had just taken a tour and indeed found the Art Pavilion to have their intended aura—the architectural design alone was quite awe-inspiring, reportedly the work of famous design master Callahan Lawrence, covering extensive grounds, comparable to museums of common provinces or cities.
Inside, the art pavilion was filled with treasures; he glanced briefly, sensing that the Shaw Family had contributed quite a collection of ancestral treasures.
"The art pavilion is non-profit; you make money, we cultivate sentiment—it doesn’t overlap." Richard Shaw replied with a faint smile; the man commanded high respect, his face stern, even when smiling, the aura of authority was unyielded whatsoever; with the two of them standing there for so long, nobody approached for small talk.
"So you’re saying these treasures won’t be sold?" Constantine Stewart was somewhat amazed, looking at Richard Shaw with a hint of seeing a fool, "The land price and rent in the Fourth Ring alone are astronomical every year, not to mention the upkeep and continued expenses for such a large art pavilion; does your little salary suffice?"
"The property is Leah’s asset—there’s no need for rent; she said money is plenty, just sitting is a pile of paper, thus crafted this art pavilion. As a public pavilion, it’s open to the public for free, but we also accept donations of antique items." Richard Shaw smiled.
Constantine Stewart smiled elegantly, so tonight they were all suckers, contributing treasures indeed?