After the fire was extinguished, during the cleanup, it was discovered that the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth floors had been completely burnt out. Anyone who hadn’t managed to escape from these floors in advance had perished in the blaze. As for how the hero had rescued the child from the sixteenth floor, no one knew.
This heightened Rosemary’s curiosity about the hero.
Once dinner was nearly finished, people in the banquet hall began to exchange toasts in small groups. The tables closer to the front were the most distinguished, and not just anyone could offer a toast.
Especially the Mayor’s table, where several men in black suits stood nearby to discourage anyone from approaching.
The man in the suit noticed this and commented while enjoying a fruit plate, “It would be great if we could offer a toast at the Mayor’s table.”
A girl sitting next to Rosemary suggested, “Rosemary should be able to offer a toast, right?”
“No doubt, her grandfather is sitting over there,” another girl chimed in with a hint of sarcasm.
Leo glanced over and confirmed that Dr. Rudolph was indeed sitting at the Mayor’s table.
However, Rosemary wasn’t interested in the discussions around her; she was looking at her phone, reading news about the fire at the Golden Gardens building.
Leo noticed this and felt uneasy, fearing that a sudden photo of him might appear in the news.
“It’s just a toast, no big deal,” Lawrence declared, rising from his seat with a raised glass, eager to impress Rosemary.
Lawrence wasn’t exaggerating. His father was a well-known entrepreneur in Langstel, and his father’s seat was only two tables away from the Mayor. Moreover, there were some familial connections between their families and the Mayor.
“Mr. Lytton, I remember you have some family relations with the Mayor, right? How about you go and offer a toast? It would be a great boost for our table’s reputation,” encouraged the man in the suit.
“You’re absolutely right,” another added. “I’m sure those guys in suits can’t stop Mr. Lytton.”
Several others at the table chimed in, and it seemed that if Lawrence did manage to toast the Mayor, it would indeed be a moment of great prestige.
Boosted by their praises, Lawrence felt quite smug. He glanced at Rosemary and said, “Sure thing. I’ll represent our table and go toast the Mayor!”
With that, Lawrence confidently held his glass and walked towards the direction where the Mayor’s table was located.
Everyone watched with eager anticipation.
Reality, however, proved disappointing. Lawrence didn’t even reach the Mayor’s table before he was intercepted by the three men in black suits.
Lawrence argued with them for a while, but eventually, he returned, crestfallen. Seeing his failure, the man in the suit expressed surprise, “Mr. Lytton, what happened? Why didn’t they let you through? With your family connection, they shouldn’t have dared to stop you.”
Lawrence, feeling embarrassed, had to fabricate an excuse, “They said the Mayor and some officials are discussing confidential matters, so they asked me not to approach for the toast right now.”
No one suspected Lawrence’s lie, so he could try again later.
At this moment, while sitting in his seat, Leo hesitated. He pondered if he should go and offer a toast since he felt that Dr. Rudolph and Godfery Dan might have noticed him. Besides, he also knew another important government official, Noel Fox.
Sensing Leo’s hesitation, Rosemary asked, “What’s the matter? Feeling uncomfortable?”
Leo asked Rosemary beside him, “Do you think I should go toast at the Mayor’s table?”
The people at the table heard Leo’s question and immediately looked surprised. The man in the suit quickly asked, “Hey, buddy, I forgot to ask earlier, what do you do for a living?”
“Unemployed,” Leo replied, shrugging his shoulders, reluctant to reveal his identity.
The crowd first paused, then burst into laughter.
“Now I’m sure, this guy has some issues.”
“An unemployed wanderer who’s considering offering a toast at the Mayor’s table. This is the most unrealistic thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life.”
“Can someone tell me how this guy managed to get in?”
“He’s here because Rosemary brought him.”
While they stopped their taunting and teasing when they heard that Rosemary had brought Leo, a few girls muttered under their breath, directing mocking looks at Leo.
In the end, Leo decided not to offer a toast. He was here primarily because Rosemary had “coerced” him, so keeping a low profile seemed like the better option.
Over at the Mayor’s table, Godfery, seeing that Leo wasn’t making a move to offer a toast, decided to excuse himself. He stood up and walked over to Leo’s table.
When he reached Leo, he raised his glass and smiled, “Leo! Long time no see. Let me offer you a toast.”
Witnessing this scene, the people who had been chatting with Leo at the same table fell silent, their eyes wide in disbelief.
No one could have anticipated that Godfery, who was sharing a table with the Mayor, would personally come over to offer a toast to a young man. Not only at this table but also at the neighboring tables, people were astonished and guessing about Leo’s identity.
Even Rosemary was surprised. Though she didn’t know Godfery well, she understood his influence. To think that a person of such standing would personally come to offer Leo a toast!
Leo raised his glass, stood up, and responded, “Mr. Dan, I’m sorry, I initially planned to come over and toast you, but when I saw those three men in suits blocking people, I decided against it.”
“That’s okay, Leo. You’ve helped me immensely, so it’s only right that I come over to offer a toast. I’ll go first, cheers!”
Godfery and Leo clinked glasses, and both drained their drinks.
Lawrence hurriedly stood up and fetched a new glass, intending to offer a toast to Godfery, “Mr. Dan, I’m Lawrence Lytton, and I’d like to offer you a toast.”
Godfery looked at Lawrence and asked Leo, “Is he your friend?”
Leo shook his head and replied, “No.”
“Alright, then just enjoy here. After the conference ends, don’t rush to leave. I’d like to catch up with you,” Godfery said, ignoring Lawrence and walking away.