“I present a gift to you, Miss Pearce!” Flynn shouted as he made his way up to the stage.
“Rose is putting on a big show, not even bothering to give her own gift. No sincerity at all.”
“Why is this guy wearing casual clothes? Rose’s team is dressed so informally?” someone asked.
“He looks so confident and happy. Maybe he really does have a gift that Miss Pearce will like! But I don’t see anything in his hands,” another person commented.
All eyes were on Flynn as he reached the stage. Little did they know, at that moment, Callie’s eyes lit up with excitement and she beamed with joy upon seeing him.
“Miss Pearce, wishing you good health!” Flynn said as he pulled out a paper crane from his pocket for her.
The room fell silent in confusion and disbelief. “What the hell? Is this some kind of joke? Rose’s gift couldn’t possibly be just a paper crane!” people whispered amongst themselves in shock.
“Oh my god! Has Rose lost it? Everyone else gave gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars, but she gives one measly paper crane?” others scoffed in disdain.
Ismael listened to their comments before sneering at Rose. “Now everyone knows you gave Miss Pearce just a paper crane – how embarrassing!”
“Just wait until the Pearce family finds out about this.”
Someone added ominously while casting disapproving glares towards Rose who remained stoic throughout it all without showing any emotion whatsoever.
“This lunatic!” Madeline stomped her foot angrily and prayed that the Pearce family wouldn’t go ballistic over such an insultingly cheap present. She planned on apologizing profusely by bringing Flynn along when visiting them after everything had settled down again…
However…
“Thank you Mr. Clark! I love it!” Callie smiled sweetly as she took hold of the paper crane before carefully placing it inside an ornate box.
Boom!
The entire room erupted into chaos!
“What?! This doesn’t make sense… Miss Pearce didn’t like any of those expensive gifts but instead treasures this one little paper crane?”
“Not only did Miss Pearce not blame him or show any anger towards such an underwhelming present; she even treated it with great care by putting it inside that fancy box! Even Mr. Swanson didn’t get such treatment… how could…”
“Just look at Miss Pearce’s expression – smiling throughout without any hint of anger or frustration… it’s too bizarre!”
Everyone was left dumbfounded trying to understand what was happening around them except for Braiden who stood near enough to see Callie smile widely while frowning deeply himself…
“What’s this? She… she likes the paper crane?” Ismael was taken aback when he heard Callie’s words, and then looked down at the ten paper cranes in front of him, feeling confused.
Callie leaned in close to Flynn’s ear and whispered softly, “I have been worried that you wouldn’t come, and I couldn’t concentrate on my makeup.”
“Mr. Clark, this is specially dressed up for you. Does it look nice?”
She knew that Flynn was already married and also knew that the relationship between the couple was not good. She wanted to test it out.
But Flynn was a married man after all, and there were some things that cannot be said in public, so she leaned in and whispered into the ear.
Flynn nodded and smiled, “Beautiful, very beautiful! This ancient costume suits you particularly well, with a fairy-like aura.”
Suddenly, there was some awkwardness and he said, “I didn’t bring a gift, so I just folded one on the spot. Don’t be angry! I’ll give you a formal gift in a few days.”
“This paper crane is my promise!”
He rarely attended such banquets and was unfamiliar with the etiquette. He didn’t think too much when he came, but felt very embarrassed.
Callie smiled and said, “Your presence is the best gift, there’s no need to spend money.”
“However, I really wonder what gift you will give me!”
She smiled like a flower, with joy all over her face. She took Flynn’s hand and almost coquettishly said, “Can you cut the cake with me?”
Boom!
Everyone was no longer calm when they saw this scene, and all eyes fell on Callie’s tightly held hand with Flynn, all stunned.
“What’s going on? Miss Pearce is actually whispering to this guy and holding his hand? Are they very familiar with each other?”
“Judging from Miss Pearce’s expression, she clearly likes this guy. Damn… I’m so envious…”
“Damn, who is this guy? How did he get so lucky to make her like him? Miss Pearce has rejected countless handsome men, why would she be interested in this unremarkable kid?”
At this moment, the whole scene reached a climax.
“This… this…” Madeline, seeing the intimate scene of the two holding hands, felt a suffocating discomfort in her chest.
Scarlet’s face didn’t look good either ans she gritted her teeth.
Callie was also interested in Flynn!
Flynn is mine, always mine, no one can take him away!!
She was extremely frustrated. Madeline alone was already troublesome enough, and now another powerful family from Niarak, the Pearce family, had arrived!
“This bastard actually shook hands with Miss Pearce…” Braiden clenched his fist tightly, nails digging into his flesh without him even realizing it.
He turned to Ismael, who was walking towards him, and asked in a harsh voice, “Who is this guy?”
“The Clark family’s abandoned son. He was imprisoned for ten years after beating his stepmother Tessa and is now the Kaur family’s son-in-law after previously being engaged to Layla. He can be considered a useless person with no background,” Ismael replied.
Braiden breathed a sigh of relief at the news. A discarded child from a wealthy family who also offended Tessa wasn’t something he needed to fear. He could easily crush him like an ant.
On stage, a waiter pushed forward a nearly two-meter cake with only one knife on top.
Callie held Flynn’s hand on one side while picking up the cake knife with her other hand. She turned around and gave Flynn a pleading smile.
Flynn hesitated for a moment before noticing Braiden staring at him from below, warning him with his eyes as if saying, “If you don’t let go of Callie now, I’ll definitely kill you!”
Ismael also raised his fist threateningly and glared at Flynn fiercely.
Seeing Braiden’s expression made Flynn immediately stand behind Callie and hold her hand holding the knife before cutting into the cake.
“I can’t believe this guy dared to be so intimate with Miss Pearce! His body was pressed tightly against hers… his face even touched her ear… and he held her hand…”
“Throughout Niarak, he is the first man who has been so close to Miss Pearce! This little bastard has had such good luck that he has won Miss Pearce’s favor!”
It was unbelievable! Everyone here was envious or jealous or shocked; they wer all losing their cool.
Callie, with Flynn holding her hand, sliced the cake with a smile that not only didn’t fade away but became even more intense. She frequently turned to Flynn, showing her bright teeth, her eyes forming crescents.
“I will kill him, I will definitely kill this beast!”
Braiden, witnessing this scene, gradually developed bloodshot eyes. His entire body trembled more and more violently due to anger, until finally, with a “crunch,” he bit down, shattering one of his teeth.