Sitting back in his chair, Dave observed them with a calm and detached expression.
Sitting next to Dave, Justin leaned over and whispered, “Madison seems to favor Blake. Don’t he and Bianca look like a couple?”
Dave shot him a sharp, intense look that seemed to say a lot.
Despite knowing he was pushing Dave, Justin couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you going to tell her the truth?”
“It’s not the right time yet,” Dave replied calmly.
“She might end up with someone else by then! And even if she’s Madison’s daughter, that doesn’t mean Lucas will like her.”
Dave gave him a sharp look and said, “You’ve been quite talkative today. It’s better if you focus on your own business.”
Justin’s mouth twisted into a wry smile as he straightened up.
The people at the table noticed Dave’s deep familiarity with Justin and his strong presence. They started to think he couldn’t be just an ordinary person and began to show him more respect.
At that moment, Madison and Blake approached and stopped near Dave.
Blake’s eyes darkened when he looked at Dave.
Madison introduced Blake to everyone, saying, “Blake is such a catch. I’d be happy if Bianca found someone like him. What a pity…”
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Dave with clear disdain.
“Mom!” Bianca’s voice sounded a bit upset.
Madison’s smile remained steady as she added, “But I do respect Bianca’s choices. She’s new to society, so it’s natural for her to have a limited perspective…”
Madison’s words had a hint of sarcasm.
Dave, however, stayed seated with a slight, unaffected smile.
“Ms. Lopez, let me tell you, Bianca’s boyfriend is no ordinary man! If I were you, I wouldn’t dismiss him so easily.”
These words came from an executive who had stood up from the banquet table, his tone serious.
Madison was taken aback, her face showing confusion as she looked at the guest who talked.
“I agree! He’s absolutely right,” she heard someone say.
To her surprise, the other important guests at the table also chimed in.
“Ms. Lopez, your future son-in-law, is a very talented man. You shouldn’t look down on him!”
“It looks like Bianca has great taste in men. I would be happy if my daughter could find such an excellent boyfriend!”
Madison and Blake were completely puzzled by the guests’ sudden admiration for Dave.
Justin then said, “It’s clear everyone here is wise. This guy-sorry, this mister-has a great perspective. After hearing him, I’d be happy to have him join my team! In fact, if our CEO were here, he’d probably admire him, too.”
He gave Dave a wink to show his approval.
Dave’s mouth twitched slightly, but his eyes clearly showed he wanted Justin to stop talking.
“Hold on a minute. How about you come to work for our company instead?”
“No, you should come to work for our company! We’ll pay you at least a million dollars a year!”
“Ha! They’re not serious. If you join my company, I’ll offer you whatever you want, as long as it’s within my power!”
The big shots all started trying to recruit Dave, turning the banquet into what seemed like a bidding war for him.
What was supposed to be a well-prepared banquet quickly became a recruitment meeting. It wasn’t a pleasant sight for Madison.
She couldn’t believe what was happening. ‘Why was Bianca’s boyfriend getting so much attention? Why did these CEOs value him so much? Even Mr. Wilson was impressed so quickly.’
Bianca pursed her lips and smiled to herself. Her mother was getting a taste of Dave’s true worth.
Dave remained seated, smiling politely at everyone. “Thank you for all the offers and compliments. However, my boss treats me very well, so I’m not looking to leave my current job.”
“May I at least ask who your boss is?” someone asked, curious. ‘If Dave was so loyal, his boss must be extremely powerful and impressive.’
Dave simply smiled and avoided the question. “Sorry, he doesn’t like his staff talking about him privately. Let’s talk about something else.”
The big shots felt a bit deflated by his response.
Madison finally found out from the man she’d asked to keep an eye on Dave what had happened while she was busy introducing Bianca and Blake. Dave had been speaking wisely and confidently in front of the important guests, showing off his unique insights.
His strong and impressive presence had quickly won everyone over!
Madison’s face grew even darker. This wasn’t what she usually heard about Bianca’s boyfriend.
With furrowed brows, she looked at Dave again. He definitely had an air of sophistication.
But Madison still wasn’t completely convinced.
After all, Madison had dealt with people who seemed smart and eloquent but only talked a big game. She believed that while Dave might be able to fool Bianca and these important guests, she shouldn’t be swayed by him.
Besides, even if he didn’t reveal who his boss was, she could find out.
Once she learned his true background, she would show Bianca his real colors!
Walking up to the group of big shots, Madison raised her glass and proposed a toast. She smiled and said, “Blake has signed with Bianca’s agency, and now they’re working together. Please take good care of them in the future.”
When Dave heard this, his expression turned serious. He looked at Madison, Bianca, and Blake. Bianca, trying to be polite, smiled and raised her glass. Her cheeks were flushed from drinking.
She clinked glasses with the big shots and was about to drink when Blake stopped her. “Bianc, you’ve had enough tonight. Let me handle that for you.”
Before Blake could take the glass, Dave stood up quickly and took it from Bianca’s hand.
Dave glanced at Blake with a calm face and said with a friendly smile, “I’m her boyfriend. I’ll handle this for her.”
Blake quietly watched as Dave drank the champagne in one gulp.
After putting the glass down, Dave turned to Madison and said, “Ms. Lopez, Bianca doesn’t drink much, and she’s starting to feel tipsy. I’ll help her get some rest.”
Seeing Dave’s serious look, Bianca gently pulled on her mother’s sleeve and whispered, “Mom, I can’t have any more to drink.”
Noticing Bianca’s flushed cheeks, Madison’s voice softened as she said, “Okay, go and rest.”
With her mother’s approval, Bianca gently took Dave’s arm.
Dave smiled slightly and spoke to the group, “Please excuse us.”
He then led Bianca away with him.
They made their way to a lounge near the banquet center.
Dave asked a waiter for a glass of lemonade and handed it to Bianca. Then he casually asked, “Is Blake working at your company now?”