Lily Peake explained, “Under normal circumstances, core members of the Rhode family would not attend such a reception. This event is merely a platform for the Rhode family to facilitate interactions among various business luminaries; otherwise, we really wouldn’t qualify to be here.”
Esther thought about it and agreed.
How could the core members of such a vast financial dynasty like the Rhode family possibly attend such a gathering?
Even so, those who had come to this reception were prominent figures from Oxwoods, almost all titans of industry.
For the Chester Group, this was an opportunity, a chance to penetrate the Oxwoods market.
Soon, Chris Shelby and others entered the clubhouse.
Afterward, a waiter approached respectfully and asked, “May I help you with anything?”
Lily Peake replied indifferently, “We are here for the Rhode family reception.”
“Please follow me!”
Upon hearing that they were attending the Rhode family reception, the waiter immediately treated them with great reverence.
After all, being able to attend a Rhode family event meant mingling with the upper echelons of society.
For a mere waiter like him, offending such guests was out of the question.
Led by the waiter, Chris Shelby and his group arrived at the venue of the reception.
The hall was vast, with delightful music echoing throughout.
By this time, the hall was already filled with people, each dressed in designer suits, looking every bit the success they were.
Lily Peake looked at Chris Shelby and smiled, “Excuse me, I’m going to introduce Esther to some friends.”
Chris Shelby responded casually, “No worries, I’ll be fine on my own.”
“Darling, just stay put and try not to cause any trouble!” Esther knew all too well Chris Shelby’s knack for getting into significant trouble every time they went out.
She just hoped that tonight, Chris wouldn’t stir up any problems.
Chris Shelby replied dryly, “Don’t worry, dear, I won’t cause any trouble.”
Lily Peake smiled and said, “In that case, we’ll head off first! Everything here is free, so feel free to eat whatever you like.”
Hearing this, Chris Shelby’s eyes lit up.
Soon after, Lily Peake left with Esther to mingle with the so-called business magnates.
Chris Shelby, uninterested in such matters, saw these business magnates as no different from ants.
If he wished, he could crush them with a flick of his finger.
After Esther and the others left, Chris Shelby grabbed a glass of wine from a waiter.
Then, he began wandering around on his own, continuously nibbling on the various free foods available at the reception.
At that moment, Chris Shelby spotted a familiar face.
Not far ahead stood a blond, blue-eyed beautiful woman named Alice, the Chief Inspector of the Oxwoods Royal Constabulary.
Chris Shelby had battled Alice during his last mission in Oxwoods.
Ultimately, Alice was defeated!
Chris Shelby was surprised to encounter Alice here again.
It seemed fate had a way of bringing adversaries back together!
Since that incident, Chris Shelby had become the top fugitive wanted by the Oxwoods Royal Constabulary.
However, due to Chris Shelby’s unique identity, the Royal Constabulary was powerless against him.
“Darling, where are you going?” Esther, who had just finished meeting with a major business leader, asked Chris Shelby hurriedly as he seemed to be wandering off.
Chris Shelby stuck out his tongue in resignation. Was his wife really that worried he would cause trouble? He approached her and asked, “Dear, did you need something?”
Pouting, Esther responded, “Can’t you just stay by my side? Don’t keep wandering around!”
Chris Shelby scratched his head and said, “But I don’t understand business matters at all! Why should I stand by your side?”
He didn’t grasp any of the business dealings. It was all Greek to Chris Shelby. It might be better for Esther to handle it herself, especially since she was the president of Chester Group.
Esther cooed, “Dear, you don’t have to speak. Just stand next to me, and don’t worry about the rest.”
Hearing this, Chris Shelby could only agree reluctantly and followed behind Esther. To everyone there, Chris Shelby seemed like Esther’s bodyguard, so no one paid him any mind.
At that moment, Esther was visibly excited. Although Chester Group was already the top group in Amerosia, there was still a distance to becoming a multinational corporation. Her dream was to turn Chester Group into a globally influential multinational company.
The attendees of the cocktail party were all major business leaders from Oxwoods. Up to now, Esther had successfully negotiated several deals. Soon, these companies would send representatives to assess Chester Group. Collaborating with these companies would greatly aid Esther in penetrating the Oxwoods market.
Just then, an old man approached. He smiled faintly and said, “Welcome to the Rhode family’s cocktail party. I am David, the butler of the Rhode family. Today, I represent the Rhode family in expressing our gratitude to you all.”
Despite being just a butler, David held a very high status in Oxwoods. Typically, an important figure like David would not attend such events, so his presence surprised everyone.
After speaking, Butler David left with a smile. As he walked away, everyone looked on with respect, except for Chris Shelby, who scoffed. The last time they met, Chris had beaten David half to death. If the old man saw him now, he’d probably faint!
David didn’t go far before he approached Lily Peake. “Miss Lily, thank you for attending this cocktail party,” he said with a smile.
Lily Peake was quite a celebrity in Oxwoods, and her husband was a prominent figure. She smiled and replied, “Mr. David, it’s my honor to be here.”
As David was about to speak, his pupils suddenly dilated and his body trembled. He had seen Chris Shelby!
David tried to speak but was fiercely glared at by Chris Shelby, silencing him immediately. David knew very well who Chris Shelby was. Known as the “Grim Reaper General” of Amerosia, Chris Shelby’s name was feared both domestically and abroad. Especially three years ago, when he almost annihilated the entire Rhode family during his last visit to Oxwoods. Even now, David couldn’t help but feel a shiver of fear.