On the other side, Emily, dressed in a pale purple gown, jumped out of the car, and Mr. Langdon’s voice rang in her ears:
“Emily, don’t wander off tonight. Today’s attendees are all prominent figures, and you are about to take over the Langdon family business. You need to establish good relationships with these uncles and elders.”
“Dad, I know. It’s just those four families, right? I’ve memorized their information by heart,” Emily replied impatiently.
“My girl, your rash nature is why I can’t help but worry,” Mr. Langdon shook his head. From her childhood, his daughter had never been the graceful debutante that others were.
She was lively, almost tomboyish, always mixing with boys from a young age. Just when she had finally decided to take over the company, Mr. Langdon felt anything but reassured.
“Dad, just relax. Your daughter isn’t that tomboy anymore.”
After some heartbreaking experiences, she had transformed entirely.
That scoundrel had once criticized her for not being feminine enough, hadn’t he? Now she wore long dresses, high heels, and makeup, determined to make him regret his words profoundly.
“By the way, there’s an update on the Montgomery family. Their daughter is about to become the vice president. We have some dealings with the Montgomery family, so make sure you treat Miss Montgomery well,” her father quickly added.
The last time he took his daughter to a gathering, he had lost sight of Emily for just a moment, and she ended up giving someone’s daughter a black eye and a bloody nose.
Today was a Montgomery family event, and he needed to keep a close eye on her. Emily hated being constrained and no sooner had they entered the hall than she blended into the crowd, slipping away from Mr. Langdon’s watchful eye.
Unfortunately, today was not Emily’s day. As she turned her head, she spotted Kevin and Amelia Stewart huddled close together, that pretentious woman.
It was rumored that Amelia was the illegitimate daughter of the Stewart family, never acknowledged until the legitimate son was killed in a car accident, leading them to finally bring Amelia into the fold.
The Stewart family owned a modest company, half the size of the Langdon’s, and Emily had never disclosed her own family’s wealth to Kevin.
It wasn’t that she deliberately hid it; she simply never liked to flaunt her background. Even though her family owned luxury cars and lived in a mansion, she never showed off.
Kevin, under the impression she was just some wild girl from a humble background, had foolishly connected with Amelia, not knowing that Emily’s stature was many times greater.
Seeing the couple awkwardly at the event, Amelia even pulled out her phone to take photos, unaware of how tacky it looked.
Emily, who adored sweets, found her way to the dessert area and was about to enjoy a cupcake when she saw a face she knew all too well.
Eric, looking dashing in a smart suit, held a glass of red wine. Just his profile was strikingly handsome.
For some reason, Emily recalled the night she had forgotten to pay him.
“Hey, who are you here with?”
Emily suddenly appeared beside Eric, slapping his shoulder hard.
Eric, who was watching Aurora, jumped at the sudden contact, spilling a few drops of wine. What a way to greet someone!
He turned to see the petite woman before him, her face pretty but unfamiliar, yet oddly reminiscent. He was sure they had never met before.
“What? Forgotten me already? I was your client!”
Emily blurted out, not surprised Eric didn’t remember her. That night was dimly lit, and her amateur makeup was ruined by tears.
The remainder of the night’s passions were enveloped in darkness; to Eric, she was just another woman. The next morning, as Eric got up, the woman’s head was completely buried in the quilt, making it difficult for him to discern her identity.
“You’ve got the wrong person,” Eric said coldly as he peeled the woman’s hand from his shoulder.
“This should jog your memory,” Emily said as she fumbled through her wallet, only to find she had $250 left. She thrust the money into Eric’s hands.
“You left so early that morning, I forgot to pay you. Here, take it,” she declared with a grandeur as if she were giving $25, 000 instead of $250.
Even a fool would remember who she was now.
“It’s you!”
Eric exclaimed. He stared at the $250 in his hands, his face turning from white to ashen.
“Am I really worth just $250?”
he blurted out, immediately realizing he had missed the point.
“Of course not, your services were quite good. Help me with one more thing, and I’ll pay you extra afterward,” Emily schemed, seeing an opportunity to make use of this handsome man to get back at a certain despicable duo.
“Miss, I think you are mistaken about that night. I was-” Eric began to explain, but Emily, always brash and impulsive, just took his arm and led him away.
“Don’t worry, I just ran out of cash. I’ll transfer it to you later, name your price. Trust me, I can afford it,” she assured him, patting her ample chest.
Eric raised an eyebrow, speechless at her self-assured manner, completely disregarding whatever he had to say.
He tried to free himself from her grip but found her feeding him a piece of cake with a fork.
“Darling, try this, the cake is delicious!”
Her voice was as cloying as the cream in front of him, a stark contrast to her tomboyish demeanor just moments ago.
“Emily, what are you doing here?”
Amelia said, her face a mix of shock and disbelief.
Beside Amelia, Kevin also noticed Emily, who unlike her usual casual attire, was dressed in an elegant purple strapless gown. Her cleavage subtly revealed, her black hair was elegantly coiffed, and her diamond earrings and necklace sparkled under the lights, making her shine brilliantly.
Amelia wore a white dress but her slender frame could hardly fill it out, and without the aid of photo filters, she looked as thin as a twig.
Previously, Emily never dressed up, which only highlighted her beauty. Now, with just a slight effort, she had transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan.
“Why can’t I be here? Today, I am here as the heir to the Langdon Group,” Emily declared proudly.
“Congratulations, Amelia, I heard your father finally acknowledged you.”
Amelia’s face twisted with emotion, particularly as she glanced at the handsome man beside Emily.
“Emily, aren’t you going to introduce us to this gentleman?”
“Langdon Group, you are-” Kevin and Amelia’s focus shifted, each caught up in their own concerns.