Everyone fell silent, and for a moment, there was an unspoken agreement to remain quiet.
Mario looked at Sienna and asked directly, “Sienna, what do you think?”
Sienna hesitated for a moment, and under the table, she instinctively tugged at Camille’s hand, as if scolding her for speaking out. Couldn’t they just have this meal without any trouble?
Her grip was tight and slightly painful, causing Camille to let out a heavy sigh.
Sienna forced a faint smile, and it was somewhat perfunctory. She said casually, “I think it’s fine, but having dinner together every week might be too frequent. It could be quite costly for you.”
“No worries. It’s just a meal. Consider it a reward for everyone’s hard work. If anyone has any other requests, feel free to speak up.” For Mario, it was not an issue at all.
But for others, it did create some pressure.
Even Camille felt a slight discomfort. She spoke softly, “Mr. King, having meals together is not the most important thing. We don’t necessarily have to eat every week. It would be nice to order takeout or have a cup of coffee together during the break. Having a full meal might take up too much time, and you are probably busy as well. Plus, everyone might have other things to attend to. So I think the idea of going out for dinner once a week is not very practical.”
“Alright then, we’ll do as you suggested. Is there anything you’d like to say, Lily?” Mario called on Lily.
Lily was taken aback for a moment before responding, “I don’t have anything to add. I think everything is fine.”
Mario nodded in response and glanced at his wristwatch. He said, “Just wait a little longer, everyone.”
Worried that everyone might be hungry, he instructed the waiter to bring some appetizers.
After about twenty minutes or so, the door to the room finally opened. Mario’s secretary opened the door and gestured politely before a woman in a white dress walked in.
Lily’s assistant whispered softly, “It’s the woman from earlier today.”
Camille and Sienna remained silent because they were all too familiar with the woman before them.
Their hands clenched under the table, revealing some hidden emotions.
The woman also noticed Sienna and Camille but quickly averted her gaze as if she hadn’t seen them.
Mario made a simple introduction, saying, “This is the new friend I wanted to introduce tonight. She will be my assistant and will directly communicate with all of you regarding architectural drawings. If there’s anything important, I will also convey it through her.”
“It’s nice to meet all of you. I’m Jennie King. Just call me Jennie,” the woman said with raised eyebrows as she sat next to Mario. She raised her glass in a gesture of goodwill, her words dripping with politeness.
To someone unfamiliar with her, she might come across as charming and approachable, but Sienna and Camille, who knew her well, had a completely different impression.
Jennie was Mario’s niece, and she had clashed with Sienna more times than they could count. The two of them were like enemies. However, being a member of the King family allowed her to leverage her connections, and she maneuvered her way into a job at King Group, where she was actually doing quite well. This was likely one of the reasons Mario had chosen her to be his assistant.
Sienna couldn’t help but lose her appetite as she looked at Jennie.
Camille barely touched her food throughout the meal. Given the open hostility between her and Jennie, she found it hard to understand Mario’s intentions. Was he trying to get back at her in this way?
Sienna leaned in and whispered, “Honestly, I’m still a bit annoyed.”
Camille replied coolly, “Be magnanimous. What’s there to be upset about? We’ll deal with whatever comes our way. What’s there to fear?”
“I’m not afraid. I just can’t stand it.”
“Then just pay her no mind.”
Sienna huffed softly, still feeling unhappy.
Camille lowered her voice, “Don’t get upset. You need to take care of yourself and the baby in your belly, okay?”
Camille was careful to turn her face toward the wall, worried that someone might read her lips.
But some people couldn’t help but provoke others, even when ignored.
Jennie, smiling, piped up, “What are you two whispering about? Care to share with the rest of us?”
Her voice was light and cheerful, drawing everyone’s attention.
However, Camille remained unfazed. She glanced at Jennie and replied, “You really wouldn’t want to know.”
“Come on, just tell us!”
“Are you sure you want to hear it?”
“We’re all going to work together from now on. What’s there that can’t be shared?”
Jennie was clearly determined to dig deeper.
Camille merely scoffed and said, “We were discussing the topic of married women. The reason we didn’t include everyone is that we’re the only two married ones at this table. Or are you married too, Jennie?”
Jennie’s expression soured immediately.
While others might not know, Camille, Sienna, and Mario were well aware of Jennie’s past. She had pursued a relationship with a married man, ignoring everyone’s objections, and ended up facing the wrath of the man’s wife. This incident caused a significant scandal for the King family.
This was a painful memory for Jennie, and for years she had avoided relationships out of fear and distrust of men. Hearing Camille’s words now was like driving a knife into an old wound.
Camille noticed Jennie’s discomfort and said lightly, “I warned you that you might not want to hear this, yet you didn’t believe me.”
Jennie scoffed, “It’s not quite right for you to claim you’re married, considering you and Mr. Simpson are divorced. How can you still identify as married?”
Camille smiled. “You’re right. I’m technically divorced. But having been married, I understand a bit about the married experience.”
“You-” Jennie seemed to be getting angrier.
Sienna chimed in with a laugh, “Are you upset, Jennie? Oh, dear, you asked to hear it and then got unhappy. Are we supposed to take the blame for that?”
Sienna’s playful tone added a teasing edge to the atmosphere.
Camille couldn’t help but chuckle at Sienna’s remark but held back her laughter, wanting to maintain some decorum in front of Mario.
The meal turned out to be quite enjoyable, and Sienna, who had little appetite at first, ended up happily finishing her plate.
Afterward, Jennie abruptly left the private room without saying a word, and the conversation naturally shifted away from her.
Everyone exchanged polite farewells before parting ways.
On the way back, Lily curiously asked, “Do you know her?”
“Not really. She’s just a familiar stranger,” Sienna replied casually, then added, “Just remember, she’s not a good person. Stay away from her.”
“Got it! I’ll take your word for it.” Lily nodded, trusting Camille and Sienna’s judgment.