Lust System: Harem Of Beautiful Women

Chapter 458 458: Gathering

Hail continued, speaking earnestly and with great weight, "By all logic, as an outsider, I shouldn't be saying these things. President Ye is so consumed by his work that he doesn't even remember his own birthday. He wouldn't pay any mind to such a minor affair."

"But if you were to give him a call, he would undoubtedly be overjoyed."

Bella listened intently, hanging on every single word. Her mind was reeling from the confirmation that the rumors must be true, and she immediately began strategizing how best to secure her hold on this influential connection.

Especially telling was Hail's description of himself as an "outsider." That simple phrase was loaded with implications, so thought-provoking it demanded her deepest contemplation.

The meal dragged on for a full hour. Hail only took the occasional small sip, while the majority of the liquor found its way into Luis's stomach. Bella merely kept pace with her drinks, not daring to utter a word.

With the car blocking the entrance for that entire hour, it was inevitable that people coming and going would notice. The members of the Taiga family, in particular, wore expressions of profound and fascinating complexity upon seeing Bella sharing a table with Hail.

Bella had achieved her objective, and the outcome far exceeded her expectations.

Several members of the Taiga family and minor shareholders of the conglomerate came over to offer greetings. They exchanged polite pleasantries before moving on, but each one departed with a noticeably pensive, calculating air.

The famously efficient and professional Secretary Hail was a known teetotaler. To avoid any appearance of impropriety, he would never partake in a working meal, let alone alcohol, in such a setting. The fact that he was now drinking forced everyone to completely reassess his stance and allegiances.

Previously, a tacit alliance had formed among several factions, including the Leon brothers, all united against the still-unsettled Bella. Now, they all had to carefully reconsider their positions.

After the meal concluded, Hail was the first to leave. He offered no parting words, merely casting a knowing smile in Bella's direction.

That single glance felt as if it could pierce the very core of human nature, laying bare every scheme and calculation. A sudden, icy chill of dread ran down Bella's spine.

Nina had been lingering nearby the whole time. Seeing that Bella had been drinking, the elven princess glided over. The faint, enticing blush on her face served as a thrilling, unspoken invitation.

"Care to continue for another drink?" Bella inquired.

Luis waved his hand in refusal. The primary reason was a phone call from his father-in-law, Arthur Wood, which forced the cancellation of his evening plans.

By ten o'clock, Hans's bar was already packed to capacity. The barbecue grills on the balcony were particularly popular, drawing a crowd of middle-aged patrons.

"Your son has really made a name for himself. Just look at this place, raking in money hand over fist."

"Exactly! You're always running him down, but I hear from the staff he works himself to the bone."

Darlan moved through the crowd like a social butterfly, glass in hand, and declared, "Ah, young people should choose their own paths in this era. We can't cling to old-fashioned notions."

"What times are these? A bar is an environment for people to unwind and decompress."

"He got lucky, having a good relationship with his brother-in-law, so they started this venture together. You must all look out for him in the future."

"Look out for him? With business this booming, we're lucky to get a table at all after who knows how many visits!"

"I'll drink a penalty round, a penalty round! Haha!"

Darlan was utterly delighted, not a trace of his former rigid, disapproving demeanor in sight. Instead, he brimmed with pride that his son had become diligent and was now a business owner.

To start a family, then establish a proper career—that was the "proper order" in the eyes of the older generation, the respectable way for a man to live his life.

Before, mentioning his son worked at a bar was a source of shame. Now, boasting that his son owned and operated a major bar carried an entirely different, boastful weight.

Today, he had specifically brought several tables of guests, having made a special trip back from the provincial capital to gather old colleagues and former subordinates. It seemed the bar's future security concerns had been resolved in one fell swoop.

The moment Luis reached the top of the stairs, Darlan seized him in a powerful, one-armed hug.

The man's strength was beastly. Luis stumbled from the force, his heart lurching with the panicked thought, Has he found out about me and his wife?

Darlan dragged Luis before the assembled group and announced with a booming laugh, "My son is fortunate! This brother-in-law of his is both capable and values family. This business is their joint venture."

"To the boss, may your business flourish!"

Luis had little choice. He raised his glass and, somewhat bewildered, proceeded to toast the entire circle, downing numerous cups in a show of respect that greatly pleased Darlan.

"Uncle, I should go attend to the other guests now."

"Good, good, off you go! Your uncle has everything here under control, haha!"

A man of traditionally rigid principles like Darlan had always looked down his nose at places like bars and nightclubs. Yet now, for the sake of his son's enterprise, he was willing to cast aside his dignity entirely.

Arthur Wood harbored similar sentiments. His work in construction involved frequent client entertainment, but his venues of choice were typically nightclubs. A bar was unfamiliar territory for him.

Nevertheless, for the grand opening of his daughter and son-in-law's bar, he felt compelled to show his support. At the very least, he would bring along a contingent of his hard-drinking associates. As the son-in-law, Luis was duty-bound to make an appearance.

After exchanging the necessary courtesies with his father-in-law and his party, they departed well before midnight.

After closing up at 2 a.m., Daniel took the staff out for a late-night meal. He appeared completely sober tonight, which only fueled suspicions that his drunkenness the previous day had been a deliberate ploy to take advantage of Luis.

Luis's presence here was simply to humor his father-in-law, to show his face and ensure the older man's happiness.

His mother-in-law and his wife, Lily Wood, would be returning from the provincial capital this weekend. An event of this magnitude within the family naturally required their notification. Officially, of course, it was presented as a partnership between Luis and Daniel.

Privately, Chloe knew that Nancy Wood and Deewa did not get along. In contrast, while her own relationship with Deewa wasn't particularly warm either, at least they had never engaged in any direct confrontation.

Deewa made a fashionably late arrival on Friday afternoon.

"So this is your little one? How beautiful."

Deewa was impeccably and expensively dressed. When strikingly beautiful women converge, an instinctive urge to compare and measure oneself inevitably arises. What took Deewa aback was Chloe's completely bare face, devoid of any makeup.

She was dressed in a simple, homely dress. Yet, even without cosmetics, she possessed a natural, effortless beauty. Her soft, gentle smile radiated a palpable sense of contentment, clearly indicative of a very well-nourished life.

Deewa felt a twinge of surprise. She had heard rumors about the accident involving Chloe's husband. Yet here she was, raising her child alone and seemingly completely unaffected by the ordeal.

Chloe's daughter was somewhat shy around strangers. The moment Deewa picked her up, the child began to wail. Deewa offered an embarrassed smile and hastily returned the baby to the nanny.

The nanny smiled understandingly and carried the child downstairs to play.