Chapter 96

Since the Curtis family were the hosts, they were expected to show up before anyone else.

Since they weren't there yet and the event didn't start until eight, no one dared to comment on their absence.

Most of the guests who came early had their own motives-trying to make connections.

The truly rich and powerful, however, knew they didn't need to prove anything; they arrived exactly wwhen they wanted.

A few people had simply shown up out of curiosity, wondering why the Curtis family had decided to host a banquet out of the blue.

They were known for charity events, so most assumed this was just another one of those.

Among the early arrivals was Farris, Theodore's cousin.

At first glance, he was hard to miss-tall, strikingly handsome, and dressed in expensive designer clothes that screamed sophistication.

The moment he walked in, he caught everyone's attention, especially the women. When they noticed him scanning the crowd as if he was looking for someone, a few bold ones exchanged knowing looks and started toward him with practiced grace.

Meanwhile, one of the male staff members looked completely thrown off when Farrisstopped him with a question. With so many guests around, how was he supposed to know who Farris meant?

"Could you be more specific, sir?" the staff member asked nervously, trying not to sound rude.

Farris said impatiently,"Aman and a woman who just came in. The woman's very pretty. The man's just...ordinary."

His tone completely changed between the two descriptions. His eyes lit up when he mentioned the woman, then darkened again as he ruffled his hair in frustration. "It was only a few minutes ago. You must've seen them."

The poor staff member could feel sweat prickling at the back of his neck. A pretty woman and an ordinary man? That could describe half the guests here!

Still, he forced a polite smile and said, "The lounge is on the eighth floor, sir. I believe the guests you're referring to have gone up there."

Then,with a courteous nod, he added, "Shall I call the elevator for you?"

Farris frowned, thinking about the woman again. The lounge? At this time? The idea made his competitive streak flare. There was no way he was letting Theodore make a move before him.

Up in the lounge terrace, Brenden finished the phone call and stayed behind for a moment, sighing before he finally left.

Marissa turned off the voice recorder and sent a quick message to Benny. "Benny, look into this man."

She attached a photo she had discreetly taken of Brenden.

Within seconds, Benny called back.

At the same time, inside his office at the Hardy Group, Bryson's call went to voicemail. "The person youare calling is busy. Please leave your message..."

With a sharp bang, he slammed his phone onto the desk, making his assistant, who had just entered, tense up.

The assistant wondered what was going on. Why was Bryson upset again?

"Mr. Hardy, it's a call from your mother," he said quickly, holding out another phone.

Jenna had tried reaching Bryson directly, but since his line was busy, she called the assistant instead.

Hearing that it was his mother, Bryson's expression softened just a little. "What does she want?" he asked,loosening his tie with one hand. "She asked if you've left yet," the assistant replied, keeping his tone cautious. Jenna had also asked about Evelina, but he decided to leave that part out.

"Please hold on, Mrs. Hardy," the assistant said politely into the receiver before handing his phone over.

Bryson took the phone, his tone softening as he spoke. "Hi, Mom."

The assistant couldn't make out what was being said on the other end of the call, but he could tell from Bryson's expression that something serious had happened. Bryson's voice turned cold as he stood up from his chair. "Evelina got into a fight. Her face is injured-she probably won't make it to the banquet. I don't need a plus one. I'Il stop by the hospital to get her first."

"Should I have the car brought around?" the assistant asked carefully, watching Bryson's tightening jaw.

"Yes," Bryson said curtly, grabbing his coat and walking out without another word.

Back at the hotel, Farris's determination to find Theodore hadn't wavered one bit. The moment he stepped off the elevator on the eighth floor, he went straight to search for him.

Brenden was in the middle of giving directions to staff, trying to make sure everything was running smoothly before the banquet began. He wanted to personally welcome Rita and Holley, but with the cameras everywhere and guests starting to arrive, he had to stay focused.

"Which lounge is Theodoe in?" Farris demanded, blocking Brenden's way.

Brenden stiffened at his aggressive tone. Assuming trouble, he subtly signaled a nearby employee to call for security.

"I'm Farris Patel, Theodore's cousin," Farris quickly clarified, not wanting to cause unnecessary chaos.

Brenden relaxed slightly: He had just gotten off the phone and knew Theodore had come early with Marissa,though he wasn't sure which lounge Theodore was using. He looked over at one of his colleagues for confirmation.

"Room 8806," the colleague replied immediately.

"This way, Mr. Patel," Brenden said politely, gesturing for Farris to follow. Meanwhile, inside Room 8888, Marissa had just ended her call with Benny. As she stood up from the deck chair and glanced out toward the terrace, she spotted Theodore and Farris together.

From where she stood, she could tell Farris was clearly agitated, while Theodore remained calm and detached,his cool demeanor creating an invisible barrier between them.

Then, out of nowhere, Farris lunged forward and made a crude grab for Theodore's crotch.

Marissa's eyes flew wide as she bolted toward the railing.

Holy crap! For a split second, she wished she could grow wings and soar over there herself.

Thankfully,Theodore reacted fast. He caught Farris's arm just in time, stopping whatever foolish thing he was about to do.

Marissa turned on her heel, ready to sprint straight to Theodore's lounge, when a sharp cry echoed behind her.

"Ah!" Farris yelped.

She froze and looked back, only to see him pinned against the railing, the two locked in a position that looked far more intimate than it should have.

She blinked a few times, speechless, before finally speaking up. "You two do realize how that looks, right?"

If any reporters caught them in this position, the scene would be front-page gossip material by morning.

Across the terrace, Theodore met her gaze briefly. His expression didn't waver as he released Farris's wrist,then effortlessly tossed him onto a nearby lounge chair."Stay put and keep quiet."