Chapter 44
Racquelle looked as if her eyes might roll right out of her head. Her gaze was full of disdain, as though I was purposely showing off. I couldn’t help but find her laughable. She had known Shanice for so long. If she had ever met Denver, why hadn’t she introduced him to Gerald?
The Klint family had a vast empire and was the wealthiest in the city. If Racquelle could make a connection and give the Smith family an opportunity to collaborate with the Klint family, Gerald would probably hold her up on a pedestal. This was the type of rare business opportunity most people only dreamt about. She lacked the capability but had the nerve to mock me—it was truly laughable.
Denver looked at me with a friendly smile, nodding in approval. “Mr. Smith, your son has a bright future ahead of him. He has a strong reputation in the industry. Plenty of companies are after him, trying to poach him!”
“Unfortunately, he’s your son, Gerald, so he’ll only be working for the Smith family. We don’t stand a chance, haha!”
Gerald chuckled, nodding with pride. “Yes, my son works hard and is very reliable!” He looked at me proudly, giving my shoulder a light pat to show his encouragement. After he said this, he frowned and glanced at Racquelle. With a look of displeasure, he scolded her, “quelle, take a look at your brother, then look at yourself! If you were as easy to deal with as he is, I wouldn’t be so exhausted right now.” Caught in the crossfire, Racquelle immediately looked aggrieved.
“Dad, don’t be so biased! When have I ever made you worry? I work at the company too, and the company’s achievements are partly thanks to me. Besides, he doesn’t deserve to be—” Halfway through her sentence, she was startled by the sudden cold look in Gerald’s eyes. She quickly realized they were still at the banquet. With so many people watching, causing a scene would only make her a laughingstock.
Even though she was still deeply unsatisfied with me, she had to swallow it all down. She shot me a venomous glance as if she wanted to tear me apart. With no other way to vent her anger, she picked up a glass of red wine and sipped it irritably.
Shanice seemed to relish seeing Racquelle put in her place. Seeing that she couldn’t get a word in, Shanice cheerfully stepped forward. “Dad, Joshua is truly talented. He’s quick-witted and sharp in business matters. I’ve seen some of his proposals. They’re practically flawless.” As she spoke, she even took out her phone and started showing her father the projects I had worked on, one by one.
I was surprised at how much Shanice had learned about me in just one evening. I also felt that her immense interest in me might not be as simple as it seemed; I couldn’t figure out what she was really after.
Meanwhile, Denver and Gerald were both thrilled—one admiring me, and the other filled with pride. I couldn’t get a word in and could only stand there, feeling slightly awkward. As for Shanice, she had turned into my personal assistant, meticulously introducing me to her father.
“Yes, this young man truly has a mind for business,” Denver said. “Ma. Smith, with someone like him in your family, what is there to worry about in the future?”
Besides, Racquelle looked like she was going to burst with jealousy.
After the banquet, Denver and Gerald exchanged contacts. Denver even reminded Gerald that his birthday banquet was coming up. He insisted that Gerald attend and bring me along, too. As I walked out, a furious Racquelle stormed after me, giving me a hard kick in the back. I stumbled forward, nearly falling. I turned back to see her glaring at me, her face filled with resentment as she shouted angrily, “Joshua, did you do that on purpose? Who told you to hog the spotlight at the banquet? What are you so smug about? Without the Smith family, you’re nothing!”