Chapter 8: Reunion at the Jewelry Cocktail Party

She knew that William had always been like this. Even when he was abroad, he could always surprise her. She gently pressed the reply button, typed "Okay," and added a playful emoji.

The next evening, Melinda appeared at the entrance of the Shadow City International Hotel, dressed in a simple yet elegant white V-neck evening gown.

She took a deep breath to calm her slightly excited mood, then stepped into the hotel lobby.

The venue was luxuriously and exquisitely decorated, with various pieces of jewelry sparkling under the lights.

Melinda looked around and couldn't help but marvel: This Jewel Artistry Company truly lives up to its name; every piece of jewelry is designed so exquisitely.

She sipped her wine while admiring the jewelry, occasionally chatting with some guests who approached her. She knew that her task tonight was not only to attend the party on behalf of William but also to choose a suitable piece of jewelry for him.

After some selection, Melinda finally set her eyes on a necklace.

It was a necklace inlaid with diamonds and sapphires, uniquely designed, elegant, and generous.

So, she took out her phone, snapped a photo of the necklace, and sent it to William. Shortly after, William replied, "It looks great, let's go with this one. I'll give it to you when I get back."

Looking at the text on the screen, Melinda felt a warm current in her heart. She knew that no matter how far apart they were, William's heart was always with her. She gently pressed the reply button, typed "Okay," and smiled as she put away her phone.

A man's greedy gaze occasionally fell on Melinda. Unable to resist, he approached and greeted her, "Nice to meet you, miss. How should I address you? I'm Hugh Harris, the president of Eternal Elegance Jewelry." Hugh smiled broadly and handed over his business card with both hands.

Melinda smiled slightly and politely accepted it, "Hello, Mr. Harris."

At that moment, there was a commotion at the entrance of the hall.

Everyone's eyes gathered, and they saw Emily entering slowly, holding Raymond's arm. Melinda looked up and was momentarily stunned. Emily was here too; what a coincidence.

Emily was dressed in glamorous jewelry, while Raymond wore a custom black suit, tall and imposing. The two stood together, looking very well-matched, drawing envy and jealousy from the surrounding socialites.

"That's Raymond, the heir of the Thomas Group. Who's the woman next to him?"

"If she can stand next to Raymond, she must have some extraordinary means!"

Melinda sneered inwardly, pretending not to see them, and lowered her head to sip her wine. But Emily recognized her at a glance, her eyes widening in shock, and she tightened her grip on Raymond's arm, her hostility evident.

Raymond glanced at Melinda, then looked away and sat opposite her. Hugh, on the other hand, sat next to Melinda.

Their eyes met, and it seemed as if sparks were flying in the air.

Hugh was the first to break the silence, "Ms. Sharp, try this dessert."

Melinda smiled and accepted it, "Thank you."

Seeing this, Emily deliberately acted coquettishly, "Raymond, I want to try that dessert too."

Raymond glanced at her, nodded, and handed it to her. Emily glanced at Melinda triumphantly and began to eat gracefully.

Melinda rolled her eyes and thought to herself: Emily really knows how to act coquettishly! But she wouldn't give up on her plan for revenge!

After a while, Melinda got up and headed to the restroom. Her evening gown shimmered under the candlelight, her mermaid-like sexy waistline attracting everyone's attention. Hugh stared intently at her back, while Raymond held his wine glass thoughtfully.

Emily followed closely behind and also entered the restroom, a hint of malice flashing in her eyes.

"Who would have thought you could get into such a high-class event tonight?" Emily walked into the restroom, a mocking smile on her lips, breaking the silence.

Melinda stood in front of the sink, glancing at her coldly in the mirror, "And how much better are you? Aren't you here because of a man too?"

"I'm Raymond's girlfriend," Emily boasted, as if this status made her superior.

Melinda merely snorted, indifferent, "Just a girlfriend, not a wife. What's there to be proud of?"

Emily's face changed, sensing the deeper meaning in Melinda's words, "What do you mean?"

Melinda smirked, turning to face Emily, "Rich men change girlfriends like they change clothes. They wear what they like and throw away what they don't."

"You... you're saying I'm just a rich man's clothing?" Emily's eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Melinda.

But now, this was a great insult to her!

Emily's anger burned fiercely, her fists clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms without feeling any pain. Her eyes were filled with rage, as if she wanted to devour Melinda.

But Melinda just looked at her calmly, without a trace of fear on her face.

Melinda knew that her words had deeply hurt Emily, which was exactly the effect she wanted. Seeing Emily's reaction, Melinda felt a surge of satisfaction, "So, you'd better not mess with me, or I'll tell Raymond all the bad things you've done."

Emily shuddered in fear, her fists clenched tightly, a hint of terror and dread flashing in her eyes.

She suddenly realized that she didn't have much of a chance against Melinda.

"Melinda, don't think that this will make me afraid of you," Emily said, trying to appear calm.

Melinda sneered, flicking a drop of water from her fingertips, which splashed onto Emily's face. This was a small warning to Emily, letting her know that she wasn't easy to bully.

Emily awkwardly dodged, feeling a chill where the water had splashed on her face.

Emily gritted her teeth in anger but was helpless. She knew she had lost tonight, while Melinda gracefully turned and left.

Back at the table, Melinda gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. When she looked up, she met the gaze of the man opposite her, who seemed to see through everything about her.

Melinda might not have realized that among tonight's female guests, she was the most dazzling presence. Her every move, every smile, made it impossible for people to ignore her. And Raymond noticed all of this, his heart rippling with emotions.

Half an hour into the banquet, Melinda, holding a glass of red wine, walked towards the terrace outside.

"What are you doing here?" A deep male voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts from behind.

She didn't need to turn around to know who it was, Raymond. He seemed very interested in her affairs.