Five Years of Marriage to Mr. Bradford (by Koi Fish) novel Chapter 330

Chapter 330

Hugo warmly ushered Gabriel and Rebecca inside.

Since it was still early, he settled them in a private lounge with tea and light refreshments. Gradually, the hum of arriving guests grew louder outside. It was time to step outside.

“Ready?” Gabriel offered his arm.

“Yes.” Rebecca took it, bracing for nerves.

In the past five years, she’d never attended an event like this, so she basically didn’t know anyone from the Soliaridge elite world or Vance’s business circle.

But once she stepped into the ballroom, her anxiety evaporated. There were no familiar faces, which meant no one recognized her or could figure out who Gabriel truly was.

She looked breathtaking, and Gabriel looked quietly commanding. But they were both young, registering only as unimportant juniors to the seasoned power players present.

Eyes slid over them in a second before hunting for more useful conversations. Networking was the real currency here.

Gabriel looked refined and gentle in a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, smiling all the time. No one could

associate him with the rumored devil incarnate.

“Looks like we’re off the hook,” he said. “Come on. Let’s get something to drink over there.”

They shuffled from the private lounge to the ballroom.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the main attraction tonight?” Rebecca asked, curious.

She had rehearsed polite greetings and small talk, hoping to help him entertain the guests.

But he avoided the question. “The foie gras looks decent. Think Hugo flew it in special? Want some? I’ll

grab you a plate.”

She didn’t want to eat anything now, having already drunk enough sparkling water. The formal program. hadn’t even started, and acting like a bumpkin wasn’t the plan.

Nearby, some young women were discussing jewelry, sharing details about their customized pieces.

One of them sighed dramatically, “Have you heard about that ruby jewelry set? It’s one-of-a-kind worldwide. Just the 55-carat center stone went for over $30 million. The whole necklace was hammered for more than $40 million at auction yesterday. Some Soliaridge whale bought it. No one knows who it

was.”

Another said, “I saw the headlines. But who? That kind of flex is next-level.”

“Total mystery. The buyer is anonymous. Wonder if it will appear at any future banquets. At least, we could feast our eyes on it.”

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“Would it be here tonight?”

“Doubt it. Delivery can’t be that fast.”

Rebecca glanced down at the ruby necklace on her neck, then up at Gabriel.

He gave a tiny shrug and whispered, “Hugo picked it.”

“This thing feels heavy on my neck,” she muttered, self-conscious as an ordinary person.

A $40-million necklace was a lot to carry. Once again, she had underestimated how deep Gabriel’s pockets went.

II

“Hold it together,” he encouraged her. “You deserve the best of everything.”

That was true. She couldn’t back out just yet, not since Vance’s company delegation had just walked in.

Those people were Aiden, Sonia, Lucas, and his wife, Isabelle Lewis. Of course, Catherine was with them, but Vance was absent.

Undeniably, Bradford Tech was a powerhouse in its sector. The moment they appeared, people began drifting over.

One asked, “Is Mr. Bradford not joining us tonight?”

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