The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 201

Mr. Goodwin's birthday banquet was held at the Sovereign Grill in Kingsford.

By the time Chloe Reed and Belle Evans arrived, a considerable crowd had already gathered at the entrance.

A few men stared at Chloe, their eyes widening in blatant admiration.

"Who is that? Since when did we have such a stunner in our class? She looks like a movie star..."

The woman beside him smacked his arm, rolling her eyes in disgust.

"What's so pretty about her? She was a massive joke back in high school. Her family was dirt poor, and her mother was a total leech. Would you dare marry a woman like that?"

"Whoa, that bad? Never mind then. A pretty face isn't worth the baggage!"

"Women like her are probably up to no good anyway. Don't worry, honey, I'm definitely not interested!"

The man exaggerated his disdain to appease his wife, making her burst into laughter.

"Get the hell out of here, both of you! This place doesn't welcome people with vile mouths and ugly hearts!"

An angry, middle-aged male voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

"M-Mr. Goodwin?"

The couple spun around, freezing for a moment before trying to awkwardly smooth things over.

"Mr. Goodwin, happy birthday! It's been so long, how have you been? We drove all the way from out of town just to celebrate with you. Here's a gift we got you!"

Mr. Goodwin's expression remained stern as he unceremoniously tossed the gift bag right back at them.

"Get lost! I don't need you here to celebrate my birthday!"

A heavy silence fell over them.

After driving all the way out here and bringing a gift, no one expected him to be so ruthlessly dismissive.

The man's face turned livid. He was about to snap back when his wife quickly grabbed his arm.

"Let it go, just calm down. Don't forget why we're really here today!"

The man hesitated, grumbling under his breath as he let her pull him aside.

"You little brat, lecturing me now, are you?" he teased.

Despite his words, the corners of his eyes and mouth crinkled with unstoppable joy.

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly fine. I'm as healthy as a horse."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and handed over her gift box with both hands.

"Your calligraphy from years ago still inspires me to this day. I got you this Brass Astrolabe. I hope you continue pursuing what you love."

Belle also handed over her gift, chuckling sheepishly. "Mr. Goodwin, I haven't exactly made a fortune, so I could only afford some premium pens and sketchbooks. I hope you like them."

He accepted them, chiding them for spending their money, but the overwhelming gratitude shining in his eyes told a different story.

When he laid eyes on the Brass Astrolabe, his gaze instantly lit up.

His wrinkled fingers traced it as if it were a priceless treasure. "This... this is..."

He looked up at Chloe. "This astrolabe must have cost a fortune, didn't it? How much did you spend? You really shouldn't have."