The Wife He Dumped, The Queen She Returned As novel Chapter 313

"Understood," Chloe replied smoothly, buckling her seatbelt.

Seeing how unbothered she was, Isabella finally opened her eyes. Her gaze lingered on Chloe's face as she spoke in a measured, deliberate tone.

"You haven't done an event of this caliber before, have you?"

"It might not be a government summit, but you are translating for the absolute top tier of the corporate world. If you make a mistake, you know exactly what the fallout will be."

She had heard about Chloe's little slip-up in the lobby the other day.

She truly didn't view the woman sitting next to her as a threat.

She was just an assistant.

A half-deaf assistant, at that.

Isabella frowned slightly. "Chloe, you are Quentin's assistant, which means your failures reflect on him. I'd appreciate it if you put your ego aside. Don't try to play the hero and drag everyone down with you."

"Of course, if you feel overwhelmed, you can always ask me to step in."

Chloe just gave her a fleeting glance. "I appreciate the concern."

With that, she closed her eyes and leaned back to rest.

That casual, dismissive response made a knot of irritation flare in Isabella's chest.

She didn't say anything else, merely raising an eyebrow.

Once they got to the venue and saw the scale of the room, reality would hit the arrogant assistant hard enough.

The car soon rolled up to the resort estate.

Tonight's summit was focused on emerging tech, drawing renowned executives and industry titans from across the globe.

Before accepting the assignment, Chloe had checked the guest list twice to ensure absolutely no one from Vantage Corp was attending.

The estate was brilliantly lit. Silhouettes mingled in the grand hall, the clinking of crystal glasses blending with the sophisticated hum of networking.

The moment Isabella stepped out, she was recognized.

"Ms. Sylvain! It's been entirely too long."

"You look stunning as always. Please send my regards to Lucian..."

His bone structure was a striking blend of classic elegance and sharp, aristocratic angles. He had high, defined brow bones, deep-set amber eyes that tilted slightly upward at the corners, and an undeniable magnetism.

"Are you the simultaneous interpreter for tonight?" the man asked.

Chloe snapped out of her daze, quickly averting her gaze. "Yes... I'm Chloe Reed. Thank you again. If you hadn't caught me, my documents would have gone straight into the pool. It would have been a disaster."

The man chuckled, replying with a flawless, charming accent. "Don't mention it. It was no trouble at all."

Chloe looked mildly surprised.

He offered a warm smile. "My conversational skills aren't too rusty, I hope?"

"Not at all," Chloe nodded.

Her eyes were inexplicably drawn back to his.

It wasn't just his striking looks. It was an overwhelming, haunting sense of familiarity in his gaze.

There was such intense warmth in his eyes, a comforting presence that made her instinctively want to step closer. For some reason, a sudden lump formed in her throat.