The Billionaire's Promise
Chapter 197: At The Banquet 2

Chapter 197: At The Banquet 2

"How does Clark look at me?" Aryana asked Elaine.

"There is something in the way she looks at you." The chubby lady with big round eyes laughed at her teasingly.

"Isn’t that from a lyrics of a song?"

"Yeah, so you would better understand what I mean."

"We are just friends and besides he has an unambiguous relationship with Cookie." Aryana was frowning as she explained.

Elaine just chuckled. She liked the flustered look of Aryana. "If you say so my friend. Come. There is still some time before the ceremony starts. Let us go to the over there and have something to it." Elaine pointed to the left side of the banquet hall where the buffet table was set up.

Aryana smiled and thought that her friend really looked cute. She stood and looked at Vince and Jessa but the couple declined

"You can get some fruits and juice for Jessa and bring it back here Vince." Aryana convinced Vince so the three of them went to the direction of the buffet table.

After getting the things that Jessa would like to eat, Vince left them.

"Look who are here." Jax greeted the two ladies warmly. He stood beside Aryana and reached out for some dessert and placed them on a small plate he was carrying.

"Why don’t we go over there so it is more convenience to eat?" Jax pointed to an empty cocktail table.

Aryana and Elaine followed him without a fuss.

Jax gestured to the passing waiter and he set down three glasses of cocktails. The event has not started yet, so only cocktails and low content alcohol drinks were allowed to be served to prevent mishaps during the awarding ceremony.

Jax glanced at direction of Erik’s table and he was busy talking to different CEOs of big companies.

"I entered the venue with Cassie earlier and she did not recognize you." Jax took the opportunity to study Aryana as she stood opposite him. Their distance is not too far because the table’s diameter was small.

’She has grown more beautiful and more confident.’ Jax thought to himself.

"Maybe, is it because she did not see my face?" Aryana voiced her guess.

"He recognized Erik even if she did not see his back."

"That’s different. She has a relationship with Erik before and she is very familiar with him . I think it is natural that she would recognize him just looking at his back."

"I knew it was you without seeing your face. Do you mean to say the I am familiar with you?"

Aryana blushed. She did not want to answer Jax and was put in an awkward position.

Elaine was perceptive. "Well, Cassie has only eyes for Erik. Aryana’s acquaintance can easily tell that it was her. By the way Boss Jax, how have you been?"

"I am doing well, Elaine. I am still learning the ropes of being a CEO." Jax sounded humble but in fact he was bragging that he was now a CEO.

"That is good to hear." Elaine exclaimed and glanced at Aryana. She noted that Jax’s eyes were only trained on Aryana. But then Jax has never hidden that he liked Aryana. He even approached Elaine to get close to Aryana.

There was a commotion on the stage and the host asked the audience to settle down as the ceremony would start in a few minutes.

Aryana lowered her head lightly as a gesture of letting Jax know that they were leaving.

"I’ll catch up with you later, Aryana." Jax said as his burning gaze followed Aryana who was already walking back to their assigned table.

"Cousin, you are drooling. Don’t you know that it is a sin to cover someone else’s wife?" Erik’s words were harsh and sharp.

Jax stiffened. He was so focused on Aryana he did not notice that Erik was already beside him.

"Cousin, is it sin to admire someone beautiful? Perhaps you are jealous that you mistook a look of admiration with that of covetousness?" Jax met Erik’s cold glare with a mocking smile. "Excuse me cousin, I’ll take my leave. Unlike you, May table is at the back so I need to make more steps to reach it." Jax left Erik. His strides were confident and big.

Erik’s gaze lingered at the departing man. Jax has changed ever since he became the deputy CEO of Lee Financials. Erik could sense the mockery in his voice and earlier when he was unguarded, he saw a sinister expression on his face. He looked at the direction of Aryana’s table, hesitated for a moment before he walked back to the a VIP table 1.

When Erik went back to his assigned table, he frowned when he noticed that Katherine was also sitting there beside her father. He remembered that that VIPs were allowed to bring there plus one in the event.

"Hello Erik. You seemed surprised to see me here." Katherine said in a coquettish voice. Her voice sounded too sweet that Erik was disgusted by it.

"Indeed I was surprised! I have the impression that you will be bored by this kind of event." Erik tried to mask the sarcasm in his voice with politeness.

"Yes, you are right. But because you are here, your mere presence cancels out the boring event." Katherine leaned closer to Erik and whispered into his ear so it was only him he heard her shamelessly words.

"Sit straight and behave yourself." Erik snapped at her. "Don’t you know what kind of event is this? Don’t lower yourself and act like a whore in a club." You’re disgusting." Erik intentionally lowered his voice so as not attract other’s attention.

Katherine felt like a bucket of ice was poured over her head. She straightened up and her face reddened because of embarrassment.

Her father thought that Erik and Katherine were getting along together and cannot restrain themselves from showing their intimacy. The middle-aged man looked at the two of them smiled meaningfully.

He cleared his throat and said happily.

"Since the two of you are so close, why don’t we have an engagement party soon?"

The glass that Erik was about to bring to his mouth slipped from his hand.