The Billionaire's Promise
Chapter 199: This Award Is For Our Angel

Chapter 199: This Award Is For Our Angel

"This award is for our angel, Aryana Jones. Thank you for believing in me." Vince turned toward Aryana with an adoring look and gave her a meaningful smile.

When Erik saw the look in Vince’s eyes when he thanked his angel and when he glanced at Aryana, he felt both jealous and guilty. If he hadn’t known how much Vince loved Jessa, he would think that he has a ’thing’ for Aryana. But he knew that what Vince felt was just pure adoration and gratitude.

He was still jealous of Vince for he openly showed his adoration and acknowledged Aryana publicly. He felt that he was a useless husband. Only very few people knew that Aryana was his wife. But wasn’t he just respecting Aryana’s wishes? She did not want to ride on his coattails and what she wanted the most was to prove especially to his family that she could be successful without Erik’s money or his backing her up. She has proven that today.

Erik’s gaze did not leave Aryana even for a moment. She has grown so much in such a short time. From the scared young woman who bumped into him that night in Paradise Island to the confident woman that stood on the stage with her back straight and her head held high. He smiled broadly. That was his woman! That was his wife!

Gram Ham leaned to his left where Clark was sitting. "Hmmp. I thought you are a casanova but you are unable to make such an outstanding woman fall for you. That face of yours is useless," the old man snorted. "If you are as bold as that man on the stage, I am pretty sure that you can make Aryana your girlfriend."

"Who does not want a beauty like that? But Dad, what can I do? I tried my best to woo her. She is not interested in me. She likes someone else so I could only be her friend. If I push further, she might not even be friends with me anymore." Clark reasoned to his father.

His father only hummed as he continued to watch Aryana on the stage.

"Well, if you cannot make her my daughter-in-law, then I’ll just make her my goddaughter."

Clark was dumbfounded. He really did not know what Aryana did why his father was so obsessed with her.

Cassie was fuming at the back. Her fists were tightly closed and her long fingernails will definitely leave an indentation on her palm. She was expecting Timeless Beauty to bag the most innovative award but they failed. Rubbing salt to her injuries, Aryana really looked beautiful tonight with her stunning gown and that piece of earrings hanging on her earlobes.

’Why it is her on the stage? Why did that guy look at her like that.’ She was far away from the stage but because the huge screen at the back displayed a close up of the awardee’s face, Cassie saw the look in his eyes. She recognized that kind of look. It was the look of adoration on a goddess.

Cassie shifted her gaze to VIP table no. 1 and noticed that Erik has his full attention on the stage. Her gaze darted back to Aryana. She was already moving toward the stairs with Vince.

When Vince escorted Aryana down the stage, Erik stood from his table and offered his hand to support her while she took the last three steps of the stairs.

"Congratulations Vince. Well done." He nodded at Vince before speaking softly to Aryana. "You looked very beautiful up there. Congratulations Wifey."

Aryana looked at Erik and smiled. Her signature dimples appeared. At that time, the camera man zoomed in on the couple and a blown up faces of the two were shown on the huge screen. Aryana’s face was slightly up turned because Erik was a head taller than her. Her dimples and perfectly aligned white teeth were shown on the screen. Her eyes were bright and sparkled with bliss. Erik was looking down at her and his face showed a rare smile that photographers scrambled to capture with their cameras.

The audience were entranced by the couple. Most of their thoughts were on how the two looked a perfect match.

"So the reason why you admit defeat is because you cannot beat Erik Lee right?" Gram Ham berated his son.

Clark just ignored his father and continued to watch the screen. At some point the camera man decided to remove the awardee from the frame and just focus on Erik Lee and Aryana.

Erik offered Aryana the crook of his arm. She hold his arm like she was used to it and it was the most natural thing for her to do. He walked with Aryana until they reached her table.

"What a fuss. You would think that she was the designer who won the award." Cassie voiced her opinion bitterly. The people who were seated with her in the table looked at her with strange expressions on their faces.

"I think the grapes that they served in the fruit section is sour." One of the female guests who was in her early thirties told the woman sitting beside her.

"I know right." They cast Cassie an indifference glance before shifting their eyes to the couple on the screen.

Cassie pursed her lips.

The host on the stage was silent for a long time. He stood there mesmerized by the sight of Aryana walking away from the stage on a red carpet, the hem of her skirt merged with the carpet creating an illusion that she was a queen walking on fire. On both of her sides were handsome men wearing a black suit.

The government official who was holding the plaque for the next awardee coughed lightly to call his attention.

"I am sorry everyone. Isn’t she a beauty? She literary took my voice and my breath away." He was a veteran host so he can always get out of sticky situations. The audience laughed after he cracked a joke.

A few more awardees were recognized. Finally it was time for the Most Promising CEO to be awarded.

Erik twisted his neck to look at the direction of Aryana’s table then he typed something on his cell phone.

"Are you nervous?"

Aryana’s status showed that she was typing.

"A little bit. But I don’t have any expectations. There are so many outstanding people out there."

The corner of Erik’s lips curved upwards ever so slightly. His eyes sparkled as he typed.

"But you are the most outstanding of them all."