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Novel Catalog
Chapter 66: Manuel Is Also Here
Serina beamed at Ainsley. “A day apart is like three years!”
Manuel chuckled at the sentiment. “Serina’s right.”
Ainsley couldn’t help but laugh, her smile lighting up the room like fireworks. Her expression was warm and genuine, making the people around her pause. Among the guests at the banquet, Manuel’s presence sparked particular excitement. While many of the invited guests were influential in their own right, very few had the same stature as Manuel. His appearance was a rarity, and most people could only dream of getting close to him.
Cason, the host of the evening, had sent invitations to all the big names out of habit, but never imagined Manuel would actually show up. Watching Ainsley and Manuel chatting happily together, a wave of jealousy washed over him. His eyes turned red and cold as he tried to hide his irritation.
Kaliyah noticed Cason’s gaze and leaned in with a hint of grievance in her voice. “Ms. Easton seems to be more familiar with Mr. Gage. Just now, when I greeted her, she seemed to misunderstand me. Cason, do you think she still hates me?”
“It’s alright,” Cason replied, trying to mask his discomfort. “It’s probably my fault. Maybe she had some issues during the marriage. You’ve been so kind, though. Don’t worry about it.”
As Cason distracted himself, Manuel was left alone. A few guests attempted to approach him, but he showed little interest in engaging. After a while, he retreated to a corner, and no one dared to disturb him again.
Two minutes before the banquet was set to begin, Ainsley finally spotted the person she had been waiting for.
Mollie entered the hall wearing a stunning purple dress. Despite being in her forties, she still exuded a youthful charm, catching the attention of everyone in the room.
Ainsley made her way toward her, but before she could greet Mollie, Kaliyah quickly intercepted her.
“Is she the person you’ve been looking for?” Serina asked, glancing over at Mollie. She’d never met her before and was curious.
“Yes,” Ainsley confirmed with a nod.
Manuel, who had been quietly observing, looked at Mollie thoughtfully. “You want to invite her to be a judge for the competition?”
“That’s right,” Ainsley replied with certainty. “I believe her evaluation will elevate the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington to the next level.”
Meanwhile, upstairs, Kaitlin was getting ready. Despite wearing a pearl necklace, she still felt it wasn’t enough. In her typical fashion, she added two diamond earrings for extra sparkle.
Lindsay, eager and anxious, hurried Kaitlin along. “Kaitlin, why are you still up here? Mr. Gage has arrived!”
“What? Manuel’s here?” Kaitlin’s eyes widened with excitement, a smile spreading across her face.
“That’s right! But he’s talking to her!” Lindsay gritted her teeth, clearly displeased.
Kaitlin rushed to finish her preparations. She sprayed a bit of perfume, adjusted her makeup, and put on a bracelet. As she checked herself in the mirror, her mother’s voice echoed behind her. “You look beautiful, Kaitlin. The most beautiful woman in the room.”
Satisfied with her appearance, Kaitlin descended the stairs. Her expensive dress hugged her curves, with a daring cutout on her back that made her look both elegant and playful. As she entered the banquet hall, all eyes turned to her, but she immediately locked onto Manuel, who was sitting in the corner.
But to her surprise, Ainsley was there too.
Her smile faltered for a moment, and her hands clenched as her excitement turned into restraint. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Ainsley seemed so comfortable with Manuel.
Lindsay quickly joined her side, pushing her forward to greet the guests.
Soon, Kaitlin made her way to Manuel with a glass of wine in hand. She forced a sweet smile. “Mr. Gage, thank you for attending my birthday banquet.”
As she approached him to toast, Manuel moved aside, his tone polite but firm. “I came with Aisy.”
Kaitlin’s smile dropped, and her face went pale. She gripped the hem of her dress, unsure of how to react. Aisy? What an intimate way to address her!
The humiliation hit her harder than she expected. She forced a tight smile, trying to maintain her composure. “Mr. Gage, please, have a seat.”
Without another word, she left, her dissatisfaction written all over her face.
Ainsley couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “What Mr. Gage said seemed to have disappointed Kaitlin a lot.”
Manuel shrugged indifferently. “I was just being honest.”
Serina, ever the playful one, chimed in, “I haven’t even mentioned yet that Manuel and I came here because of Ainsley!”
As the host took the stage to begin his speech, Ainsley found herself growing bored. She picked up a pastry and absentmindedly nibbled on it. Just as she was brainstorming ways to approach Mollie, Serina returned with a plate full of pastries.
“Ainsley,” Serina whispered, “when I went to grab these pastries, I saw something funny. Kaitlin was acting all sneaky, holding a flash drive. The moment I called out to her, she nearly jumped out of her skin. It was hilarious!”
Ainsley’s interest piqued, and her eyes flicked toward the large screen at the front of the room. Kaitlin had something planned, and Ainsley could already guess what it was.
The corners of her lips curled into a smile. “Serina, I need you to do me a favor.”
“Of course,” Serina said, leaning in closer.
Meanwhile, Cason had approached Manuel, trying to hide his irritation. “I didn’t expect you to actually come, Mr. Gage.”
Manuel’s expression grew cold. “I came because of Aisy. I didn’t want her to be alone.”
Cason tightened his grip on his glass. “Mr. Gage, you must be joking. Who would bully Ainsley? Let me remind you, Ainsley is not exactly who she seems.”
Manuel’s voice turned frosty. “Mr. Baldry, please mind your words. I don’t want to hear anyone speak ill of Aisy. She trusted the wrong person once, but that’s not her fault.”
Cason, already on edge, scowled. “I’m just trying to help you.”
“No need,” Manuel replied coldly, before turning back toward Ainsley.
As the host finished introducing Kaitlin, she made her way to the stage with a flawless smile. She couldn’t wait for her plan to unfold.
“Thank you all for coming to my birthday banquet,” Kaitlin announced. “Before we continue, please watch a video.”
The screen lit up, and Kaitlin looked at Ainsley, her expression smug. She couldn’t wait for Ainsley to be humiliated in front of everyone.
The video would reveal something, something that would make Ainsley squirm. Kaitlin believed this was her moment to shine and prove to everyone, especially Manuel, that she was the only one deserving of his attention.
Her eyes glinted with anticipation. This is it, she thought. Soon, everyone will know the real Ainsley.
