CHAPTER 116: CHAPTER 116_1

Professionally, they couldn’t force him to take over, so could they at least pressure him into marriage? He was thirty-five! Ordinary folks, if they married at twenty-five, would have children several years old by thirty-five, yet he didn’t even have a girlfriend. True, he didn’t possess Glades Horne’s handsome features, but he was still decent and presentable. Disregarding his truly impressive background, just being the Chief Assistant of the Valence Group made him one of T City’s influential figures—women pursuing him could probably form a queue from T City all the way to Beijing. Could it be that he fancied no one?

Glades Horne emerged from the small bar carrying two glasses of wine. Mason Wallace, also holding a glass of red wine identical to Julia Bluen’s, followed him. Mason Wallace admired the glass of wine intended for his wife. He then looked at Glades Horne’s figure with respect once more. That tall, sturdy silhouette exuded an air of superiority. Glades commanded the life and death of countless people; a crisis in the Valence Group could result in masses of unemployed individuals wandering the streets. Yet this man possessed a heart more delicate than a woman’s, caring for his loved ones with tender, inconspicuous affection, not like some who always made grand gestures.

Such subtle, quiet care and doting truly warmed the heart.

Then turning to Julia Bluen, who had just accepted the red wine from Glades Horne, Mason Wallace felt that the two really made a perfect pair—the man handsome and the woman pretty.

That woman was pretty, with an underlying toughness, unlike a typical wealthy heiress.

But then again, how could an ordinary person manage to marry the prince of the Horne Family?

The two couples took their seats on the sofa.

"Any progress?" Mason Wallace leaned back leisurely into the sofa the moment he sat down, his eyes firmly fixed on Glades Horne. If I can dig up exclusive news from my cousin’s boss, I can go to my aunt to claim credit and seek a reward, he thought.

Hearing his question, Julia Bluen turned her head to glance at Glades Horne beside her. Glades Horne, looking affectionately at her, asked softly, "How’s the cocktail I made?"

Julia Bluen smiled but obediently took a sip and immediately exclaimed, "It doesn’t taste like alcohol at all."

It was no different from drinking a soda.

"We’ll be going out shopping soon, so you can’t get drunk," Glades Horne replied in a low, calm voice.

Julia Bluen didn’t speak again, quietly continuing to sip the wine that was essentially a beverage.

"I’m merely his boss, not a matchmaker," Glades Horne said, finally lifting his gaze to Mason Wallace and responding indifferently. He never interfered with Hansen Ruiz’s private life.

Upon hearing this, Mason Wallace immediately looked disappointed.

Glades Horne gave him another glance, taking in his disappointment but saying nothing more.

As no news was to be had from Glades Horne, Mason Wallace disturbed the Hornes no longer. After finishing his drink, he took his wife and left.

Once they had departed, Julia Bluen suddenly flipped over, bracing her hands on either side of Glades Horne, trapping him in front of her. Her beautiful almond eyes intently scrutinized Glades Horne, her red lips slightly curved into a faint smile, yet her tone carried an inquiring edge. "What were you and that Mr. Wallace discussing?"

Glades Horne didn’t respond immediately. He just pursed his lips and gazed steadily back at Julia Bluen, slowly taking in her posture. It gave him the distinct feeling that she was claiming him entirely for herself.

Hmm, the feeling of being wholly possessed by someone wasn’t half bad.

"Are you interested?" Glades Horne’s eyes grew darker, his focus intensifying on her oval-shaped face. Thanks to his nightly attentions, her complexion was even more radiant, exuding the charm of a young matron. The allure in her glances was intoxicating, causing his heart to beat even faster for her.

Julia Bluen, who had started with an interrogative stance, now found herself unnerved by his gaze. Usually, his eyes seemed so deep to her, like bottomless pits that could never be fathomed. Unconsciously, her cheeks blushed, and her slender arms, propped on either side of him, began to feel awkward. She was unsure whether to continue caging him or to withdraw them.

"I am interested," Julia Bluen answered truthfully.

She could tell that Hansen Ruiz was somewhat attracted to her friend Rachel Bailey. Since her wedding bouquet had ended up in Rachel’s hands, Rachel’s romantic fortune might have been activated. She didn’t know much about Hansen Ruiz. If he truly liked Rachel, she felt she ought to find out some insider information for her friend. Hansen Ruiz was older than Glades Horne, and his current identity seemed shrouded in mystery; she simply wanted to know if he already had a wife at home.

"Julia," he said softly. "Don’t you think the person you should be interested in is me?"

Hearing his words, Julia Bluen retorted with annoyance, "Where are you going with this? You clearly drank wine just now, so why do you sound as though you’ve swallowed a vat of vinegar? All this sour talk. I’m not ’interested’ in that way." This guy! He can’t possibly misunderstand my intentions; he’s obviously just teasing me.

Retracting the hands braced beside him, Julia Bluen turned to walk away.

"Julia, Hansen Ruiz is an enigmatic man. Your friend is too straightforward to understand him," Glades Horne said, looking down at her from his superior height, sharing his opinion good-humoredly.

If Julia Bluen can see Hansen Ruiz’s interest in Rachel Bailey, how could I miss it? he thought.

’Mismatched social standing... that really is a difficult hurdle,’ Julia Bluen mused, her thoughts turning to another concern.

Rachel Bailey was sharp-tongued and plain-looking, with a somewhat direct personality, but she was definitely not someone who would let herself be bullied. Julia considered their respective statuses. Even though Rachel was her close friend and she had never looked down on her, it was an undeniable fact that Rachel was just an ordinary working-class woman. Disregarding whatever mysterious identity Hansen Ruiz might have, his position as Chief Assistant at the Valence Group alone was enough to give Rachel Bailey a crick in her neck from looking up to him. If anything romantic were to develop between them, Rachel would likely be the one to get hurt.