CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 59: COULD IT BE THAT HE’S ASHAMED TO SHOW HIS FACE?

Mia Chapelle hooked her arm around Zion Pence’s, playing the protagonist, and bid everyone farewell with a smile.

As she caught a glimpse of Holly Crowe preparing to leave from the corner of her eye, she suddenly raised her voice, "Holly, you’re leaving already?"

All eyes instantly focused on Holly.

Mia, as if noticing nothing, offered considerately, "It’s so late, and you’ve been drinking. How about we drive you home?"

Holly furrowed her brows but before she could speak, Mia turned to Zion, her tone coy, "Zion, shall we give Holly a ride since it’s on our way?"

Zion’s gaze remained on Holly, and after a moment, he uttered, "Okay."

Holly looked at the two of them playing along and said blandly, "No need."

"Oh?"

Suddenly, Mia seemed to realize something, blinking in feigned surprise, "Could it be that someone’s picking you up, Holly?"

As soon as she spoke, someone in the crowd recalled Holly mentioning she was married, and whispers quickly emerged:

"Could it be her husband?"

"Who is her husband anyway, that she boasts so highly of?"

Listening to everyone’s murmurs, Mia’s smile didn’t fade, but she laughed coldly inside.

Who could it be?

Just an ordinary man in work clothes.

That’s what she thought, yet her face was full of curiosity. She deliberately extended her words, "Holly, if it’s your husband coming to pick you up, why don’t we wait for him before leaving? We could all get to meet him."

This suggestion piqued even those who hadn’t been paying attention, and their gazes fixed on Holly with undisguised interest and schadenfreude.

Holly sighed deeply, explaining patiently, "My husband is on a business trip; the person coming is a driver-for-hire."

"Oh....."

Sounds of disappointment echoed around, mixed with regret, as if they missed a good show.

Mia added to the conversation, her sarcasm barely hidden, "What a pity."

She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and exchanged a glance with someone in the crowd nonchalantly.

Just then, someone in the crowd mumbled, "But I clearly saw Holly carrying flowers to the parking lot earlier. Aren’t they from her husband?"

This comment was like a bomb exploding among the crowd.

Instantly, discussions erupted.

"Yeah, what are the chances? Could it be that her husband is too embarrassed to show himself?"

"I think so too. There’s been no news about the marriage, she probably just married someone to spite Zion."

"Who would’ve thought..."

The conversations ebbed and flowed, and even their gazes toward Holly changed in tone.

Everyone voiced their opinions, regardless of the truth.

Mia covered her mouth, feigning surprise, "Holly, you received flowers too? If they’re from your husband, why didn’t he personally bring them to you? It would be nice to introduce him to everyone."

"Exactly, exactly, why hide him? Couldn’t you have married just an ordinary man after all?"

"I guess he’s just not presentable, otherwise, why not say something?"

Baseless accusations and speculation bombarded from all sides, and Holly clenched her hands, her fingertips white.

"That’s not him..."

She started to speak, but before she could finish, the louder voices of gossip drowned her out.

Standing on the edge of the crowd, Mia watched Holly being surrounded and felt an immense satisfaction.

Beside her, Zion’s face was stormy.

The surrounding curiosity and gossip about Holly’s husband, and Holly’s instinctive defense of her husband left him little choice but to believe that Holly might indeed be married.

His chest felt like it was stabbed, a sharp pain.

He tossed Mia’s hand aside abruptly and walked silently toward the car parked at the door.

Mia saw Zion was angry and decided to stop pushing her luck.

She quickly smiled and feigned to mediate, "Come on, folks, let’s not speculate. There must be a reason Holly doesn’t want to bring her husband out..."

Mia said a few enigmatic words to stir the pot before hastily catching up to Zion and slipping into the car.

The Cayenne slowly drove away.

With Zion gone, the crowd’s gossip became even more unabashed.

"Holly, who really is your husband? Could he really be someone unpresentable?"

"Yeah, why the secrecy?"

"Do you think she got herself a sugar daddy and doesn’t want us to know?"

"Eh... Could be! Who would’ve thought she’d choose to degrade herself... what a pity."

"If I’d known, I would’ve made a move earlier, hahaha....."

"....."

The jabs persisted endlessly, and salacious rumors continued to spread.

Holly stood rooted, intending to explain, but seeing their mockery, all her words got stuck in her throat.

Forget it.

It was entirely futile.

This crowd only wanted to watch a spectacle; they didn’t care about the actual truth but only believed the sordid ’truth’ they concocted in their heads.

Saying another word to them was a waste!

Taking a deep breath, just as she was about to ignore them and turn to leave, two glaring headlights cut through the night.

The light approached steadily, carrying an undeniable aura.

Subconsciously, everyone closed their mouths, turning to look.

A black Maybach came to a steady stop at the hall entrance, its body reflecting a hard, cold aura in the streetlight, carrying an intimidating demeanor warning others to keep their distance.

The crowd, who had been gossiping moments before, was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Whose car is this?"

"Why does that license plate look so familiar?"

"Wait, I have an idea..... could this be Holly’s....."

Everyone’s gaze instantly shifted to Holly, eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

Just then, the driver’s side door opened, and everyone held their breath, fixing their eyes on the person stepping out.

A man dressed in a black business suit got out, face stern, stance respectful.

"Ah... just him...."

"I thought it was someone else... scared me for a second..."

Light whispers of disappointment rippled through the crowd, quiet discussions resumed.

However, the next moment, after the man exited the car, he respectfully walked over to the rear seat, slightly bowing to open the door.

Then the car door opened.

Upon seeing the arrival, there was a synchronized intake of breath among the crowd.

In an instant, there was complete silence.