Chapter 168 Banquet Glow Up
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Wait, what? I actually got selected? Being chosen from among millions of people was practically like winning the lottery. Say what you will, but being lucky felt amazing! Freya jumped up in excitement, then dropped back onto the chair and immediately opened the official website to fill out her information.
After submitting her information, Freya hummed a tune happily as she got back to writing. She hadn’t made much progress when Louis called–he said there was a banquet that evening, and she needed to attend.
It had been a long time since she’d gone to an event with him.
But this time was going to be different. Back then, Louis had seemed like a fallen mogul in the eyes of outsiders.
Now, he was a rising star making a strong comeback. Freya didn’t even have to think about it–he was definitely going to be the center of attention tonight.
As planned, Derek came to pick her up a little after five. He took her straight to get styled; by the time Freya was ready, it was nearly seven, and they rushed off toward the banquet.
Derek brought her to a teahouse first, where Louis was already waiting. The two of them then headed to the banquet together.
Tonight, Freya looked even more stunning than she had the last time. Back then, she had done everything herself.
For someone with barely any makeup skills, just managing to apply something halfway decent had been an achievement; no one could expect it to look amazing.
But this time, professionals were in charge. They highlighted all of her best features, and the result was striking, she looked radiant, elegant, and full of youthful energy. Standing next to Louis, not only did she hold her own, but the two of them even complemented each other perfectly.
Even Derek couldn’t help wondering if Louis‘ special attention to Freya had something to do with her looks.
Louis was never one to chase women, nor did he ever show interest in them. But a woman as beautiful as Freya–those were rare. Louis was still a man, not into men, so developing feelings for her wouldn’t be that surprising.
Still, it was just a passing thought.
After Freya got out of the car, Louis stood beside her. When she was about to step forward, he pulled her back slightly, then offered his arm. That was when she realized and quickly took his arm. She had barely been to these kinds of formal events with a male escort; forgetting for a second was understandable.
As soon as they walked into the hall, a couple came over to greet them with enthusiastic smiles. The middle–aged man spoke first.
“Oh my, isn’t this Mr. Graham? I truly didn’t expect you to honor us with your presence. What a privilege! And this must be Mrs. Graham, right? I heard she stood by Mr. Graham through thick and thin–chose hardship over leaving. No wonder Mr. Edward himself chose her. A model couple indeed, young and admirable!”
The elegant woman next to him beamed as well.
“Yes, yes! Just today. I was telling my son Andrew that he should find a wife like Mrs. Graham–kind, loyal, and a blessing to her husband. Mr. Graham is talented and ambitious, and Mrs. Graham is as beautiful as a flower. What a perfect match! You two are truly enviable.”
Louis was clearly pleased. The Aaron couple really knew how to talk; no wonder their business had lasted so long.
“You flatter us.”
Freya’s face turned red from all the compliments. It made sense to praise Louis for being young and successful, but why drag me into
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All that talk about being an ideal couple, perfect match, role models. If they knew the truth about her and Louis, they’d probably be too stunned to speak.
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Chapter 168 Banquet Glow Up
What Freya didn’t realize was that in business circles, people only said certain things when they had caught wind of something–or when they had guessed a few things themselves.
The Aaron couple were old pros; they had been in business for over two decades and remained steady through it all, thanks to their knack for reading the room.
When Cooper Aaron invited Louis, even though he figured Louis likely wouldn’t show, he still did his homework.
He knew full well that Louis‘ swift comeback wasn’t the result of post–fall hard work. In fact, anyone with half a brain could tell Louis had planned his safety net early on. But despite all that, Louis still hadn’t divorced Freya. That alone raised plenty of questions.
Word was that the two of them had nearly divorced back then, but for some reason, it never happened. No matter what went on in between, the fact was–they didn’t get divorced.
As long as they were still married, Freya remained Mrs. Graham. And as Mrs. Graham, no matter how unsuited she might seem, no outsider had the right to talk down to her.
Besides, someone they knew well had mentioned seeing Louis taking Freya and Waylon out to dinner recently.
All these years, they’d never seen Louis bring a woman to any social outing, let alone one that included someone like Waylon, his closest friend.
That alone was enough to make them suspect that Freya really did hold a special place in Louis‘ heart. On top of that, when the two entered tonight, Freya had her arm linked through his.
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