Chapter 227
This time, the response was completely different.
"Mrs. Wipere! I just saw the news—Allegra scored 98? That's incredible! We'll definitely be there!"
"Ninety-eight? That's top five percent nationally! The Wipere family really knows how to raise a daughter. We'll absolutely come."
"Lucinda's coming too? That's wonderful—I've been wanting to meet her. We'll be there on time."
Call after call came back, the tones warm and enthusiastic, as if they were talking to completely different people.
Gemma held her phone, the smile at the corner of her mouth slowly widening, though a layer of complicated emotions surfaced in her eyes.
Allegra listened to those calls from the side. Her lips curved slightly, but there was no warmth in her eyes.
Marshall's side also sent back a message—just a brief line: [I'll be there.]
Followed by another: [My mother's coming too.]
Allegra stared at those words, her fingers gripping the phone tightening slightly.
This time, she had to seize the opportunity.
The banquet was set for the following evening.
The private dining room at The Velvet Fork was spacious. The round table could seat thirty people. The lighting was warm and yellow. The tableware was custom-made, each piece stamped with The Velvet Fork's logo.
The Wipere family arrived earliest. Gemma wore a newly purchased emerald-green gown, her hair pinned up meticulously. She stood at the entrance greeting guests.
More people came than expected.
The vice president of the Starlight City Chamber of Commerce, several owners of mid-sized companies, representatives from two investment firms, and a few branch members of sizable families who didn't usually socialize much—all showed up.
The room quickly filled. Glasses clinked. Laughter rose and fell. It looked like a genuine celebration.
Allegra wore a champagne-colored gown, her hair draped over her shoulders, a polished smile on her face.
She moved through the room with a wine glass in hand, exchanging pleasantries here, clinking glasses there, carrying herself with the poise of a true host.
Marshall and Tatum arrived as well.
When Tatum entered, her gaze swept the room and landed on Allegra. She didn't smile. She simply gave a faint nod and took a seat near the head of the table.
Allegra's heart sank.
But she showed no sign of it on her face. She walked over and poured tea for Tatum, her voice gentle. "Mrs. Grayson, please sit."
Tatum lifted the teacup and took a sip. She didn't respond.
Allegra's smile didn't waver. She returned to her seat beside Marshall, her fingers lightly gripping the hem of her dress beneath the table.
Everyone had been seated for quite a while, but the food still hadn't arrived.
Looking at the empty table, the guests began whispering among themselves, brows furrowing slightly.
Why had they been waiting so long without a single dish being served?
Gemma also sensed something was wrong.
This was the Wipere family's chance to turn things around—there couldn't be any mistakes!
She quickly stood up, walked to the doorway, and peered into the corridor.
Outside, servers hurried past carrying trays, but none of them brought anything to their room.
She quickly grabbed a passing server. "Excuse me, we're in this room. We've been waiting a long time. When will the food be served?"
The server stopped and glanced at her, tone distant. "Madam, the restaurant's food service needs to be arranged in order tonight. Please wait."
"Wait? We've been waiting nearly twenty minutes already!" Gemma's voice rose. "We booked your best private room. Is this how you treat your guests?"
The server bowed slightly. "My sincerest apologies. Tonight, the restaurant has a more important arrangement. All resources must prioritize another table of guests. Your dishes will be arranged shortly. Please be patient."
Gemma's eyes widened. "Another table of guests? Do you know who's sitting at this table? The vice president of the Starlight City Chamber of Commerce! Mrs. Grayson from the Grayson family! What guests could possibly be more important than us?"
The server didn't answer. She simply bowed again, turned, and hurried away.
Gemma stood in the corridor, her face dark with anger.
Some of the guests inside had already overheard the conversation. Murmurs quickly spread.
"What does that mean? We're all sitting here and being ignored?"
"Since when is The Velvet Fork this snobbish? Our table isn't prestigious enough?"
"What guests are so important that they can make all of us wait?"
Allegra sat at the head of the table, her smile still in place, but it was starting to crack.
She stood up, walked to the doorway, and glanced down the corridor.
In the distance, several servers in black uniforms were rushing in another direction.
They carried trays laden with silver tableware and a bottle of red wine with a conspicuously aged vintage.
That direction led to The Velvet Fork's most exclusive private room.
The Supreme Hall.
Her pupils constricted slightly.
The Supreme Hall… has guests tonight too?
What the Wipere family didn't know was that while they were being left waiting in the corridor, The Velvet Fork's backend management group chat had exploded.
Three hours earlier, a message had been sent from The Velvet Fork general manager's private account and pinned at the top of the hotel's staff group:
[Tonight, Supreme Hall. VIP personally arranged by the big boss. Everyone be on your absolute best behavior. Anyone who screws up can hand in their resignation letter themselves.]
Attached below was a photo.
The woman in the photo wore an off-white trench coat, her profile cool and composed as she looked down at her phone.
The background was a mall parking lot. The photo wasn't very clear, but the contours of that face were enough for everyone to recognize.
Another line followed: [If you recognize this face, keep your eyes sharp tonight. If you don't, memorize it right now. This is tonight's biggest boss. Everyone pay attention!]
For this big boss, the entire hotel staff had entered battle-ready mode two hours before the banquet began.
The kitchen reshuffled its schedule. The most senior head chef personally took charge. All ingredients were swapped for the freshest batch. Even the tableware was replaced with the bone china set that was only brought out for the big boss's private banquets.
Front desk, security, waitstaff—everyone was doubled. Every single person was waiting for that VIP to appear.
And the Wipere family knew none of this.
Gemma stood in the corridor, her expression darkening to the extreme.
She stopped another passing server, her voice rising. "Where's your manager? I want to see your manager! We have dozens of people sitting in that room, and you haven't even served us water. Is this how The Velvet Fork treats its guests?"
The server stumbled slightly when Gemma grabbed her but steadied herself. She remained polite, though her tone carried a trace of impatience. "Madam, our manager is personally overseeing things at the Supreme Hall and cannot come at the moment. Your meal will be arranged immediately after the VIP is seated. Please return to your room and wait."
"Supreme Hall?" Gemma's voice grew sharper. "What Supreme Hall is more important than our table? Do you know who's sitting in our room? Do you know why we're here today?"
The server didn't answer again. She simply bowed slightly, freed herself from Gemma's grip, and hurried toward the far end of the corridor.