Adrian pushed the door open, with Pearl following closely behind him. A lot of people gathering in the room, chatting and laughing, clearly having waited for a while.
"Mr. Egan, you finally came!" A male classmate was the first to notice their arrival and immediately stood up to greet them. Others also turned to look them, their gazes falling on Adrian and Pearl.
"Pearl is here too."
"Pearl, you rarely attend our gatherings. If it weren't for Adrian, we probably wouldn't have seen you at all."
"Pearl is still as beautiful as ever."
Others chimed in, their eyes scanning Pearl. Pearl felt a bit uncomfortable, but she maintained a smile.
"Beauty is a valuable asset. She is Mr. Brown's secretary at the Brown Group and now come with Mr. Egan."
Each sentence carried a hint of sarcasm. Pearl was used to it. Over the years of navigating the workplace, she had developed a mindset of not caring about anything.
However, with Adrian by her side, the classmates' gazes kept shifting between her and Adrian, making her feel particularly awkward.
Afraid that Pearl was too embarrassed, Adrian smiled and said, "Is everyone here? Today, it's on me, feel free to eat, no need to worry about saving money for me."
"Adrian, you're a big shot, of course, we won't make you save money."
Pearl wanted to find a corner to sit in peace.
"Pearl, sit next to me," Adrian's voice came unexpectedly, catching her off guard.
Pearl hesitated, but looking around, she noticed that the seat next to Adrian was the only empty one. With no other option, she reluctantly took the seat.
Several female classmates immediately surrounded her, warmly greeting Pearl. Pearl reciprocated each greeting, her smile gradually becoming more natural.
"I never thought that after so many years, we could gather together again," one female classmate exclaimed.
Pearl nodded. "Yes, it's really rare."
"Do you remember that Adrian used to write love letters back then? I even saw them. I wonder if Pearl ever received one."
All eyes turned to Pearl, leaving her feeling bewildered. 'How come I didn't know?'
"That's impossible. You must have mistaken. If Adrian had a crush, it definitely wouldn't be me," Pearl denied instinctively.
Adrian poured a cup of coffee in front of Pearl and advised, "You shouldn't drink alcohol, have some coffee instead."
"Pearl, Adrian, are you not a couple ?" Seeing Adrian's care for Pearl, someone boldly speculated, "You're just hiding it from us to avoid gossip."
Startled by their abrupt words, Pearl denied, "No."
"I bet you two are definitely together!"
"Pearl, don't be shy, just give him a kiss!"
Pearl felt more uncomfortable, the classmates' teasing and cheering making her restless. Adrian, on the other hand, remained calm, with one hand in his pocket, as if detached from the commotion.
The classmates' teasing grew louder, and Pearl's face turned red. She never imagined she would be in such an embarrassing situation.
"Kiss her!" The classmates' voices grew more intense.
Having lived abroad for many years, Adrian was more open-minded and could handle everyone's teasing, but Pearl, being a woman, valued her reputation. Seeing everyone going too far, Adrian set down his cup, not as gentle as before, "Stop making wild guesses. Pearl and I have just exchanged contact details, what kind of relationship do you think we have?"
As soon as they heard that they had just exchanged contact information, everyone knew there was nothing more to it.
The ladies present became interested, "Since that's the case, Adrian is not married yet, we single ladies should make a move."
Adrian immediately said, "I have someone I like now."
With that statement, everyone was curious about who he liked.
After a long pause, under everyone's gaze, Adrian said, "She's not here, you don't know her."
The interest everyone had instantly faded.
Just as the atmosphere was gradually becoming harmonious, a sharp voice suddenly rang out, "Isn't this the mistress from back then?"