Chapter 244

Chapter 244

"Well then, let's go have a chat with Mr. Patel. After all, his injury is partly our responsibility," Charles said, completely ignoring Ernest's obsequious remarks and picking up on Selene's comment instead.

Selene looked momentarily surprised but quickly stepped aside gracefully. "I didn't realize Mr. Howard was so concerned about Drew. Thank you."

Charles nodded curtly, then guided Emily toward Drew's direction.

Their intimate posture didn't escape anyone's notice.

As they approached, Drew felt every eye in the room turn toward him. Anticipating what was about to unfold, he closed his eyes briefly and forced a polite smile onto his face.

"How's the recovery going?" Charles's voice was cool and detached—less like someone inquiring after an injured person and more like a CEO about to squeeze productivity from a convalescing employee.

"I'm... I'm doing well. Thank you for asking, Mr. Howard," Drew replied with a nod.

Emily glanced at his still-bandaged arm, her tone genuinely concerned. "How's your arm? Can you work normally now?"

At her question, Drew's expression softened considerably. He lifted his arm slightly to demonstrate it was manageable, then lowered his voice. "Thank you both for coming tonight. But this whole event—it was my parents' doing. I had no idea it would turn into... this."

His voice carried unmistakable apology, and he seemed to shrink further under the weight of the surrounding stares.

"It's fine," Emily quickly interjected with a reassuring smile and shake of her head. "It doesn't really matter."

The scale was just a bit different than expected, that's all.

Worried Charles might make things awkward for Drew, she discreetly squeezed his hand.

Feeling her gesture, Charles squeezed back without missing a beat.

Their little exchange didn't go unnoticed by the crowd.

Whispers rippled through the gathering:

"That's Mr. Howard? He actually came!"

"The woman with him must be Ms. Windsor from the Windsor Group. She's gorgeous—they look perfect together."

"The Patels really lucked out this time. With this connection, they're set for life."

Some guests looked on with envy, others with jealousy, and a few opportunists edged closer hoping to make an impression.

Charles paid no mind to the stares. He kept Emily's hand firmly in his as he made the rounds, exchanging pleasantries with familiar faces. Every sentence pointedly included the phrase "my wife, Emily."

His bold declarations and unabashed affection left no room for misinterpretation—everyone instantly understood Emily's place in his heart.

Drew stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold from a distance.

An indescribable bitterness settled in his chest.

In fairy tales, beautiful princesses always find their princes. Unfortunately, he'd shown up too late—the princess had already married someone else.

Forget being the prince—Drew doubted he could even qualify as the other man.

He sighed and downed his drink in one go, the bitter liquid burning down his throat and suppressing the helplessness gnawing at him.

"Drew, what are you doing over here all by yourself?"

A cheerful voice interrupted his brooding. Wendy hurried over with a fruit juice in hand, her pink cocktail dress swishing around her as she moved, her eyes bright and animated.

Seeing Drew's dejected expression, she looked puzzled and followed his line of sight.

There was Emily, radiant with laughter, tucked close to Charles's side.

Though Wendy could not hear what they were saying, she could clearly tell that something Charles said had made Emily even happier.

Wendy still harbored some resentment toward Emily. She curled her lip slightly and muttered, "Her again. What's with that smile? Who's she trying to impress?"

Her voice was not particularly loud, but it carried just enough for Drew to hear.

His brow furrowed sharply. "Wendy, watch your mouth. Someone could use that against you. After you graduate, you'll be working at the company—if you can't control what you say, how can anyone trust you with—"

Seeing the pleasant evening about to devolve into yet another family lecture, Wendy quickly grabbed a piece of cake from the dessert table and stuffed it into Drew's mouth, her tone turning placating.

"Drew, have some cake and calm down."

He couldn't spit it out or swallow it gracefully—all he could do was chew reproachfully while staring at her.

Wendy grinned sheepishly and plopped down next to him. "Drew, do you have a thing for Emily?"

"No... no, I don't. Stop making things up," Drew protested after finally swallowing the cake, shooting her another glare.

Wendy pursed her lips, clearly unconvinced. "I'm not an idiot—I can tell. But you know what?"

She dragged out her words teasingly. "Nice try, Drew, but you showed up way too late. Now all you can do is what I'm doing—watching them be disgustingly sweet together."

As she spoke, she couldn't help sneaking more glances at Emily and Charles.

So many people were watching the couple that their presence had completely overshadowed the actual hosts.

"Talk about lucky, landing a Howard. God, Mr. Howard is so hot—no wonder even Karen can't get over him. Once I graduate, I'm finding myself a man exactly like that."

Wendy sighed wistfully, her mind clearly wandering to future romantic prospects.

Drew was rendered speechless by her shallow commentary, but remembering she was his only sister, he lowered his voice to remind her, "The Howards aren't as simple as you think. You can't choose a man based on looks alone."

"I was just saying," Wendy rolled her eyes, then looked at Drew's forlorn expression with exasperation. "Honestly, you're being way more pathetic than me. Those two are practically dripping honey all over each other—inviting them here just made yourself miserable."

"I don't care," Drew muttered stubbornly, unwilling to let Wendy see his vulnerability. He took another sip of wine to suppress his emotions.

But Wendy seemed immune to reading the room. She leaned closer and whispered bluntly, "Yes, you do care! I can see it clear as day—you can't let her go! She's married, Drew. The more you pine after her, the more it's going to hurt."

Before Drew could snap back, her gaze drifted toward a cluster of young men on the other side of the ballroom.

They were all heirs to local fortunes—tall, well-built, each with their own distinct charm.

Her eyes lit up instantly. Grabbing her skirt, she prepared to make her escape.

"Drew, take your time wallowing. I'm going hunting. There are way too many quality prospects here tonight for me to waste time consoling a heartbroken guy."

Without waiting for his protest, she bounced off cheerfully, her figure light and carefree.

Drew watched her go and shook his head helplessly. Once more, his gaze drifted back to Emily and Charles, surrounded by admirers. The sourness in his eyes gradually gave way to quiet acceptance.

Losing to Charles wasn't humiliating.

What he didn't notice, however, was that in the direction Wendy had run off to, a tall figure stood quietly in the shadows.

The man possessed strikingly distinctive green eyes that glinted with cold intensity under the warm amber lighting.

His gaze cut through the noisy crowd with laser precision—and landed squarely on Emily.