Chapter 52 Chapter 52
After greeting her, José turned to Tania and the others, bowing his head slightly in respect.
"Ladies, good evening. Thank you for joining us for dinner tonight. President Wolf asked me to express his gratitude. He said that Miss Ford's friends are also his friends—and, as a token of his appreciation, he invited them to a banquet.
The driver continued in a polite and solemn tone:
“President Wolf had business commitments and regrets that he cannot attend in person. As a way of apologizing, he has prepared a special gift for each of you.”
José then bent down and removed some bags from the back seat of the car.
The girls watched in surprise as he handed one to each of them.
Of course, Nicholas hadn't prepared the gifts himself—he would never have gone to that trouble. But he had instructed one of his secretaries to take care of everything.
Each bag contained a luxurious skin care kit from a renowned international brand, valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
For college students without much money, this was an impressive gift—a real treasure that they could hardly afford to buy on their own.
Tania held the bag with her eyes shining.
“My God... my God is unbelievably generous!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “I've had my eye on this set for months, but I didn't have the courage to spend so much money. My God must be telepathic! How did he know that this was exactly what I wanted?”
Caroline raised her hands hastily:
“I swear I didn't say anything.”
She had no idea that Nicholas would be so thoughtful as to prepare gifts for her friends.
Still, she couldn't deny it: that gesture touched her deeply.
Tania, beaming, took a bottle of perfume out of the bag and sprayed it in the air, sighing with delight.
“Perfect!” she said, smiling. “Carol, please tell your Male God that we love the gifts! And thank him on my behalf too!”
Caroline just laughed, not knowing what to say.
She was sure Nicholas hadn't chosen the items himself—after all, he was the kind of man who had no interest in women's affairs.
Even so, he had paid for everything, and that was enough.
In any case, the gifts were his, and the gesture—however impersonal it might be—still made her feel strangely... valued.
The other two roommates were stunned for a few seconds when they received the skin care kit, but they did not show their joy with the same spontaneity as Tania.
Only then did they understand what was happening.
After all, Caroline's handsome and wealthy boyfriend was the one paying for dinner that night.
It would be their first time in a banquet hall, but they had all heard about the place.
It was a private club, frequented only by high society.
Being rich was not enough to gain access to the club—you also needed status and influence.
If Caroline's boyfriend had invited them to dinner there, it was clear that he was a man of extraordinary position and power.
When Caroline was dating Edward, they even felt a certain envy, but never to the point of becoming bitter.
Now, however, the feeling was different.
They couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy and discomfort when they thought of that incredibly handsome, charming, and, above all, respected man.
They had to rack their brains and try hard to find a man with even the slightest qualities...
While Caroline, seemingly without any effort, managed to attract someone so exceptional.
It would be a lie to say they weren't jealous.
Deep down, they both believed that Caroline wanted to show off her new boyfriend.
Otherwise, why invite them to dinner at such a luxurious place?
Why prepare such expensive gifts?
The conclusion they came to was simple—Caroline wanted to show how well she was doing.
That thought soured the mood between them.
Noticing the sudden silence and tense expressions, Caroline frowned, confused.
“Fernanda, Ianca... what happened?”
“Nothing.” Ianca quickly composed herself, forcing a polite smile. “Carol, thank your boyfriend for me. It's the first time I've ever received such an expensive gift. I really love that brand.”
“Yes,” added Fernanda, smiling too. “Your boyfriend is very generous. This kit is worth tens of thousands of yuan. Thank him on our behalf.”
Their expressions returned to normal, although their hearts were still heavy.
Caroline, unaware of anything, just smiled.
“I'm glad you liked it. Let's get in the car—we need to leave soon.”
Later, in the banquet hall.
As soon as the car stopped in front of the entrance, Fernanda, Ianca, Tania, and Caroline got out and were met by a few people waiting for them.
One of the men—dressed in an impeccable suit—stepped forward and bowed slightly.
“Miss Ford, ladies, good evening.” His voice was respectful, almost reverent. “President Wolf personally instructed me to welcome you. Please follow me carefully.”
They all looked at each other, surprised.
That club was known for employing proud and demanding people, accustomed to dealing only with high-level clients.
Normally, even the wealthiest patrons had to treat them with a certain amount of respect.
But tonight, those same employees were incredibly attentive and courteous.
The reason was obvious.
It was all because of the powerful man behind Caroline.
However, instead of being happy, Fernanda and Ianca felt their envy grow even more.
Caroline's current boyfriend seemed much more powerful and influential than Edward—and that was something neither of them could accept.
Only Tania seemed truly excited.
She walked around the hall with sparkling eyes, admiring every detail, and whispered excitedly:
“Carol, have you been here before? This place is so sophisticated... it looks like a palace!”
“It's my first time here too,” replied Caroline, equally impressed, as she discreetly observed her surroundings.
The banquet hall was similar in style to the restaurant where Nicholas had taken her before — but it was several times larger and even more luxurious.
The sparkle of the chandeliers, the polished marble, and the refined aroma of the place lived up to its reputation as a “palace of the elite.”
Once again, Caroline realized how Nicholas was attentive to her.
He had prepared everything down to the smallest detail, even without being present.
She had invited her roommates just to be nice, but the place where they were going to have dinner was worthy of celebrities.
“Honey, I'm really enjoying your company,” said Tania, sighing with pure admiration. “If it weren't for you, I would never set foot in a place like this. I confess I was worried when you got another boyfriend so quickly. I thought it was too hasty... but now I feel more at ease.”
Caroline raised her eyebrows.
“More at ease? Why?”
Tania crossed her arms, staring at her with a convinced expression.
“Because my boyfriend is handsome, rich, and clearly cares about you. You can see that he really likes you. From now on, I just want you to be happy with him. As for that scoundrel Edward... forget him. He's worthless.”
Tania spoke with such disdain that Caroline almost laughed.