Chapter 147 Chapter 148

Chapter 147 Chapter 148
The duo walked forward, their clothes as luxurious as his own, if not for the slight wrinkling of Mr Jones' shirt and a few spots on Mrs Jones' blouse. They flashed their teeth his way as Jane Jones threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. High society was staring, watching the strange couple with envy as they greeted the Head of House, Arnold. But the Joneses were far from unknown – they were the very star couple contributing to House Arnold’s growing success. 
“How are you?” Denis enjoyed Jane and Marven, both of them frightfully inept at being anyone but themselves. He knew that if they got to decide, they would not be here, but in a dark room, tinkering with their computers. 
When the blonde had expressed interest in investing in Kyronix Systems Chips (now KRYS Chips), the couple had almost fallen over themselves to tell him, yes, whatever he wanted. Denis had not wanted a lot, but he’d received all the more. He’d stepped in, not only as an investor but as a partner, taking the company under his wings by helping them find their footing in the business world, setting up a long-term plan, and introducing them to clients. 
After starting their own manufacturing enterprise (the Arnold House buying the previous chip manufacturer), they’d pushed down the pricing. Finally, becoming an actual alternative for big corporations. Today, they were out-competing Nvidia, having set up contracts with Microsoft and Google.
It was heady, growing with this kind of speed. More than wine and real estate, the House Arnold was becoming a tech giant. 
It should have caused a scandal. Only, while tradition and blood did matter in high society, money mattered more. And the Arnolds were swimming in it.
The four of them chatted, Denis listening intently as the Joneses gave him a rundown of their week. At first, it was easy, but as always, both of them began spiralling, moving quickly from overarching functionality down to the nitty-gritty. Once they were discussing how to modify the toolkit for the deployment of code, Denis was lost. Glancing at his Maman, she’d been lost for a while. 
The music came to a swift stop when a man in a tuxedo stepped up onto the stage by the quartet. He clapped his hands; the room turned from abuzz to tranquil. The sun was setting, bathing the room in the same light that the painted ceiling above depicted.
Denis inhaled deeply, enjoying the silence while it lasted.
The man called to dinner, asking everybody to please make their way to their seats. After they’d dined, the auction would start, and then there would be dancing. 
Everybody seemed to hold their breath as the tall doors creaked open, revealing a familiar sight. The noise returned as the crowd moved, dresses fluttering and jackets flapping. The Joneses waved them ahead, something about a phone call. Denis’s interest piqued, but his Maman kept an iron grip on his arm, dragging him from business to enjoy an evening of semi-freedom. He couldn’t help the way his fingers itched. Running the House had become second nature. It was as easy to worry about the state of affairs as it was breathing, especially after the last five years of ups and downs. 
“This summer,” his Maman sounded polite, but he could sense the rock-hard resolve beneath the surface. “This summer you’re taking a proper holiday.”
Denis was already shaking his head. “We’re in the middle of negotiating for KRYS to expand to Asia. I cannot leave the Joneses high and dry-”
“Lay will deal with it.”
“He doesn’t know-”
“Denis.” She rarely called him Denis. With her, it was always Denis or Chéri. “You’ve worked hard for five years. Lord knows at times, I have blamed myself for not letting you stay a child for longer.”
Denis tried objecting, his polite mask slipping. All in vain, of course.
The grand dining hall welcomed them, the seating chart displayed on several easels at the short end of each table. They didn’t stay to look. The Arnolds had their dedicated seat in the front. 
“Take this summer off,” his Maman continued. “There are no more urgent fires for you to put out. The House will stand without you for a while. I will take care of business together with Lay, and you, Chéri, will fly off.”
“I don’t want that, Maman.”
“But you need it.” She jutted her chin forward. In less than a couple of minutes, she’d cemented his summer. Not working, what a strange thought.
The blonde kept trying to formulate solid counterarguments as they took their seats. Chairs scraped on the floor as the Lords and gentlemen pulled out chairs for their Ladies. Further down the line, Denis spied the Joneses doing the opposite, Jane offering Marvin a seat with a curt gesture of hand. He sat down with the Ladies, unbothered by the sight they made. Denis’s lips curled as he pushed in his Maman’s chair with care. Then he sat to her left, glancing down at the stacked plates, all of them adorned with a golden rim. 
It was tradition for the men to talk to their neighbour on their left. Denis turned, delighted to realise he was sitting next to Susan Winthrop (formerly Smith) of all people. He wondered who’d made the table placement this year. He would have liked to send them a bouquet. 
This was the very reason he enjoyed the Lumos Gala. At any other event, Susan would have been stashed away at the furthest end, concealed in shadows like the rest of those deemed unworthy. A load of bollocks. Just because you weren’t raised with a silver spoon in your mouth didn’t mean you were less. 
Susan looked uncomfortable, watching him with weary eyes. The girl was dressed simply, in a peach neck-tie blouse, her short hair shaped in wavy curls. Next to his luxurious dressing, her attire for the evening might come across as lacking, but then again, Denis had an appearance to uphold. 
The way her startling blue eyes widened made him think she knew of him. He wondered if her husband Anton had told of the House Arnold? Of their current reign in power, money, and position. The three holy grails in any high society. She was clever to worry. Most families with influence were far from nice. They’d cut you with a smile on their faces, leaving you dazed as you bled out on the floor.