Chapter 32 The Gala
"Everything is ready for the Gala, Boss."
Xander nodded as Jose updated him on the Gala presentation.
Toby was also present in the office. It was two days before the Gala. Though Xander wasn't in charge of the Gala's preparations, as it was taking place at their resort in Zavion City, he provided some help.
"What about the Autumn Collection owner?" Xander asked.
"Lily Garner isn't coming to the Gala, Boss. According to the organizers, this time the owner will attend the Gala. The organizers informed that they sent them an invitation last year as well, but they refused to attend due to an unknown reason." Jose reported as he sat down next to Toby.
Lily Garner was the face of Autumn Collection. She was the CEO and handled all the meetings and public appearances, but she was not the owner. The owner remained hidden, unwilling to reveal her identity. The public only knew that the owner was a woman.
"Interesting. So the owner will reveal herself at the Gala, this year."
"Why am I getting the impression that we know the owner personally?" Toby asked.
"Maybe, maybe not. However, they are quite clever as businessmen. I like their strategy." Xander said, lying in his seat.
"Wow... it's a blessing for them, as Xander Blake admires their business strategy." Toby smirked, earning a glare from him.
Blake Corporation is primarily a Tech company. However, they also ran other businesses. In recent years, Xander had begun to invest in other businesses he thought were profitable. He had never invested in a jewelry brand before. However, Autumn Collection had caught his attention. That was why, he wanted to meet with the owner and after that, he would decide on a collaboration.
"So, are you considering collaborating with this mysterious lady?" Toby asked.
"I will decide after meeting with her." Xander said.
Xander had never approached anyone for a business collaboration. It was always the other parties who approached him. He agreed to those he considered profitable.
"You can invest in Sparks. It's an old and well-known brand... ranked number one as well. Why Autumn Collection? It's a new brand."
"Sparks has many investors. Although they are currently at the top of the rankings, their market value has dropped since so many new brands have emerged. They won't grow any further from here. Autumn Collection, on the other hand, is a newly established brand that has grown rapidly over the last three years. In just five years, they have risen to second place in the rankings. What's more interesting is that they have never advertised their products, whereas other brands spend millions on promotion. They have used their minds."
"Yeah, they participate in almost every auction. That's how they rose to fame." Toby stated.
"I am guessing they don't come from a business family and this is their first business. They don't have much money. But they did not look for an investor; instead, they used other methods to market their products. They have the power of quality and that's why they have grown in such a short time. In a few years, they will rise to the top."
"What if they refuse to collaborate with us?" Toby asked.
"That's why we need to talk with the owner. They don't have any investors right now, but they will need to collaborate in the future to grow. And Blake Corporation is the best partner they could have." Jose said this time.
Toby nodded in understanding.
"Boss, I have also gathered information about that lady, Tiara." Jose added.
Xander nodded, signaling him to continue. Jose cleared his throat, looking slightly uneasy.
"She is indeed a well-known lawyer in Purple City. She has never lost a case. She has connections with many prominent and powerful people. She also had affairs with a number of prominent figures." he paused, as he felt awkward while informing this.
Toby burst into laughter.
"So, our poor Jose has fallen for a dangerous woman." Toby said earning a death glare from Jose.
He ignored his comment and continued, "Another thing I discovered is that she works under Mr. George Henry in Zavion City on a one-year contract."
"One year contract? That means she will most likely return to Purple City after one year." Xander frowned, and so did the other two men.
"I am curious how she is related to Ariadne. The girl appears to be loyal to Ariadne and her family. In fact, they live together as a family. She even moved to Zavion City with them."
"I will look into that, Boss." Jose said.
...............
The day of the gala
The Gala took place at one of Blake Corporation's resorts, 'Hill Garden'. It was the most prestigious event in Zavion City. The event was primarily an auction. Businessmen from all over the world attended this Gala. However, not all businessmen were allowed to attend. Only thirty families received invitations to this gala. The top ten businessmen from Zavion City, and the top twenty from around the world were invited in this event. No doubt, Xander and his family were invited to this Gala every year.
Like the guests, only selected top six jewelry brands from around the world would present their products for auction. Each brands would bring five items for the auction. The brand that raised the most money in the auction would receive a special gift. The names of the brands and guests changed each year based on their ranking, with only a few names remaining constant. Two names that did not change on the guest list were Watson Group and Blake Corporation. Every year, Zidane's parents and other relatives attended the Gala. This year, the Miller Group also received an invitation.
Every year, Crystal would tag along with Xander or Margaret to the Gala, as the invited guests could bring additional people with them. She was now one of the main guests.
With so many wealthy bidders, winning anything was extremely difficult here.
The Black and Miller families arrived together in two cars. Xander didn't attend the Gala every year, but Margaret did. This year, he joined in. Crystal, Emma, Aaron, Catherine and Margaret all arrived in a large car, while Xander arrived in his Rolls-Royce separately.
All of the ladies looked stunning. Crystal wore a stunning shimmery silver strapless long gown, with her hair in a lovely bun. Catherine was dressed in a gorgeous red gown, while Margaret and Emma donned black and white gowns, respectively.
As they climbed out of the cars, cameras flashed on their faces.
"Oh my god.... it's so beautiful." Catherine exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked around.
The place was brightly lit, and the decorations were absolutely stunning. It gave off the vibe of a grand event, which it was.
"Thank you again, Crystal, for letting me accompany you."
"Anything for you, darling." Crystal whispered in her ears.
There was an uproar among the reporters when Xander emerged from his car. Crystal quickly left the ladies and approached Xander, with a smile on her face. She held his arm and looked at his handsome face. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and looked very attractive.
"Good evening, fiance. How do I look?" she asked coquettishly.
"Beautiful." Xander smiled as he looked at her face.
The scene appeared very romantic to the audience. Normally, Xander ignored reporters at events like this. However, when the reporters called out his name, he approached them with Crystal by his side.
"Congratulations, Mr. Blake and Miss Miller, on your upcoming engagement. You two have always been a loving couple. May I ask when the engagement is? There has been no announcement of a date." a reporter asked.
"The engagement has been postponed for the time being." Xander replied.
"May I ask you why?"
"It is just that the All Businessmen's Day Festival arrived, so we had to postpone our engagement. We will get engaged after the festival. There will be no delays." Crystal said this time.
"Miss Miller, do you have your eyes on any particular brand's products today?" another reporter asked.
"I have jewelry from all brands in my collection. The only brand I have yet to purchase from is the Autumn Collection. So, I would like to try their products. Rest assured, anything that catches my eye, regardless of brand, will be mine." she said confidently.
It was now widely known that Autumn Collection would be attending the Gala.
"Oh, what a beautiful, confident lady."
They walked away from the reporters and toward the stage.
Before entering the auction hall, each family posed for photos on the stage, which had been particularly prepared for the event.
Media was not allowed inside the auction hall. The organizers had their own photographers to take photos. They posted the photos on their popular social media site, along with the auctioned item and the winners, the next day of the auction. It caused a huge uproar among upper-class society and became the topic of the month.
Some people were already present near the stage, waiting for their turn. When the guards noticed Xander, they came over and led them near the stage, where they would go next, saving them from having to wait for too long.
However, their eyes widened in surprise when they saw the person on the stage, posing for photographs.
"Ariadne!?"