"What do you plan to do with Deanna after leading her in?" Emily couldn't help her curiosity and looked over inquisitively.
The mysterious person coldly warned, "You just need to do your part. The rest is not for you to know. The more you know, the more dangerous it gets."
Hearing this, a trace of fear appeared on Emily's face. In the end, she dared not ask more and silently listened to the mysterious person's instructions.
Deanna knew nothing of this. As the day of the business conference approached, she and Lance stayed in the hotel to rest for two days, gathering their energy. On the third evening, they headed to the conference venue, feeling refreshed.
The business conference was held in a castle. When they arrived, both sides of the street outside the castle were lined with limited-edition luxury cars from around the world. Seeing this scene, Deanna felt that the grandeur she had witnessed at the Mercer family was nothing in comparison. She even saw some world-class tycoons and figures she had only seen in international news, which made her nervous.
Noticing Deanna's tense body beside him, Lance knew she was nervous. He gently patted her back and comforted her, "Relax, just think of it as a fun outing."
Seeing these big shots, how could she possibly relax? Deanna looked at Lance with a hint of regret for coming along. If she had known it would be like this, she wouldn't have come. She rarely attended parties and disliked socializing. Now, facing global economic giants, one wrong word or inappropriate action could affect the Mercer's international image.
Lance didn't miss the meaning in Deanna's eyes. He chuckled and said, "Don't worry. Once we're inside, just stay by my side. If you don't know how to handle something, just smile. Leave the rest to me."
"Okay," Deanna took a deep breath and nodded. She trusted Lance completely.
The two walked hand in hand toward the castle entrance. Along the way, people who recognized Lance came over to greet him. Naturally, they were most curious about Deanna holding Lance's arm.
"Three years without seeing you, Mr. Mercer, and now you have a lovely companion. Why haven't we heard any good news from you?" The speaker was a young man not much older than Lance, dressed in a sharp suit, looking very spirited and shrewd.
Lance replied calmly, "It only means you're not well-informed, Carol. I announced it six months ago."
"Is that so? Then I must indeed be out of the loop." Carol nodded at Deanna.
Deanna didn't know this person's identity and sensed some hostility towards Lance from their conversation. She responded with a polite but distant smile. Even this slight smile stunned Carol. Although he had seen many beauties in his position, there was something indescribable about Deanna's smile that captivated him.
Lance noticed Carol's gaze on Deanna and his already cold expression darkened further. He stepped forward to block Deanna and said coldly, "It's getting late. Aren't you going in?"
"Hey, buddy, don't be angry. I'm just appreciating beauty. I have no designs on your fiancee. Don't look at me like that; it's scary." Despite his words, Carol's face remained playful.
He winked at Deanna, "Beautiful Miss Mercer, welcome to visit my home with Mr. Mercer."
"No need," Lance replied with a dark face and quickly led Deanna away.
Seeing Lance's jealous expression, Deanna couldn't help but smile. Unfortunately for her, Lance caught her smile.
Lance narrowed his eyes dangerously and pulled her closer by her slender waist. His voice was low and husky, "Seeing me jealous makes you happy?"
"A little bit. Now I understand why you wanted to laugh when I got jealous before." Deanna didn't deny it and even brought up her previous jealousy to imply they were even now.
Lance understood the deeper meaning behind her words and looked at Deanna, unsure whether to laugh or be angry. In the end, he said indulgently, "No mischief allowed. Once we're inside, no more smiling."
"But didn't you just tell me to smile?" Deanna knew Lance was still jealous and tried hard not to laugh as she looked at him innocently.
Lance knew Deanna was teasing him on purpose. He tightened his grip on her waist and said firmly, "No smiling allowed. Otherwise, you'll see how I deal with you when we get back!"