Chapter 63 Crushing Comparison
As soon as they heard the voice, everyone turned to look.
Standing in the doorway of the banquet hall was a tall figure.
The man was dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, with a matching shirt and a wine-red tie. His demeanor was a mix of nobility and roguish charm, and his handsome face held an unrestrained smile.
His eyes were full of deep emotion, yet his presence exuded an unstoppable sharpness.
"Isn't that Daniel, the CEO of the Wilson Group?"
"Why is he here? Mr. Wilson rarely attends these kinds of parties."
"Aren't the Wilson Group and the Johnson Group known to be fierce competitors?"
"Didn't you hear him say 'well scolded'? It looks like he's here to cause trouble."
The guests were abuzz with speculation, clearly surprised by Daniel's arrival.
Olivia was also somewhat taken aback.
She hadn't told Daniel she would be here tonight, so she hadn't expected him to show up in person.
Evelyn, who knew Daniel, quickly greeted him, "What took you so long?"
Daniel stood there and calmly replied, "Got held up with some business, so I'm a bit late. But I didn't expect to see such a dramatic scene! I'm amazed that so many people here couldn't stand up for a 'widow and her daughter'!"
His cold gaze swept over the guests.
It was just a simple look, but the guests felt an invisible pressure bearing down on them.
No one dared to meet his eyes.
They were all stunned.
It seemed like Daniel had come to support Olivia.
The guests could sense that tonight's drama was far from over.
The Johnson family members looked uneasy.
They hadn't expected Daniel to show up.
Daniel's status was equal to Michael's, and he was known for his ruthless nature.
Michael, already angered by Olivia, looked even more displeased when he saw Daniel.
Especially when he heard the words 'widow and her daughter,' his anger flared.
He wasn't dead yet!
Who was Daniel cursing?
Michael, exuding coldness, narrowed his eyes and asked, "If I remember correctly, I didn't invite you, Mr. Wilson tonight. Are you sure you're in the right place?"
Daniel, unfazed by Michael's hostility, replied, "I'm in the right place. I came specifically to celebrate Bianca's birthday!"
His confident tone easily overpowered Michael.
Michael's expression darkened, and he was about to say something.
But Olivia quickly stepped in, "I invited him. What's the problem?"
Michael's brows furrowed, and his eyes flashed with coldness.
Chase couldn't hold back and snapped, "Olivia, have you no shame? How dare you bring another man here and argue with your husband?"
Olivia responded coolly, "Mr. Wilson is my business partner. He came to celebrate my daughter's birthday. How is that an argument? And what do you call the Johnson family's behavior earlier?"
Chase, not thinking before he spoke, retorted, "Who knows what kind of shady relationship you have behind closed doors?"
Olivia's eyes narrowed, "Chase, it's one thing to speak without thinking on other days, but today, in front of everyone, you'd better watch your words. Slander is something I can sue you for!
And besides, I work with Daniel because of you! You expelled me from the Johnson Group, leaving me without a salary. I have to support myself!
I've been married into the Johnson family for four years, and you haven't given me a penny. Am I not allowed to find another way?"
The guests were shocked.
"What? Is that true? She's the wife of a wealthy family, and they don't even give her basic living expenses or pocket money?"
"The richest family in Emerald City is this stingy?"
"I thought marrying into the Johnson family would be great, but is this how they treat their daughters-in-law?"
"That's too much. I already felt it was wrong when they had the Brown family kid cut the cake, but as an outsider, I didn't say anything. I didn't expect them to be this mean in private."
"This Mrs. Johnson has it rough..."
Not all the guests were oblivious to right and wrong.
Some had already refrained from congratulating the Johnson family on their godson.
Now, seeing how stingy the Johnson family was, they couldn't help but criticize.
The Johnson family members felt embarrassed, their faces turning sour.
"Olivia, stop talking nonsense. The Johnson family provided you with food, clothing, and shelter. What more do you want?"
"We paid you a salary when you worked at the Johnson Group!"
"We made you live a life of luxury. What else do you want?"
"My mom treated you well when she was alive..."
Evelyn interrupted with sarcasm, "Yes, Mrs. Emily Johnson treated her well. Otherwise, she'd be worse off than a servant. At least servants get paid. She served the whole family without a cent. Isn't that ridiculous?"
The Johnson family members' faces grew darker, and they wanted to argue.
Michael coldly ordered, "Enough, everyone shut up!"
If this continued, the Johnson family would lose all dignity tonight.
Suppressing his anger, Michael glared coldly at Olivia, then turned his icy gaze to Daniel, warning, "Mr. Wilson, I don't care what your relationship is now, but Olivia is still my wife. You'd better show some restraint."
Daniel laughed as if he heard a joke, "Mr. Johnson, talking about restraint? When you, a married man, have affairs on the side, where's your sense of restraint?"
Olivia frowned, "I won't be your wife for much longer. Stop saying that. After tonight, sign the papers. I don't want any more ties with the Johnson family."
Michael's face was grim, and he glared at her.
Olivia refused to look at him.
The night's events had been enough.
She was tired. "We're leaving!"
It was late, and she still had to celebrate Bianca's birthday. There was no point in wasting more time here.
But Daniel spoke up, "Don't rush. Bianca's birthday hasn't really started yet. We put a lot of effort into this. Let's finish it."
Olivia was puzzled.
Did he want to stay for Michael's birthday party?
She didn't want to.
However, Daniel smiled and called out, "Eric!"
Eric quickly appeared, holding a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Daniel took it and handed it to Bianca, speaking gently, "Bianca, I heard you like to draw. This is a birthday gift I got just for you. Open it and see if you like it."
Bianca, who had been feeling very down, brightened at the mention of a special gift for her.
She looked at Olivia, as if asking for permission.
Olivia, feeling a deep ache for Bianca, immediately allowed, "Go ahead, open it."
Bianca nodded and quickly reached out to open the box.
The gift was revealed to be an abstract oil painting.
A sharp-eyed guest recognized it instantly.
"Isn't this the painting from the Eldoria auction a few days ago? It's by a famous artist and is worth nearly a million dollars!"
"What? Mr. Wilson is so generous?"
"Giving such an expensive gift to a kid, does she even understand it?"
While the guests were astonished, Bianca was thrilled, clutching the painting.
She clearly loved it.
The painting's style matched her own.
Her delicate face lit up, her small mouth curving into a smile, and her eyes sparkled.
"Thank you, I... really like it..." Bianca's soft voice was full of gratitude.
Daniel smiled, "I'm glad. Would you like something else you might love even more?"
Bianca tilted her head, looking at him curiously.
Daniel made a gesture to Eric.
Eric clapped his hands.
At the sound, the banquet hall doors opened to a lively commotion.
Everyone turned to see a line of performers in animated costumes, entering in sync to cheerful music.
They split into two lines, dancing joyfully, while a pink fox took center stage.
The atmosphere became lively and festive.
"Isn't this the famous team that never takes outside gigs?"
"With Mr. Wilson's connections, he could easily get them."
"Must be expensive. I heard a performance by this team costs hundreds of thousands of dollars."
The guests whispered among themselves, while Bianca was overjoyed.
The team revolved around the pink fox character, with their costumes and props themed accordingly.
This was Bianca's favorite character!
She was mesmerized, her eyes wide with surprise.
The performers approached, and the pink fox enthusiastically waved at her.
Unable to resist, Bianca reached out from Olivia's arms to touch it.
The pink fox came over and hugged her.
The adorable scene melted many hearts.
The actor playing the pink fox seemed to like Bianca too, lifting her up and spinning her around.
Bianca was ecstatic, laughing out loud.
Her laughter was clear, sweet, and heartwarming.
The performance lasted about ten minutes.
It was full of love and excitement.
Bianca's happiness was evident, showing no signs of any issues or psychological problems.
At the end, the pink fox performed a magic trick, producing a music box.
It was shaped like the pink fox, holding a birthday cake and wearing a cute dress.
With a press, it played beautiful music!
Bianca loved it, holding it tightly.
Michael was deeply pained by the scene.
His face was dark, his eyes filled with gloom.
He could see that Daniel was doing this to make him look bad.
Daniel's intention was clear: to embarrass him.
However, Oliviawas deeply moved.
It was obvious that Daniel had put a lot of effort into this.
The contrast was stark.
She suppressed her emotions and asked, "How did you know about Bianca's birthday?"
Daniel replied nonchalantly, "I've always known. I remembered from the day she was born."
Olivia was at a loss for words.
Finally, she said, "Thank you."
Daniel was unfazed, "This is just the beginning. There's another surprise. Someone else is coming..."
Olivia was puzzled, "Who?"
Before Daniel could answer, there was more commotion at the door.
He smiled, "Look, they're here!"