I hopped out of the car first and stood by the door, offering my hand to Catherine.
She reached out, placing her hand gently in mine, and used it to step out of the car.
Once she was steady, I held onto her hand, and we strolled down the carpet towards the banquet hall.
There were some onlookers and reporters hanging around the entrance.
When they spotted us, they couldn't help but cheer and scream, clearly excited to see us together.
Maybe they were impressed by our looks or thought we made a great couple.
Catherine and I shared a smile and continued our slow walk towards the banquet hall.
As soon as we stepped inside, a guy in a shiny black suit, holding a glass of champagne, approached us.
"Ms. Price, long time no see," he said, his voice smooth and sexy.
But his looks didn't match his voice at all. He was slim and had a kind of cowardly face, which was pretty off-putting.
Catherine gave a polite smile. "It has been a while, Mr. Johnson."
Her voice was airy and a bit distant, clearly trying to keep some space between them.
The guy noticed and glanced at me, sizing me up with a hint of hostility and competition in his eyes. "And who might this be?"
He looked back at Catherine, trying to figure out our relationship from her expression.
Catherine linked her arm with mine, leaned her head slightly against my arm, and smiled playfully, "My boyfriend, David Jones."
"I haven't seen him before. Is he from a big family?" The guy seemed a bit provoked by Catherine's affectionate behavior towards me.
Catherine hesitated for a moment, her lips parting as she quickly gathered her thoughts.
Sensing his question was loaded, I jumped in.
"Ever heard of Starchaser Enterprises? That's my family's company," I said casually, with a hint of disdain.
Starchaser Enterprises was actually where I worked.
After that night with Selene, I did some digging into the company.
Our company was pretty powerful, ranking in the top one hundred globally, on par with Catherine's family business.
A company that strong had to be well-known.
Plus, Selene's son was into politics, so he wouldn't be at a business event like this.
Selene and her husband wouldn't show up either, as these banquets were usually for the younger crowd.
Thus, I could boast about myself unabashedly using this lie.
Hearing my words, the guy froze, his hostile gaze turning friendly, almost ingratiating.
He extended his left hand to me, "So you're Mr. Jones! Let's get acquainted. I'm James Johnson, the sole heir of the Johnson Group. Our company is considering a collaboration with yours. Care to discuss some business?"
"Sorry, I'm here to enjoy the night with my wife, not to talk business," I said, politely turning him down before leading Catherine away.
Once we found a quieter spot, Catherine leaned in and whispered, "I didn't know you were such a good liar."
"You're giving me too much credit. I just made our company sound more important, figuring the bigwigs wouldn't bother with this kind of event," I replied.
"Yeah, this banquet is mostly organized by the kids of wealthy merchants. It's more about socializing and maybe finding a romantic connection while pretending it's all business. But for young folks trying to take over their family businesses, it's a perfect chance to expand their network."
It was clear that Catherine, being so career-focused, was here for business.
I picked up a piece of tiramisu for her. "Have some, you must be starving."
Catherine took a fork, cut a small piece, and offered it to me first, whispering softly, "You go first."
I obediently opened my mouth.
She fed me the cake, the sweet cream bursting in my mouth with a hint of white peach, just like her scent.
It almost felt like I was tasting her.
I couldn't resist kissing her cheek. "It tastes great. Thanks, Mrs. Jones."
Catherine's cheeks turned red instantly, her eyes shy, her voice softer.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Who's Mrs. Jones?"
"You are. You didn't deny it when I called you my wife earlier."
"That was for show. I didn't admit it privately," she retorted, trying to sound firm.
"It's okay. Tonight, I'll make you admit it willingly," I whispered in her ear.
Seeing her blush, I couldn't help but smirk, feeling very pleased.
No matter how long we'd been together, I always loved seeing her blush because of me. It was adorable.
"So sweet, huh? What are you two talking about? You've made Catherine blush," a melodious female voice chimed in.
I turned to see Calista, who I met last night, wearing a white evening gown, accompanied by a man in a matching white suit.
It was the same guy who picked her up last night.
My gut told me they were together.
As Calista approached Catherine, I noticed a faint hickey on her neck, barely covered with foundation.
Calista and Catherine started chatting animatedly.
Victor stood beside me, took a sip of champagne, and said, "Thanks, bro."
Hearing that, I knew what he meant.
He thanked me for encouraging him last night, which led to him successfully confessing his love.