Chapter 412 Discussing My Husband's Rumored Girlfriend
Grace followed Thalia's gaze, then looked back. "You don't even like him, so why do you care who's sitting next to him."
Thalia was speechless.
"If you really don't like someone, you shouldn't care who's in his bed." Grace pressed her step by step. Thalia felt strangely cornered, suddenly in an awkward position.
Grace leaned in closer, her voice low enough for only the two of them to hear. "It's just a two-year marriage anyway. Just enjoy whatever fun these two years with him bring you. Why bother caring about anything else."
Not care?
Impossible. She wasn't dead.
Though Thalia felt conflicted, once the event began, she had to take her seat. Her eyes kept drifting to the two people in the front row.
Thalia wore a white Chinese-style shirt with her hair pinned up low.
She leaned back in her chair, watching this proper charity awards ceremony.
"That's the charity president's daughter up front." The sudden voice interrupted Thalia's thoughts. She turned to look at the person beside her.
The man seemed to have figured out what she was curious about. His explanation came at just the right time, saving Thalia from her burning curiosity. If she'd kept guessing, she might have combusted.
Though he was telling her what she wanted to know, Thalia's pride wouldn't let her just accept it that easily.
"Oh..."
Seeing her lukewarm response, he didn’t press the issue and simply continued. "I heard the charity president and Mr. Brown are close friends, and his daughter has known Mr. Brown for a long time."
"Everyone thinks the president's daughter and Mr. Brown might have something going on."
The more gossip the person beside her shared, the more Thalia enjoyed it, though she pretended to ask casually, "Really? What about the Lewis family's daughter then? Are they fighting over him? Winner takes all?"
"The Lewis family?"
"Yeah! Doesn't Mr. Lewis have his eye on Mr. Brown too? Everyone says it's possible."
The other person fell silent.
Thalia clicked her tongue and turned to look at them, leaning in to whisper, "Your information isn't very complete, is it?"
"Want to share what you know?"
"Not appropriate for this occasion," Thalia shook her head, looking like today wasn't the day to discuss such things.
The other person paused, then thought for a moment. "How about we exchange contact info? You can tell me later when you're in the mood."
Thalia shook her head. "I'll probably never be in the mood."
What woman would happily discuss her husband's rumored girlfriends in public?
Before Thalia could turn her shoulder back from the man, the big screen started scrolling through the names and titles of guests attending the awards ceremony.
William's name was first, naturally eye-catching.
Then came the business leaders, followed by people like Thalia who'd squeezed their way in.
By chance, William looked up just in time to see Thalia's name.
Looking closer, he saw the words "Youth Representative."
Instinctively, William glanced back. Thalia, as if waiting for him, even waved at him.
A slight smile, like a greeting.
Still smiling, she let her gaze fall on the woman beside him.
William felt a chill run down his spine.
"Mr. Brown, what's wrong?" The woman beside him seemed to sense something off. She turned to look, trying to follow William's gaze, but all she saw was a sea of black suits and white shirts, unable to find who he was looking at.
"Nothing."
Thalia caught the woman's lips moving and could tell what she was asking.
She pulled out her phone and sent a message: [William, what's wrong?]
When William felt his phone buzz, he took it out and glanced at it. Thalia's text sat boldly on the screen.
With so many people around, he just looked at it but didn't dare to answer.
Thalia touched her earlobe. Today's charity awards ceremony was all about understated elegance.
She wore no jewelry except a watch.
Thalia’s eyes kept flicking to William’s back, each glance as sharp as a knife. William could feel the chill, his back prickling every time she glanced his way.
As soon as the awards ceremony ended, everyone headed upstairs to the main hall for dinner. Though it was called a ceremony, the dining was really just the hotel's regular buffet.
People who could get into this kind of event obviously weren't there for the food.
After leaving the venue, Thalia went to find Grace.
Standing beside Grace, she met several of the Smith family's former business partners. While chatting, they didn’t forget to add a few perfunctory words of praise for Thalia.
Just the usual praise—young, brilliant, better than the last generation.
Thalia had heard it since childhood. Her brain was numb to it.
When the crowd dispersed, William stood in front of Thalia. Grace glanced at William, and without caring whether Thalia was willing, walked away with her wine glass.
"Mr. Brown."
"Mrs. Smith."
The two were polite, with none of the warmth of family.
Thalia just stood there watching.
William's gaze swept over Thalia. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Thalia's eyes drift to the person beside him, and she asked with feigned curiosity, "Mr. Brown, who's this?"
"Let me introduce you—the daughter of Emerald City's charity president." William kept it brief, only remembering her father's position, not even her name.
"First Ms. Lewis, now this lady—no wonder everyone says Mr. Brown is so popular!"
"Oh, Ms. Smith, you're too kind."
The man's meaningful look carried a hint of warning as it swept over Thalia.
Thalia acted like she didn't notice. "I just heard someone say you two have a special relationship?"
William was speechless.
"Ms. Smith, Mr. Brown, and I are just friends."
Selene Peterson knew William's status in Emerald City—young and accomplished, handsome, a rising star. Plenty of girls had secret crushes on him, but a man like this was destined never to be anyone's accessory.
To maintain a lasting connection with him, she could only rely on normal relationships.
Today, she finally had this chance to get close to him. She couldn't let it slip away.
Grace picked up on Thalia's mood. "Didn't you say you needed to go to the restroom?"
Thalia nodded. Not wanting to embarrass Grace, she handed her wine glass to a server and got up to head to the restroom.
The woman who'd claimed to feel nothing hesitated for a few seconds at the restroom door. In just those few seconds, someone pulled her into the men's restroom nearby.