Chapter 139 What Kind of Stuff

In the banquet hall, the crystal chandeliers sparkled brilliantly, and the guests mingled with their glasses clinking. Dorian escorted Amelia through the crowd of elites, exuding an aura of authority with every gesture.

Amelia maintained a polite smile on her face, responding to various greetings and compliments, but after a while, a hint of fatigue was evident in her eyes.

Noticing her discomfort, Dorian leaned slightly and whispered in her ear, "If you're tired, go over there and get something to eat and rest for a bit."

Amelia nodded gently, knowing that the business event would last for a long time, so she didn't push herself.

She walked to the buffet area, picked up some snacks and fruits, and found a quiet corner to sit down.

At that moment, a gentle voice sounded behind her, "Amelia, you're here too?"

Amelia turned around and saw Alaric in a well-tailored suit, smiling at her.

"Alaric," Amelia smiled slightly, "Are you here on behalf of your parents?"

"Yes," Alaric sat down beside her, "The company has been quite busy lately, and they couldn't get away."

"How have you been recently?" Alaric asked with concern.

"Pretty good," Amelia responded simply, taking a bite of a small cake.

Two women noticed this and exchanged a glance, a sneer appearing on their faces.

"Isn't that Amelia? It's different when you hook up with rich people; even Mr. Obelon comes over to talk to her," one woman said sarcastically.

The other woman chimed in, "Exactly, who knows what tricks she used to seduce Mr. Talbot, and now she's after Mr. Obelon."

"Who knows what kind of person she is, pretending to be so innocent, but actually just a..." The last sentence was deliberately lowered, but the word "whore" still reached Amelia's ears clearly.

Alaric's face darkened instantly, about to speak, but Amelia stopped him.

Amelia put down the cake, picked up a glass of red wine, and unhesitatingly splashed it on the woman's face.

The crimson liquid flowed down the woman's cheeks, smearing her meticulously applied makeup into a mess.

"It's not your place to judge what kind of person I am," Amelia's voice was cold and devoid of emotion, "Don't speak so harshly, or next time it won't be just wine."

The two women were stunned by Amelia's aura, taking a few seconds to react.

"You..." One woman pointed at Amelia, trembling with anger.

Amelia looked at them coldly, her gaze sharp as a knife, "What? Want another glass?"

The other woman, infuriated by Amelia's attitude, raised her hand to slap Amelia. "You bitch! How dare you splash me!"

Just as the slap was about to land on Amelia's face, a large hand firmly grasped the woman's wrist.

Dorian exuded a chilling aura, his gaze as sharp as ice, directed at the two women. "Who gave you the courage to touch her?"

Intimidated by his oppressive presence, the two women fell silent, their faces turning pale.

Dorian applied a bit of pressure, causing the woman to cry out in pain. "It hurts! Mr. Talbot, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Don't let me see you or your family in Harbor City again, understand?" Dorian's voice was icy, devoid of any emotion.

Terrified, the two women nodded repeatedly, "Understood! Understood! We'll leave right away!" They scrambled out of the banquet hall, fearing that a moment's delay would result in being thrown out by Dorian.

Only then did Dorian look at Amelia, his tone softening slightly, "Are you okay?"

Amelia shook her head, "I'm fine."

"Sorry, Amelia," Alaric said apologetically, "It's my fault, I got you involved."

Dorian snorted coldly, a hint of mockery in his eyes, "Mr. Obelon, you have quite the composure, watching your friend get bullied without saying a word?"

Alaric's face stiffened. He knew Dorian was right; he had indeed hesitated. He was used to resolving issues gently, forgetting that sometimes gentleness only emboldens the other party.

"Dorian is right," Alaric took a deep breath, "I didn't protect you, Amelia. I'm sorry."

Amelia shook her head, "It's not your fault, Alaric."

Alaric felt even more guilty, realizing he couldn't be like Dorian, daring to take action and unable to protect Amelia.

Forcing a smile, he said to Amelia, "I have some matters to attend to, so I'll leave first." With that, he turned and left the banquet hall.

Amelia stood there, her gaze falling on Dorian, and said softly, "Mr. Talbot, wasn't your reaction a bit too extreme?"

Dorian frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of coldness, "What? Do you think I was meddling and shouldn't have taught them a lesson? Feeling sorry for your Alaric?"

Amelia was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to misunderstand her intentions. A trace of helplessness flashed in her clear eyes, "I didn't mean that..."

She was about to explain when a middle-aged man with a beer belly and slicked-back hair interrupted. "Mr. Talbot, a pleasure to meet you! I've heard so much about you, and it's an honor to finally meet you!" The man beamed, extending a thick hand.

Dorian discreetly withdrew his gaze from Amelia and turned to the newcomer, shaking his hand politely but distantly, "Gabe, a pleasure."

Gabe immediately launched into a conversation about a collaboration project. Amelia knew it was inappropriate to continue the previous topic, so she quietly took a glass of champagne from a waiter's tray and left the noisy banquet hall.

Walking through a long corridor, she pushed open a carved wooden door, and a fresh floral scent greeted her. Outside the banquet hall, in the garden, the moonlight was like water, and the flowers were in full bloom, forming a stark contrast to the noise inside.

Suddenly, a slightly surprised voice broke the silence, "Amelia? What are you doing here?"

Amelia followed the voice and saw a young man in a white suit not far away. It was Everett.

"Stevens?" Amelia was slightly surprised, putting down her glass, "What are you doing here?"

Everett walked up to her in a few steps, circling her and looking her up and down, "I was going to ask you the same thing! What are you doing at a business event like this?"

"I came with my boss," Amelia explained calmly.

Everett had a look of sudden realization, "Oh right, you're working at the Talbot Group now. I almost forgot. I was invited by Hill Corporation to perform."

"Hill Corporation?" Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, Hill Corporation knows my reputation and invited me to perform a few pieces," Everett said proudly, "You know, my fame has grown both domestically and internationally, all thanks to a chance encounter abroad."

He enthusiastically recounted his experiences abroad, from the rigorous training at the music academy to the cultural shocks in foreign lands, detailing everything as if he wanted to pour out all the missed years.

Amelia listened quietly, occasionally responding, but her expression remained indifferent, not showing much enthusiasm.

Those foreign experiences and musical dreams seemed like a thin veil to her, visible but intangible.

After talking for a long time, Everett finally noticed Amelia's lack of interest, and his tone gradually became dejected.

"Amelia, aren't you curious if I found a girlfriend abroad?" Everett asked with a hint of grievance, his tone probing.

Amelia was slightly taken aback, a complex emotion flashing in her clear eyes. She realized that the Everett before her was no longer the little boy who used to follow her around; he had grown up.

"Stevens, you're an adult now. If you find a girlfriend, remember to bring her back to meet me."

Hearing Amelia's words, Everett's heart sank, and the anticipation in his eyes dimmed.