Chapter 78 Manuel's Triumphant Return
There was actually a small mirror on the car roof, but Gabriel stubbornly refused to use it, instead impatiently commanding Arabella to help him.
Arabella's face showed reluctance, but seeing him just waiting there, she reluctantly raised her hand to wipe his lips.
It was her first time touching Gabriel's mouth, and she was surprised by how unexpectedly soft it was.
She felt somewhat puzzled.
She'd always thought Gabriel was hard all over, like stone, but his lips were surprisingly soft.
Actually, every time he kissed her, the sensation was quite soft, but she'd never had the presence of mind to think about it.
After wiping several times, she finally cleaned off all the lipstick marks, though the friction had left his lips flushed and looking rather strange.
She withdrew her hand and retreated into her seat.
Gabriel's emotions were in turmoil, wanting to do something more, but time and circumstance wouldn't allow it. He could only forcibly suppress his urges.
Seeing Arabella return to her original position, he glanced over with displeasure. "Why are you sitting so far away? Am I going to hurt you or something?"
Arabella fell silent.
"Come closer!"
Not wanting to defy him and risk another of his twisted punishments, she could only roll her eyes before reluctantly moving closer to him.
Gabriel raised his arm and pulled her directly into his embrace.
When they arrived at the venue, Gabriel got out first.
Evelyn was also there, already waiting.
"Mr. Sterling, Ralph, and I will be on standby outside. Contact us if you need anything," Evelyn said professionally, approaching Gabriel.
Gabriel nodded, then gestured toward the car with his chin. "Go help Arabella touch up her makeup."
"Touch up her makeup?" Evelyn looked puzzled but headed toward the car anyway.
Arabella knew how to do makeup, but only simple everyday looks. She definitely wasn't skilled with the full glam look she was wearing today.
When the car door opened, she thought Gabriel was coming back to rush her and was about to put away her compact, when Evelyn's voice came through, "Mrs. Sterling, Mr. Sterling asked me to help touch up your makeup."
"Evelyn!" Arabella's face lit up when she saw her.
Perfect timing – she really wasn't good at this and had made quite a mess.
Evelyn had her turn around and skillfully began touching up her makeup while teasingly asking with curiosity, "What were you and Mr. Sterling doing in the car? Your lipstick looks like it's been smudged into blush."
Arabella blushed crimson, her eyes too shy to meet Evelyn's. "Nothing... nothing happened—"
"Mr. Sterling seems a bit different with you lately."
"Really? I haven't noticed. He's still just as sharp-tongued and disrespectful."
Evelyn smiled. "I'm sure you understand in your heart, but Mr. Sterling was truly awful before. It's only natural that you can't fully trust him yet; making him prove himself a bit longer is perfectly reasonable."
Arabella remained silent.
After the makeup touch-up, she got out of the car wearing her coat. Gabriel stood in front of the red carpet, making small talk with what appeared to be a distinguished senior figure.
When their eyes met, the man beckoned her over, and she quickly put on a smile and approached.
This time, she naturally and proactively took his arm, partly because she was afraid of tripping in her high heels.
To outsiders, they looked like a perfectly matched couple – handsome man, beautiful woman.
The red carpet led all the way into the main hall.
As Arabella climbed the steps, her nervousness made her unconsciously grip Gabriel's arm tighter.
Gabriel noticed and quietly reassured her, "Don't be nervous. I'll introduce you to the people you need to meet, and you just need to follow my lead with the greetings. If others discuss topics you don't understand, just smile politely. Don't worry; you still carry the title of Mrs. Sterling, and most people here will treat you with courtesy."
Arabella mentally grumbled that if she had a choice, she wouldn't want to carry that title at all. She just wanted to be herself, to hear people call her Ms. Wentworth instead of Mrs. Sterling.
But she didn't voice these thoughts, knowing Gabriel would just get angry again.
Just before entering the main hall, Evelyn approached with a reminder, "Ma'am, let me take your coat. I'll bring it back when you're ready to leave."
Before she could react, Evelyn had already helped remove her coat.
This time, it wasn't Arabella who felt uncomfortable – it was Gabriel who inexplicably darkened.
He didn't care how other women dressed, or even if they dressed at all.
He only cared about his own woman.
The thought that beneath that form-fitting dress, she was wearing nothing but two adhesive petals made him deeply irritated. He wanted to follow Wendy's suggestion—wrap her up in a comforter.
Once inside the hall, it was warm and comfortable.
In the magnificent ballroom, elegant figures mingled beneath crystal chandeliers, champagne glasses clinked, men looked distinguished, and women appeared refined and graceful.
Waves of amazement rippled through Arabella's mind as she witnessed the opulent scene of high society for the first time.
Looking at the electronic display above the stage, she finally understood the theme of tonight's cocktail party.
It was actually the launch gala for the International Business Summit.
No wonder the scale was so grand and formal.
After reading through the event program, she curiously asked the man beside her, "Will you be signing deals with these international companies tonight?"
Gabriel replied casually, "Tonight is just the welcome reception. There are still two more days of meetings. We'll see first, then decide if there are any suitable projects."
"Oh, I see." Arabella nodded in understanding.
Gabriel glanced down at her. "Weren't you completely unwilling to come earlier? Why are you interested now?"
"I wasn't... just asking casually," she answered evasively, not sharing her real thoughts.
Actually, now that she'd started working, she hoped to gain more insight and learn new things.
She'd originally thought this would be just another high society party full of eating, drinking, and showing off—the kind she disliked and naturally resisted.
But now that she knew it was such a formal, official business networking event with renowned entrepreneurs, she naturally wanted to take the opportunity to broaden her horizons.
The gala began with the host, a government official, giving brief opening remarks before transitioning to the main event, "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome our international business representative, Mr. Manuel Wright, to the stage – please welcome Mr. Manuel Wright!"
When Arabella first heard that name, her nerves instinctively jolted—it sounded familiar.
When her eyes captured the elegant man walking onto the stage, and she saw that refined, scholarly face clearly, her expression froze, and her mouth opened slightly in shock.
It... it was actually Manuel!
After so many years, she'd actually forgotten what Manuel looked like.
But in his annual New Year emails, there were always photos of him traveling around the world.
The handsome man standing on stage was unmistakably the same face as the sunny, cheerful young man in those photos!
Though the different settings, different outfits, and different styling created somewhat different impressions of his image and temperament.
Arabella was stunned, not even registering what the man on stage was saying.
It took her a while for her brain to start working again, remembering that she'd recently received an email from Manuel saying he would be returning home soon.
So this was the purpose of his homecoming.
He was returning to invest and develop a business.
Gabriel listened to the man on stage, who was about his age, speaking eloquently. Honestly, he felt somewhat unimpressed.
With a faint smile, he withdrew his gaze and was about to speak to the woman beside him. When he looked down, he saw her staring at the stage in a dazed manner, looking completely mesmerized and admiring, causing his brow to furrow immediately.
"What are you looking at?" He gently nudged Arabella and asked in a low voice.