Chapter 16: His Identity... Not Ordinary!

Colin felt a bit blindsided and grumbled, "I just said something off the cuff, and you're jumping to conclusions? You don't even care about your old uncle." Eliana realized she went a bit overboard and quickly softened her tone, saying, "I'm just worried you'll say the same thing in front of him, bruising his ego. He strikes me as someone who's all about strength and reputation. If you push his buttons, he might come at me later!" Colin saw her point and let it slide. After wrapping up work, Eliana was gearing up to head out when Lyn buzzed her up, asking her to swing by the bridal shop. Lyn was into all sorts of side hustles, and running a bridal shop was just one of her gigs. She dug seeing lovebirds in wedding gear—it gave her a sense of fulfillment. Only when Eliana got there did she catch on that Lyn had duped her into trying on dresses. The moment they locked eyes, Lyn hauled her into the fitting room and shoved her into a gown, threatening to assist with the wardrobe change if she resisted. Lyn was always like this—full of fire and spontaneity. She often splurged on clothes and skincare goodies for Eliana. The dress was strapless, with a sleek black base decked out in gold sequins. It had a daring slit, showcasing Eliana's killer legs as she strutted about. Lyn gazed at her masterpiece and cheered, "I knew this dress was made for you the second I laid eyes on it." Eliana sighed, "I haven't even worn the dress you gave me last month. Besides, who wears something like this to a class reunion?" It felt like walking the red carpet. "We need to make a statement! Otherwise, those bitches will laugh at us!" Lyn said confidently. Eliana crossed her arms and asked, puzzled, "Why care about them? They only envy you." "I want to dazzle them and leave them seething with jealousy when they go home." Lyn changed into a one-shoulder cocktail dress, luxurious yet understated, showcasing her elegant style. The reunion was held at the Star Hotel, a well-known luxury hotel in the city. When they entered the private room, it was packed with people—about ten, almost all from their class. "Our queens are here, please take a seat," someone welcomed them. As they entered, male classmates immediately offered their seats. Eliana found a seat next to a girl. "I heard Eliana got married. Congratulations!" Jaylee Clem, sitting opposite her, spoke up. In school, they had always clashed, and Eliana found her annoying as ever. Eliana knew news of her marriage would spread eventually, but being brought up publicly made her uncomfortable. "Thank you," she replied curtly, not wanting to continue the conversation. But Jaylee seemed persistent. "Why didn't you invite us to your wedding? Do you look down on us?" Her words drew curious looks from the table, as this was a question on everyone's mind but no one dared to ask—except for bold Jaylee. Eliana wanted to respond, but Lyn chimed in. "Lena's husband has been busy lately. The last event was just an engagement party, so we only invited relatives. When they have the grand wedding in Palm Beach, they won't forget to invite everyone." Their relationship was as strong as steel, so Lyn's words were Eliana's. "When will you introduce him to us? We're curious about the man who managed to marry our queen," Jaylee said. Though she didn't believe it, she couldn't press the matter further and added sarcastically, "I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, I'll receive your invitation soon." Eliana knew it was impossible, but the words were out. All she could do was respond calmly, "Sure." As the evening wore on, people kept coming to congratulate Eliana on her engagement, their enthusiasm overwhelming. Unable to handle it, she excused herself to the restroom for some air. Passing by the adjacent private room, she saw a waiter serving food. When the door opened, she could see the dining table inside. A middle-aged man was pouring wine for a young man beside him. The young man seemed aloof, with an air of arrogance, refusing to accept the wine. That face looked familiar—wasn't it Chase, the one who had walked out of her house naked last night? The man pouring wine was also familiar. He was Abraham Rosenberg, a well-known real estate tycoon in the city. Would a real estate mogul be serving drinks to a boxer? It was absurd! Unless his identity... not ordinary! Eliana had planned to slip away and investigate discreetly, but as she moved to leave, it felt like the person inside had already sensed her presence. Their eyes locked, leaving Eliana torn between staying and going. Eventually, she opted to step inside and confront the situation head-on. “Chase, what are you doing here?” Chase was as calm as ever, as if seeing him there was perfectly reasonable. "I'm here for business." What kind of business could a boxer and a real estate mogul have together? Selling houses at a discount? Ridiculous! "What kind of business would make Mr. Rosenberg personally pour you wine?" she repeated, feeling foolish for letting herself be duped. Chase sneered, "You think I'm unworthy?" It's not that he's unworthy, it's just this whole thing didn’t make sense. Besides, he always remained calm, leaving Eliana no room to find any flaws. Abraham turned back naturally, Chase had already told him how to handle it before Eliana came in. "I'd like to invite Mr. Wilkinson to be my personal bodyguard. He's well-known in the industry, not someone just anyone can hire." Eliana had heard of this kind of thing before. Wealthy people value their lives and often have personal bodyguards when they go out. She had heard that these bodyguards were quite expensive, some were agile, some were smart, and they were not easy to hire. Many big bosses fought to hire them. Who exactly was Chase? How did he know so many wealthy big shots? "Miss, who exactly is Mr. Wilkinson to you? I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you," Abraham, although wealthy, spoke politely. "I'm his wife. I don't know what business you're discussing, but Chase, although not very eloquent, is very capable. Thank you, Mr. Rosenberg, for recognizing him. I won't disturb your business discussion." Even though she had paid for Chase for three months, if he had a legitimate job, she wouldn't stop him. She portrayed herself as a gentle and considerate wife, smiling tenderly. There was no sign of the wild arrogance from last night. Chase, looking at her smiling face, felt like he was seeing a ghost!