The New Year’s Eve that everyone was anticipating for finally arrived.


    The day of the Richards Family New Year Banquet that Jenna and Sabrina had nned had officially arrived.


    Early in the morning, the servants and staff of the Ink Garden started to get down to business after the meeting.


    After exining the important points in the meeting and taking disciplinary measures, Jenna and Sabrina sat in the office wrapping gifts and checking the lists of gifts.


    ording to the regtions, everyone who visited Richards Manor was to receive a door gift at the entrance. This was to disy their wealth and generosity. Around 20 million dors were spent on this banquet, and all sorts of media reporters rushed there the minute they heard about it.


    Since eight o’clock in the morning, the entrance of Richards Manor had been filled with usherettes. Big banners were hung up on the gates, and colorful gs waved in the wind.


    All kinds of expensive cars began to drive in. Very soon, the Richards Family parking lot was full, and they had opened up some other spaces for guests to park their cars.


    Only a few important politicians and friends of the Richards family were invited to the banquet. It wasn’t very crowded, but it was very fancy and luxurious, to meet Vivian’s expectations of it being festive and lively.


    Jenna and Sabrina stood at the entrance of the Ink Garden, waiting for the Richards family members to arrive. That was the ce where the Richards family members were going to wee guests.


    From a distance, Jenna watched ude Richards walk over with his second wife and Norton Richards.


    They walked in from the trail next to the entrance of the Ink Garden.


    ude was not as tall and burly as Trevor, but he had a well-proportioned body and well-defined features. His bright eyes always showed intelligence as he looked at people, while also looking humorous and funny, as if they could speak, just like Old Master Richards’ eyes.


    Jenna nced at the satellite clock in the Ink Garden. It was 9 o’clock sharp, they were right on time.


    “Mr. Richards, Madam, pleasee with me.” Jenna greeted them with a smile and showed them the way.


    “Alright.” ude looked at Jenna with a meaningful smile and nodded kindly.


    Jenna led them to Sabrina, and Sabrina distributed a corsage to everyone of them as they stood in front of her. Then, she demonstrated to them the way of sticking the corsage on their left chest.


    Usually, only the male children and grandchildren of the family would wee guests at the entrance, while the females wouldn’t. This was a tradition of the Richards family, as well a regtion in the entire A city.


    After helping ude Richards and his family, Jenna stood on the right side to wait for Trevor Richards and his family. Technically speaking, Trevor Richards was still bedridden in the hospital, so it was just Marissa and Hansen.


    A long time passed, but Hansen and Marrisa had yet to arrive. After 9. 30 in the morning, guests were going to starting into the Ink Garden lounge and meeting room. It would’ve been very insincere if the Richards family members weren’t there to wee them.


    Jenna stood at the right side alone and started to worry as she saw that 20 minutes had passed, but Marissa and Hansen were yet to be seen.


    Even if they couldn’te, it would be inappropriate for an outsider like her to wee the guests.


    She had already sent them the invitations and schedules a long time ago.


    She stood there awkwardly, staring outside. ording to the n, once Marissa was here, they were supposed to go to the backstage to prepare for the wee ceremony. The guests were supposed to enter the meeting room at 11 o’clock after their break. Sabrina and Jenna were supposed to be the emcees during the ceremony, and they would invite ude and Hansen up the stage for wee speeches. Then, the media reporters would get the chance to ask them questions, and then they would be dismissed for a normal lunch. The main event was the grand dinner. It was going to be held in the tent on the Central Ind, and it would mark the start of the three-day banquet.


    The New Year’s Eve performances and fireworks would be the climax of the banquet, as well as the lucky draw session that would go on for all three days. Besides the important politicians and VIPs, Jenna also invited a few orphans and old people from orphanages and old folks homes. She had prepared a charity donation event, as she hoped that the 20 million dors spent by the Richards family would be able to help others instead of going to waste.


    At 9. 29 in the morning, Jenna spotted Rayan walking in courteously and confidently, like an elegant gentleman. She was slightly taken aback, as the time he arrived wasn’t the time that guests were supposed to arrive, but not the time that the hosts were supposed to arrive as well. He must’ve chosen the timing very carefully, and seized the opportunity toe in at that time.


    Jenna understood his intentions. He was trying to be her protector. During these three days, he was supposed to pretend to be her lover.


    It was rare seeing Rayan appear in public like this, as he was usually difficult to be found.


    The media reporters had spotted Rayan walking over a long time ago, and rushed over to take pictures of him. Rayan quickly shielded himself.


    “Jen, you did well. It looks very cheerful and grand.” Rayanplimented as he approached her. He had to leave the ce early yesterday as he had matters to attend to, so he had to hurry over this morning. His invitation stated that he was supposed to arrive at 10 o’clock, but he was worried about Jenna, so he chose this time toe.


    “Thank you for thepliment, Rayan,” she said with a smile. “Rayan, I’m so sorry that you have to be exposed to the cameras.”


    Jenna said guiltily as she saw the shes from the cameras that were taking photos of them.


    “I’ve already said that I don’t mind, and you’re still saying these polite remarks to me? Are you trying to make me mad?” Rayan scolded, but with a very gentle tone.


    Jenna smiled and didn’t say anything.


    “Jen, you should be dressed up well for an asion like this. Take a break from your work, I’ll get you a stylist. It shouldn’t take long, only an hour or so. It won’t affect the rest of your duties,” he said as he peered at Jenna, who was wearing the same white coat as she had worn the day before. She still looked beautiful and elegant, but it seemed a little average. The guests were all famous people, and her outfit didn’t disy wealth and sophistication. She might not have had good treatment from the Richards family, but she was pretending to be his partner now. So, she couldn’t be seen dressed like this.


    “No thanks, Rayan.” Jenna didn’t care about her outfit, and quickly rejected his offer as Rayan tried to pull her away.


    “Ehem.” The sound of heavy coughing came from behind. Jenna looked up and spotted Hansen standing there emotionlessly. His expression was solemn, and his gaze was cold. After he coughed, he said seriously, “The banquet is about to start, and you’re still here fooling around with him? If you didn’t want to host this banquet, you could’ve said so earlier. Since you’re here now, you should look out for your image, don’t embarrass Richards Manor.”


    His re was as sharp as a knife, cold and distant. Even though he was talking to Jenna, he didn’t look at her once but instead cast his icy re at Rayan.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Jenna knew that it wasn’t a good idea to be too close to Rayan on an asion like this. She didn’t refute Hansen’s usation, and instead just bit her lip.


    Rayan, on the other hand, raised his eyebrows like a gentleman, and looked at him as well, with a calm look.


    The two men looked at each other for a while, and then withdrew their gaze and ignored each other.


    “Hansen, please stand here,” Jenna said.


    Jenna was afraid that a situation like this would happen. She tried to avoid it, but she didn’t expect Rayan to arrive so early.


    “Also, stick this corsage onto your left chest,” Jenna said as she handed him the corsage once he stood in the position she had told him to.


    Hansen stood proudly, and refused to take the corsage from her.


    Jenna was a little embarrassed. She looked down at his white gloves and realized that it would be difficult for him to do it himself. She wanted to ask Sabrina for help, but she was busy ying around with Norton, so she didn’t want to bother her.


    She had no choice but to hand Rayan the corsages in her hand. She took a corsage and peeled off the sticker to expose the sticky side, then pasted it onto Hansen’s chest.


    Their suits were all crafted by hand and were very expensive. Jenna didn’t dare to prepare corsages with needles, as she was afraid that they would damage the suits. She chose to use adhesives, which could be washed away when their suits were sent to the dry cleaning stores.


    She carefully aimed at his left chest, and pasted it on carefully. She was worried that it didn’t stick well and pressed lightly onto it again but felt a cold reing at her from above. Startled, she looked up and saw Hansen looking at the ring on her ring finger.


    It would’ve been fine if he didn’t see it, but the moment he saw it, Jenna’s face turned red and she quickly withdrew her hand, hiding her fingers into her palm.


    She could feel the coldness in her palm, and it made her heart throb.


    The ring on her ring finger had a huge diamond, and it hurt her palm as it pressed onto her flesh.


    That ring was a custom order from Hansen when they were in Hawaii, and were still in love. It was the only pair in the world, and Hansen told her never to take it off. Therefore, she always had it on her finger, and she was used to wearing it. She never thought of taking it off until Hansen looked at her finger, but it was toote.


    As she panicked, she identally nced at Hansen’s ring finger. He was wearing the other ring from the pair. That nce made her heartbeat even faster and her face even redder. She quickly turned around and took a few steps back.


    At that moment, she saw a bright shade of gold in front of her, and the sounds of high heels clicking against the floor permeated her ears.


    That sound made Jenna feel uneasy. She lifted her head up and saw Marissa, in her extravagant outfit, walking over with Earl McAdams and his family.


    Georgia Bird was in a rose-red dress and her hair was donned into a bun. She had a mink fur coat on her back and an expensive handbag in her hand, as she held onto Earl’s arm. Earl McAdams was dressed up in a suit, and his face had a noble but arrogant smile. It made Jenna feel ufortable.


    The most eye-catching one was Aria, who was walking in the middle.


    She wore a ck, halter v-neck gown with a ruffled corset. Her cleavage was vaguely exposed, and there was a piece of pink fabric across her corset. With a dark green mink fur coat draped on her back, she looked mature and alluring, and a little seductive as well.


    Her facial features were highlighted with makeup, and her hair was in a trendy Korean hairstyle. The sides of her hair were braided, exposing her earlobes and neck. Tworge diamond earrings hung onto her ears and swayed slightly as she walked, gleaming with light. It was too beautiful.


    It was undeniable that Aria’s outfit was very stylish yet elegant as well, and it suited her identity as the young madam of the Richards family.


    The moment she appeared at the entrance of the Ink Garden, she caught everyone’s attention with her gorgeous look.


    Minnie, who was also dressed beautifully, stood next to her, holding an exquisite little umbre over her head.


    Aria was surrounded by Marissa and the other nobles. They were as bright as stars, magnificent and luxurious.


    The media reporters immediately flocked around her.


    Jenna lowered her head, took a step back and looked at her long, maternity white dress. The contrast was as vast as heaven and earth. She smiled dryly. She was aware that Aria was born into a rich family, and her father Earl was about to be the mayor soon. Just like Marissa had said, she could only me herself for not having a good family background. It was her fate.


    Thinking of her mother in the hospital, she started to calm down. She hid her right hand in the pocket of her coat and used her thumb to push the diamond ring down from her ring finger. Her face started to turn pink as she pushed with all her might.