Treating Mr. Billionaire

~ 15 ~

Maria found herself clapping, impressed by the presentation. The product sounded good, and the hostess's charm was truly captivating. A fan of lip balms, Maria was thrilled by the idea of having a new one to try. She would definitely look for it the next time she went shopping.

Her eyes went back to her date and found Jayden sitting quietly, looking unimpressed, unbothered, and uninterested. He stared at the stage, his arms crossed, and was not applauding or cheering like everyone else. She stole a peek at his face to see if there was anything wrong but saw nothing except displeasure. She wondered why he was so unresponsive and yet again, it was not that surprising considering his personality.

Maria sighed lightly, sipping her fruit juice; a beverage choice she had purposely made to avoid Jayden having any form of liquor. Accompanying him to the party was not a bad idea, after all, she could monitor her patient's behavior and keep an eye on his health at the same time.

The hostess continued speaking again and Maria shifted her attention. The lady lectured the guests more about the benefits of using the lip balm and how it would be sold at a special price only for them. "...We are delighted to offer you a gift bag containing a tube of the product plus an additional three free samples to keep you moisturized all through summer." She expressed, and her words were already being carried out by the workers walking around the rows of tables with a tray holding different gifts.

The crowd cheered as they received the gift bags. Maria looked at hers and smiled at the generousness of the hosts. She pulled off the lid of the small box, revealing a small tube of the new lip balm. Maria took it out, examining the packaging of the product before lifting her gaze to Jayden, who didn't bother picking up his from the table. He did not even try to hide his dislike towards the entire proceedings.

The lady with the microphone waited for her cue to speak again, proudly watching the crowds receive the items with great excitement. "I'm sure you are wondering where you can get this amazing product," she said, standing straight with a hand behind her back and Maira had her eyes glued back to the stage. "Well, it will be available at most stores and supermarkets starting tomorrow." The woman's crinkling eyes scanned the audience as she gave her information with delight. "And if you do not wish to go anywhere, have no worries, because it will be available exclusively at our online store..." Her voice trailed off when her gaze found the strange face seated by the VVIP table reserved for the Stanleys.

Maria's features stiffened with self-consciousness as she realized the hostess' attention was focused on her. The lady clenched her teeth and Maria could also notice the way her dark brows pulled slightly above her intense stare. Her jade green gaze moved, rising above Maria. It came in contact with Jayden before expressing a deeper frown as if she was conveying a secret message to him. Maria followed her eyes and found Jayden watching the stage, his eyes fixated on the speaker. His lips were pursed with an unreadable expression but he seemed to understand the woman's words.

Maria turned away, confused by both their behavior. She heard the hostess clear her throat and apologized for losing focus. "Do not mind me, everyone. I became tongue-tied when I realized who else is gracing us with his presence. I know you all already know who I am talking about." She stopped briefly, scanning the crowd, and her gaze returned to Jayden with a soft beam. "To our distinguished guest, Jayden Stanley, thank you for your graceful appearance." She bowed her head slightly, and Jayden inclined his chin, acknowledging the hostess' words.

"Thank you," he replied with a faint voice. His reply was barely audible, almost like a whisper, and Maria knew there was no way anyone in the audience could hear what he said. He waved at the clapping guests though, his gesture so small that Maria might have missed it, and she wondered if that was his best attempt at being polite.

The hostess' attention shifted to her before driving away from their table, and Maria felt herself stiffen with discomfort. "A big thank you to all of you for making this possible and supporting us by coming here to celebrate with us tonight. I hope everyone has unlimited fun and makes this night memorable." She paused to receive a glass of wine from a waiter and raised her drink high. She smiled brightly before continuing. "I remain the hostess of tonight's event, Ashley. Let us now drink to a successful launch of the newest addition to our collection. A toast to good health, wealth, prosperity, and success! Cheers!" Ashley celebrated in her brightest tone and lowered her arm to drink.

Everyone followed suit, the clinking of glasses filling the air as they prepared to dine and drink. The party began with renewed enthusiasm, music blaring and flashing lights flooding the garden and the guests.

*** 

Hello, fam! I hope everyone has been enjoying 'TMB' so far. I know this is surprising but this book is back to Wattpad. Why? I obviously felt empty without my Wattpad readers. Therefore, I will be canceling my 'pay-to-read' offers and also will try my best to make this book available for free on Wattpad and other platforms. 

Thank you!