It was finally 8:00 P.M., Wen Xinya had yet to arrive, and the reporters were all guessing if Wen Xinya was not going to appear, feeling that the rumors in the circle regarding Wen Xinya's aggressive and overbearing character, intolerance of her stepmother and stepsister, and enmity with her father could really be true.
At this point, a commotion could be heard from outside, and then, two men dressed as chefs, complete with white toques, pushed a one-meter high cake into the event hall.
Such a beautiful tiered cake instantly attracted everyone's attention.
Ning Shuqian walked over hurriedly and said, "I didn't order such a cake, did you guys make a mistake?"
One of the men replied, "Greetings, Madam Ning. Miss Wen has instructed us to send this over-she'd especially gotten a 4-star pâtissier from France to make this tiered cake for you, wishing you a happy birthday and happiness everyday."
Before her arrival, the present came first-it seemed like Wen Xinya was probably going to attend her stepmother's birthday cocktail party and that the rumors in the circle regarding Wen Xinya's intolerance of her stepmother and stepsister and enmity with her father were probably untrue.
The reporters furiously snapped their cameras away at the cake.
"What a thoughtful surprise from this girl." Ning Shuqian's expression was instead slightly trembling-what sort of game was Wen Xinya, that b*tch, playing? She didn't really think simply gifting a tiered cake would improve her reputation, did she?
How naive!
It was finally 8:00 P.M., the cocktail party officially began. However, less than a third of the invited guests were at the event-the sparse group was all wealthy ladies who were closer to Ning Shuqian, practically unknown people from third-rate families.
Ning Shuqian felt something amiss. Haowen was, after all, the CEO of the Wen Corporation, and most people would have to show due respect to his invitation out of deference-how could so many people not turn up?
Wen Haowen could not stand the attack on his pride and turned pale-if not for the fact that he was at the hotel, he would have lost his cool on the spot long ago. He quickly called for his secretary and said, "You, go investigate what's going on."
Swiftly, Wen Haowen's secretary returned. "CEO, bad news. Chief Sun of the National Security Department is holding a birthday party for his wife at the Shangri-La, exactly at 8:00 P.M. tonight, and the famous people from all fields in the capital city have all received the invitation-the guests that we've originally invited have all went over there."
"How could this happen? Doesn't the wife of the chief of the National Security Department never hold birthday parties?" Upon hearing the news, Ning Shuqian flushed red for a moment before turning pale, the twelve-inch stilettos under her feet almost not supporting her crumbling body.
Wen Haowen's handsome and gentlemanly face instantly morphed into a terrifying look. "Why haven't I heard anything about it previously?"
The chief of the National Security Department was a figure who had influence over the political, economic, social, and literal fields-who wouldn't show due respect? Who wouldn't want to curry favor? Even if one was warded on the hospital bed, he would climb his way to the party.
There was a saying that people do not fight with the government-compared to the chief of the National Security Department, he paled in comparison. Thus, it was no wonder those people were not attending his party.
His secretary added, "It's not just you, even in the high society many people also didn't receive the news. It's only recently that the news became known-we had been busy with the arrangements for the cocktail party, and thus, didn't pay attention."
Wen Haowen was so angry that his liver hurt and could not utter a single word. "What do you do for a living-only figuring out such an important piece of news now. Are you purposely trying to make me lose face?"
The secretary hung his head, allowing Wen Haowen to curse angrily to his heart's content-being with Wen Haowen for many years, he was naturally clear about Wen Haowen's temperament, and he knew that at such a time, any form of explanation would be useless.
At this point, the reporters at the scene had also received the news and instantly shot their cameras away at Ning Shuqian and Wen Haowen as if they were on steroids.
Ning Shuqian's mind went blur, and she staggered briefly, almost landing her head on the floor, and tugged at Wen Haowen's sleeve. "Haowen, what to do, what should we do now?"
She scanned the room blankly, at the cocktail party specially organized for her. She thought that today would be the start of her glory days, but it ended up being a hell-like abyss. The birthday cocktail party that she had painstakingly organized, decorated conscientiously, and looked forward to with high expectations had become an enormous joke.
Wen Haowen tugged at his tie with great agitation, greatly oppressed by his suppressed anger. "What to do? Who knows? How am I supposed to know what to do?"
Ning Shuqian felt incessant flashlights landing on her face-her glamor before the reporters just now was now her misery. Suddenly... she couldn't help but blame herself for wearing such bright-colored clothes, matched with such eye-catching accessories.
She could almost imagine the headlines on the news and magazines tomorrow-besides the chief of the National Security Department's birthday celebration for his wife, it would be the emptiness of her birthday cocktail party.
Extreme glory, in contrast to her extreme misery.
Never before in her life had she felt greater humiliation.
Wen Haowen looked at the scattered guests who were all subpar, small families, and felt utterly embarrassed. "What's the matter with you-we, the Wen Family, are after all a reputable family of pedigree in the capital city. Look at the kind of people you've invited-so inferior, simply utterly embarrassing me."
Ning Shuqian replied blankly, "They... are the wealthy ladies that I usually hang out with, that's why I..."
Upon hearing that, Wen Haowen felt even more furious. "You only know these wealthy ladies from subpar, small families? If that's the case, why don't you do me a favor, behave yourself and just stay at home-stop going out and make a fool out of yourself."
"Hao... Haowen! I..." Ning Shuqian's mind was in a blur. Wen Haowen's angry criticism cut through her heart like a knife, causing her heart-wrenching pain.
Wen Haowen felt that the longer he stayed on, the more he would embarrass himself. Thus, he flung his arm and made his way out with big strides. Turning back after a few steps, he said, "Why are you still standing there-quickly change out of your clothes, we're going to Chief Sun's party right now."
Ning Shuqian stood rooted to the ground blankly. She did not expect that her carefully planned scheme against Wen Xinya, the pit she had dug for Wen Xinya, eventually buried herself-and buried herself so thoroughly!
Oh yes! Wen Xinya!
It's Wen Xinya, it's got to be Wen Xinya!
Otherwise, how could things be so coincidental?
No... no, no matter how excellent Wen Xinya's planning was, how could she have activated the chief of the National Security Department?
She felt that the matter was a conspiracy, engulfing her whole, but she totally could not make sense out of it.
Wen Haowen saw her blank look and impatiently turned up his volume. "Have you not heard what I said?"
As if woken up from her dreams, Ning Shuqian replied blankly, "Go... Go to Chief Sun's party..."
She subconsciously repeated Wen Haowen's words. After which, she jerked awake, because Chief Sun's birthday celebration for his wife had caused the emptiness at her party, thoroughly embarrassing her, and yet she was going to go over to eat humble pie.
Ning Shuqian's unwilling, angry, loathful, and humiliated emotions gushed at her like a wave and drowned her. She clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to calm down.