Chapter 58
Chapter58
Zaynnodded. “Yes.”
In recentyears,theCronefamilyhadbeensoaringtonewheightswithStanley’ssupport.Edith,everthesocialclimber,haddevelopedanappreciationforantiquesandfineart.Shehadsearchedlongandhardfor”TheFlower–AdornedLady”,andnow,thankstoStanley,itwasfinallyinherhands.
“Wow!”
Everyonecrowdedaround,theirvoicesfilledwithawe.”Mr.Hawktrulyknowshowtomake agrandgesture.Thispaintingisatrue masterpiece,ararefind.”
Edith laughed joyously clearly delighted Mr Hawk you re too thoughtful
Jessica,herfaceglowingwithadmiration,gazedatStanley.Inhereyes,hewaseverythingawomancouldwant–awealthymanwho waswillingto gotheextramiletoimpress.Stanleywasthekindofmanwhomadeheartsraceandstirredfeelingsofenvy.
Shesmiled,herlipscurling slightly.”Stanley,thankyousomuch.”
Afewbusinessexecutivesapproached,eagertojointheconversation.”Mr.Hawk,Ms.Jessica,thetwoofyoutruly makeaperfectcouple.Doesthismeanwe’llsoonberaisingatoasttoyourwedding?”
“Iimagineitwon’tbelongbeforewestopcalling herMs.JessicaandstartcallingherMrs.
Hawk.”
HarryandLilian,whohadbeenstandingnearby,made theirwayover.Despitehiscurrentposition,Harrystillwasn’tquiteonthesamelevelastheseexecutives.ThecollaborationproposaltheCronefamily hadsentrecentlyhadbeenrejected,afterall.
Still,Harrygreetedthemwithagrin.”Mr.Walton,Mr.Fuller,youtwoshould drinkafewmoreroundstonight.”
NormanWaltonsmiled.”Mr.Crone,bringthat proposalby tomorrow,andwe’lldefinitelydomorebusinesstogether.”
Harry s face lit up with excitement Really Thankyou so much Mr Walton
Hughie Fuller chuckled Mr Crone you retook in d Not all of us are lucky enough to have a daughter like Ms Jessica
Edith clasped Jessica shand tightly Jessica is the lucky star of our Crone family
Harry and Lilian were practically floating on air With Stanley attending the birthday party the
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Crone family s status had risen even higher They could barely imagine how glorious it would be when Stanley became their son in law
Surroundedbyadmiration,Jessicafeltlikeshehadreachedthepinnacleofherlife.Stanley,the kindofmanwhocouldsatisfyeverywoman’svanity,waseverythingshehadeverdreamedof.
She gazed at him her eyes sparkling with admiration
Stanley,hisgazesoft,lookeddownatherfor amoment,hisexpressiongentle.
Wendy holding her glass observed them from the edge of the room Stanley and Jessica stood at the center bathed in the glow of the lights as they basked in the attention of everyone around them This was the supreme honor that Stanley had bestowed upon Jessica
When Stanley pampered a woman it was clear he did so completely
Wendy s thoughts drifted back to years ago to that time in the cave when Stanley had held her close and said I ll take you out of here I want you around
To this day she couldn t understand why the man who had once wanted her had then turned his back on her
Hershoulderssagged,herheart heavy.Withaquietsigh,sheturnedandwalkedaway.
Just then Stanley looked up His gaze followed her as she made her way out of the room her figure disappearing into the crowd
AfewoftheexecutivesfollowedhisgazeandsawWendy’sretreatingform. “Mr.Hawk,doyouknowthatgirl?”
Jessica s heart skipped a beat Not her again Wendy
Stanley s voice calm and distant broke through the tension I don t know her
He said he didn t know her
Jessica s heart lifted her anxiety evaporating Of course Stanley didn tc are about someone like Wendy she was just a country girl who couldn t even hold his attention
SheglancedatLilian,whogaveherasubtlenod.TheperformanceLilianhadbeenpreparingfor thenight wasjustgettingstarted.
Wendycarried theglasstothekitchen,butbeforeshecouldleave,amaidcalledtoher.
Hurry up Take this bowl of chicken soup to the room Mrs Lilian wants it later
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The maid sent Wendy off to deliver the chicken soup to Lilian
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