Inside the mansion, all the guests began mingling with each other. Many of these individuals were also sons and daughters of the wealthy, who had come to the event with the intention of building connections with the Hummer Family.
The downfall of the Wayne Family had paved the way for the rise of Hummer Tech Corporation in the weapons industry. Within just a few months, the company's stock prices had surged by 200%, making the CEO of Hummer Tech two times wealthier.
Vincent and Sophia were now seated at the same table as Alice and her other model friends. As they began chatting, the girls couldn't help but steal glances at him. Thoughts about him started to occupy their minds. While Sophia was undeniably adorable they couldn't help but feel that she paled in comparison to them. After all, a man like Vincent must have had numerous partners, and his self-assured demeanor hinted at his experience with a lot of women.
"So, Vincent, where are you from?" a woman with an enchanting Italian accent asked. Her voice had a captivating sweetness to it. With her hair adorned in a mesmerizing blend of golden and silver tones, and her flawless complexion radiating a natural glow, she undeniably stood out in the crowd. Her choice of attire, a figure-hugging white dress, further accentuated her allure and made her an absolute head-turner for the evening.
"New York," he replied in a firm tone.
"That's quite intriguing," the woman playfully teased, her voice carrying a hint of mischief. "With a face as handsome as yours, it's a wonder that this is the first time we've meet."
Vincent took a moment to glance at Sophia, wanting to gauge her reaction before responding. He met her eyes, searching for any sign of discomfort or unease. After a brief but meaningful exchange of glances, he turned his attention back to the woman and offered a warm smile.
"Nah, I prefer to keep things private" he answered.
"With your presence, I highly doubt you can go unnoticed," the woman seductively made her tone more sexy.
But Vincent decided to feign ignorance in response to the woman's teasing comment.
And so, the evening continued to unfold. The other models noticed that Vincent wasn't giving them much attention despite their effort. He seemed fully engrossed in Sophia, which sparked feelings of jealousy within them. Not only was he incredibly handsome, rich and charming but he also showed great consideration towards his partner.
They began to ponder how inferior their own boyfriends seemed in comparison to him. Although their partners were also wealthy and attractive, in comparison to Vincent, they seemed like mere cats in the presence of a lion.
Instead of giving them attention, their boyfriends selfishly engaged in conversations with others, acting as if they were some kind of big shots. However, the models were well aware that their boyfriends were merely sons of wealthy individuals who relied on their parents' wealth.
Little did they know, that the person they were admiring happened to be the world's greatest moocher. Money? Vincent had never experienced the need to earn it ever since he acquired his powers. Evangeline had always been there to support his every need.
"Look, Nile is here," the Italian woman spoke as they caught sight of the celebrant descending the grand stairway. The hall erupted in applause and greetings as everyone acknowledged his presence.
"Thank you for coming to my birthday,"
"Thanks for the gift uncle "
"Thank you for coming"
Nile pressed forward, extending his hand to greet the surrounding guests as he made his way towards Alice's table.
But instead of experiencing joy or satisfaction, Nile felt a tinge of frustration upon witnessing the presence of a remarkably attractive man at the table. The fact that the man seemed to pay him no mind and didn't even make eye contact as he approached only intensified his dissatisfaction.
'Who the the hell is this guy ?' he cursed inwardly .
"Is this your friend?" Nile asked, his gaze firmly fixed on Vincent. Alice noticed the shift in Nile's expression and immediately grasped the underlying tension in the air.
"His name is Vincent, Sophia's boyfriend," she hastily clarified, recognizing the need to prevent any misunderstandings. She was well aware of Nile's snobbish tendencies and was determined to avoid any scene or confrontation.
"I see , " Nile maintained his composed demeanor.
"Thank you for joining us on my birthday, Vincent. I'm Nile Hummer," he introduced himself with a hint of arrogance. "I assume you're already familiar with who I am."
Everyone at the table could sense that Nile's tone was slightly off, but they were already familiar with his personality, so it didn't come as a surprise.
Vincent stood up and extended his hand, firmly shaking Nile's. This gesture played into Nile's ego, reinforcing his sense of authority.
'So what if you're incredibly handsome?' he silently asserted in his thoughts. 'You still need to show respect to my family.'
"I'm sorry, but I have no idea who you are," Vincent responded with an almost sarcastic tone. "I'm simply here to accompany my girlfriend, so please, don't mind me." his words hung in the air, causing a momentary silence as everyone did not expected him to say something so taunting .
"Did he just insult Nile?" A collective headache seemed to grip everyone who had heard the exchange. Even Alice was left speechless, bewildered by the sudden transformation of Vincent from charming and composed to someone who had openly insulted her boyfriend . The atmosphere was thick with confusion as they all wondered what had caused such a drastic shift in Vincent's behavior.
Sophia, on the other hand, remained silent. Though an urge to intervene surged within her, she recognized that it wasn't her place to speak in that moment. Deeply trusting her boyfriend, she believed there must be a reason behind his actions. She chose to have faith in him, even if the situation also seemed perplexing to her.
'You fucker !' Nile almost burst out in anger. It was fortunate ,that his initial frustration simmered down as he realized the presence of numerous spectators.
"My bad, It seems I wrongly assumed that you know me and my family," Nile attempted to salvage the situation, adopting a more composed tone. "Perhaps you're new to the city and not aware of who I am."
Upon hearing Nile's response, a wave of realization washed over the onlookers. They understood that Vincent's earlier words were not meant as an insult. It dawned on them that Vincent, might indeed be a foreigner or someone unfamiliar with the local scene. After all, it seemed highly unlikely that anyone would purposefully offend the son of the CEO of Hummer Tech without reason.
"That's right," Vincent chuckled, acknowledging that Nile's assumption was correct. He saw no need to further make things difficult for him. Teasing him to that extent had been sufficient, and he didn't want to escalate the situation any further.
Alice and Sophia breathed sighs of relief as their respective boyfriends settled down and the tension subsided. They were glad that the situation had defused and that harmony was restored among the group.
The evening carried on, and the chatter resumed among the guests. However, it was evident that Vincent and Nile were not engaging in direct conversation. Nile still harbored some lingering resentment from the earlier incident, while Vincent found amusement in the situation.
As the evening progressed and the atmosphere grew more festive, a woman adorned in a captivating red dress took center stage, instantly capturing the attention of everyone present. It was none other than the renowned Beyone herself.
"Beyone will be gracing us with a song," a hush fell over the crowd as one of the most renowned singers of the era prepared to perform.
"If I were a b..." With a microphone in hand, she unleashed her voice, a beautiful instrument that painted the air with her powerful music. Her melodic tones soared effortlessly, caressing the hearts of all who listened. Each note danced and weaved, creating a web of emotions that enveloped the hall. Time seemed to stand still as her voice carried the audience into a world where music transcended race, gender and status, leaving them all impressed.
As her final note hung in the air, a surge of applause erupted throughout the hall. The guests rose from their seats, their hands coming together in an enthusiastic display of appreciation for the awe-inspiring performance they had just witnessed.
"That was an absolutely phenomenal performance, Sister Beyone!" Nile greeted her warmly, embracing her in a hug. His actions were intentional, signaling to everyone present that he had a personal connection with the renowned artist.
"Happy birthday, Nile," She replied with a warm smile, but her attention quickly shifted as she noticed something she did not expected to see this evening. Her gaze locked onto a particular golden dress that caught her eyes.
"Wait... Is that the Sequin Dress Estrella?" she exclaimed, her excitement evident as she hurriedly made her way towards Sophia.
"I've been wondering who brought this stunning dress, and it was you!" she playfully teased her, appreciating her choice. However, Beyone's attention soon shifted to the man standing beside Sophia, and her eyes widened with admiration.
"My goodness, you're incredibly handsome!" she exclaimed, unable to contain her genuine admiration for Vincent's striking appearance.
As her attention seemed to shift away from Nile , a wave of dissatisfaction washed over him. He couldn't help but feel disregarded, wondering why the spotlight had seemingly shifted away from him, the supposed star of the evening.
'That motherfucker again!!!' he cursed under his breath.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel