Adrian Sutton wasn’t just worried that his family would let sothing slip and expose his identity.
He was also afraid that guests who knew Claire’s grandparents would co over to greet them.
Thankfully, Claire’s aunt had given everyone a heads-up beforehand. Any guests hoping to make connections were wary of disturbing the elderly couple’s peace and potentially offending the Rowan Family, so they kept their distance.
Still, Adrian Sutton remained on edge. He wouldn’t be able to truly relax until the banquet was over.
Silas Rowan noticed his distraction and, in contrast, was thoroughly enjoying himself, appearing to be in high spirits.
He ate the al with great relish.
’This cousin-in-law of mine is a real fox,’ he thought. ’I’ve never been able to get the upper hand with him. In fact, he gets the better of every single ti.’
Seeing Adrian on pins and needles now, Silas was naturally delighted.
Claire rcer also noticed Adrian Sutton’s slight preoccupation and asked him, "What’s wrong? Is sothing on your mind?"
"Nothing." Adrian Sutton smiled at her.
He casually asked, "Is the food to your liking?"
Claire rcer nodded. "It’s great. The food is wonderful."
’Though she said that,’ she thought, ’this table laden with gourt dishes like abalone and shark fin seems to lack the hoy feel of a small diner.’
’It just feels a bit too high-end and refined.’
But this was a seven-star hotel, after all.
The ingredients were priceless and the cooking was excellent—a completely different style from rustic ho cooking, of course.
Then, Claire rcer leaned close to Adrian Sutton’s ear and whispered, "But honestly, I still think your cooking is better. It’s more my style."
’Compared to these exotic delicacies I could never afford, I still prefer simple, down-to-earth food.’
The mont she said that, Adrian Sutton was overjoyed, unable to hide the happiness on his face.
’He just knew Claire would fall in love with his cooking; after all, he’d spent ten years perfecting it.’
’If he could win over her palate, then winning her heart shouldn’t be far behind.’
Silas Rowan couldn’t stand seeing Adrian Sutton so happy, so he quickly piped up to make his presence known.
"Brother-in-law, I see you’ve barely touched your food. Is this your first ti eating at a seven-star hotel? Finding it a bit hard to get used to?"
’The question was purely intended to set a trap for Adrian Sutton.’
’The key was his emphasis on the words "first ti eating at a seven-star hotel"...’
How could Adrian Sutton not realize he was being set up? He let out a soft chuckle and gave a noncommittal reply.
"No. It’s fine."
’What a thousand-year-old fox. So cunning,’ Silas thought.
He scoffed inwardly and forced a smile. "That’s good, then. Eat up, don’t stand on ceremony. You’re my brother-in-law, which makes you one of the Rowan family. We’re all family here, so don’t be so reserved."
Adrian Sutton: "..."
’If I don’t fall into his trap, he just finds another way to get one over on . Hah!’
’So childish!’
’No wonder he always loses to .’
·
After lunch, the guests found the Rowan family to say their goodbyes and left in twos and threes.
This ant that Claire rcer’s family recognition banquet had co to a successful conclusion.
Since Adrian’s grandparents were still feeling a bit under the weather from the travel, they planned to head back to the Rowan residence to rest after lunch.
Claire rcer and Adrian Sutton escorted them to the elevator bank to wait.
Shortly after, a group of older n and won from Gavin Sinclair’s wedding next door also began trickling into the elevator bank.
They had also just finished their banquet and were preparing to leave.
While waiting for the elevator, the group of older folks excitedly reminisced about the day’s al.
"As expected of a seven-star hotel! A whole table of exotic delicacies, it was delicious!"
"We really lucked out today! I heard a table at that banquet costs over sixty thousand! I’ve never eaten such gourt food before. I hope I get more free als like this in the future!"
"Oh, shoot. There were leftovers of that one dish, and I completely forgot to get a doggy bag to let my granddaughter have a taste."
"..."
They were speaking so loudly that the elevator bank instantly beca noisier than a marketplace.
The noise made Claire rcer’s ears ring, and her head was starting to spin.
Seeing Mrs. Sutton’s brow furrow and her face turn pale, she quickly asked with concern, "Grandma, are you alright?"
Mrs. Sutton replied, "I’m fine, it’s just that the noise is making a little dizzy."
’Grandma is elderly and already feeling unwell from the travel,’ Claire thought. ’All this noise must be making her feel even worse.’
Claire rcer imdiately looked up at the group of won and asked politely, "Could you please lower your voices a little? This is a public place; loud noise isn’t permitted."
Hearing this, one of the won scoffed dismissively, her eyes sharp and unkind. "Who do you think you are, telling us we can’t talk? What, does your family own this hotel?"
"Yeah! You’re a guest here, and so are we. What right do you have to tell us not to talk?"
"Young lady, you’re not that old. Why are you being so harsh to us elders?"
Claire rcer explained patiently.
"I’m not telling you not to talk. I’m just hoping you could be a little quieter. We’re all out in public; we should have so mutual understanding and respect."
"This is just how loud I talk, what about it? I can’t be any quieter."
"That’s right! Don’t think you can walk all over us just because you have so stinking money. Telling us not to talk... you’re clearly looking down on us."
’Claire rcer was finally seeing just how unreasonable this group of won could be.’
She gave a cold laugh and retorted, "This hotel doesn’t belong to my family, but it doesn’t belong to yours either. This is a public space, not a fish market."
"What gives you the right to be so loud and arrogant? Bothering others is classless and rude. Don’t you know that?"
The woman glared at her. "Why are you so sensitive? If a few words are enough to bother you, then you should just stay ho and never go out."
Claire rcer was about to say more, but the elevator arrived.
She was helping Mrs. Sutton into the elevator when one of the won from behind forcibly pushed her aside.
"Don’t block the way."
Then, several of the older n and won surged forward as if they were scrambling for discount vegetables at a market.
They shoved their way into the elevator, racing against the clock, and rudely pushed Claire rcer and Mrs. Sutton right back out.
Mrs. Sutton stumbled and was nearly knocked over. Claire rcer caught her in ti, but the older woman still tweaked her back.
Claire rcer’s expression turned ugly, her brow furrowing deeply.
’They were clearly here waiting for the elevator first, yet this group of won who ca later had just cut in front of them.’
’And when she had asked them to be a little quieter, they had just cursed her out.’
The more Claire rcer thought about it, the more furious she beca, her anger flaring.
"Grandma, are you alright now?"
Mrs. Sutton had always been a magnanimous and kind person, never one to throw her weight around using the Rowan Family’s status.
But today’s incident was sothing she really couldn’t, and shouldn’t, tolerate.
’My own granddaughter-in-law is being so protective of ,’ she thought. ’If I just let this go, how could I face her after all the care and concern she’s shown ?’
’Even if I’m not seriously hurt, I need to make it look like I am.’
’When it cos to age, I’m several years older than those won.’
’Pulling the age card? Who doesn’t know how to do that?’
Besides, she really had tweaked her back just now, and it was a bit hard to stand up straight.
So she said, "These old bones of mine were nearly knocked apart by them. I tweaked my back, and I can’t straighten up."
The mont she said that, the fire in Claire rcer’s heart burned even hotter.
’She herself didn’t mind; she didn’t want to bicker with a group of elderly won.’
’But Grandma was elderly too, and already feeling unwell. What right did they have to bully her like that?’
She imdiately called over a hotel employee, her expression stern.
"My grandmother was pushed and shoved by them, and she’s hurt her back. She’s in a lot of discomfort right now."
"Get your hotel manager here right now. That group of people who just took the elevator down—you need to stop them for ."
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