Lately, Rory Linden had started to sense Ryan Sterling’s feelings for her.
She knew, with absolute clarity, that she would never develop any romantic feelings for him.
The only reason she stayed in touch was because Leo Linden really liked him.
Leo had once suffered from selective mutism, so it was a rare blessing for him to have a friend he could trust and rely on.
Rory wanted to maintain that relationship for her son’s sake.
But if her actions were giving Ryan the wrong idea, she would have to make things clear.
And cut ties with him promptly.
As if she had hit a nerve, Ryan’s face grew hot. "That’s not what I ant. I just think... you deserve soone better."
"Thank you for your concern, but I probably won’t be thinking about that anyti soon."
Rory stepped into the elevator.
Right now, the only things on her mind were work and Leo.
Beyond that, what Sean Harrison thought, or what anyone else thought, was not her concern.
Her mother had loved her dearly but passed away early, leaving her to grow up dependent on others, never really experiencing a normal family atmosphere.
Since she couldn’t give Leo a traditional family, she had to work hard to give him as much love as she could.
Rory usually wore flats to work. Even for professional functions, she would only wear heels that were about five centiters high.
When Rachel Lancaster had dropped off the clothes yesterday, the matching high heels were a full eight centiters.
Seeing those heels, she couldn’t help but be reminded of a difficult situation from a few years ago.
But still...
’This is probably the last ti I’ll ever have a al with Sean Harrison,’ she thought, resolving to just endure it.
Just as she stepped out of her residential complex in the high heels, Sean Harrison imdiately got out of the back of the car to open the door for her.
The mont she was seated, the man retrieved a shoebox from the front passenger seat and placed it in front of her.
"What’s this..."
Rory asked as she opened the box.
Inside, a pair of light-colored high heels rested quietly.
They looked very similar to the ones she was wearing, but the heel was only about three centiters high.
"I heard from Rachel that the heels she gave you were very high. I was worried you wouldn’t be used to them, so I found a pair with lower heels."
Sean Harrison took the shoes out, bent down, and placed them at her feet. "Try them on."
Rory looked at Sean Harrison quietly. She had wanted to say sothing, but in the end, she only managed two words: "Thank you."
The shoes were a perfect fit and very comfortable.
Sean reached out and took the shoes she had changed out of. "At our engagent party back then, your heels were very high, and you ran into that incident with Morris Underwood when you went to take a break."
Rory rembered that incident as well.
It hadn’t actually been that long ago.
But to her, it felt like a lifeti ago.
"Yes, and it was all thanks to you back then."
Rory recalled the events of that day.
Back then, she had felt that Sean Harrison was as distant and unreachable as the moon in the sky. She still felt that way now.
The driver started the car.
Henry Lancaster’s wedding reception was being held at the largest private banquet hall in Veridia. Many of the city’s major events were booked here; the parking lot alone had several hundred spaces.
When their car arrived, most of the spaces were already taken.
A single glance revealed that nearly every vehicle was a well-known luxury car.
Although the wedding was in the banquet hall, the parking lot was also decorated with hydrangea-adorned guide signs, partitions, and more.
Seeing all of this, Rory realized they were about to attend an event even grander in scale than Miles Harrison’s previous engagent party.
Only then did she ask, "As your date, what do I need to do?"
"Hold my arm, stay close to , and always remain in my line of sight. You can leave everything else to ."
Sean Harrison stated his requirents.
"I understand. I’ll do as you say once we’re in the banquet hall."
Rory knew that, deep down, she wasn’t opposed to this.
As they walked out of the parking lot, they could faintly hear music coming from the banquet hall.
Looking from a distance, they could see guests in magnificent attire standing by the entrance, exchanging pleasantries.
The closer they got, the more nervous Rory felt.
She had been so absorbed in her work these past few years that she had hardly ever attended such a large-scale event. She was afraid of doing sothing wrong and embarrassing him.
Just as she was about to lean over and say sothing to him...
"President Harrison!"
A woman dressed as vibrantly as a rose walked toward them, a brilliant smile on her face.
Rory recognized her at a glance...
The woman was a fairly well-known actress in Celestria nad Paige Palr.
This Paige Palr was even more beautiful in person than on television. Her long hair was as dark as a waterfall, and her makeup was exquisite and alluring.
Even as a woman, Rory couldn’t help but be captivated by her beauty.
Paige Palr completely ignored Rory. Her eyes were fixed on Sean Harrison, and just as she got close to him, she glanced into the distance.
The sky hadn’t completely darkened yet.
Rory spotted soone in the crowd holding a phone, seemingly taking pictures of them.
She realized what was happening, but before she could look away, a broad hand wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her into his personal space.
"You’re attending a banquet with and still have ti to look at other people?"
The man’s teasing voice reached her ears.
When Rory ca back to her senses, she saw that Paige Palr’s face had gone pale, but she still managed to ask, "Is this President Harrison’s date? I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you just now."
"..."
Rory didn’t know how to respond, so she chose to remain silent.
Sean Harrison’s fingers tightened slightly on her shoulder. Completely ignoring Paige’s question, he said only to Rory, "Let’s go. It’s too hot out here, let’s go inside."
Paige Palr bit her lip, unwilling to accept it.
Only after the two of them had entered the banquet hall did she call over the person from before and imdiately ask, "Did you get it?"
"The shots were from too far away, and there was no eye contact. Besides, President Harrison pulled his date close to him right away."
The photographer who had been following them said while looking at his phone.
Normally, these kinds of photos could be taken from a distance, but to prevent such incidents, this banquet hall was built in the suburbs with no tall buildings nearby, leaving no good vantage points for a shot.
"What kind of date is she anyway? She’s not even wearing a single decent luxury item. Probably just here to fill a spot."
Paige Palr said with so annoyance, "Go inside and try again. Find the right mont this ti, and don’t ss it up!"
By this ti, Rory had already accompanied Sean Harrison into the banquet hall.
Rory felt a little uncomfortable being held by him and suggested in a low voice, "Could you please not have your arm around ..."
"There are a lot of people here. I’m worried you’ll get distracted."
Sean Harrison was thoroughly enjoying the evening, savoring this mont when he could justifiably make demands of her.
’After tonight, who knows if there will ever be a next ti,’ he thought.
Rory could only say, "Then I’ll hold your arm."
Only then did the man lower his hand and slightly raise his left arm.
Rory hesitated for a mont before reaching out to take his arm, her fingers gently curling around his firm forearm.
Noah Sterling disliked crowds and had been standing by the entrance.
He only walked over when he saw Sean Harrison.
When he saw how close the two of them were, he looked slightly stunned. "You two are..."
Rory’s cheeks flushed. She had no idea how to explain.
Before Sean Harrison could speak...
"Rory! Rory!"
Sherry Walsh’s voice called out.
She ran over, and when she saw Rory’s hand on Sean Harrison’s forearm, her expression was one of pure shock. "No way! Did you two get back together?!"
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