Louis walked over and opened the car door. "Welco, Miss Maria."
Maria hopped out of the car, beaming. "Mom, Dad, Arthur, Josie, and Avery—you’re all really here! I was so worried I might’ve gotten into a sketchy car and was being scamd." She rubbed her nose sheepishly and added, "But then I thought, who’d bother scamming soone like ? I guess I was just overthinking it."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you say you couldn’t get the night off? How did you manage to co here?"
Maria shot a grateful glance at Louis. "He called and said his boss wanted to treat our family to dinner, and it wouldn’t be the sa if I wasn’t there. I told him I had to stay at the shop, so the driver he sent bought out all the fruit tea. The manager let us close early after that."
When Louis called her, the luxury sports car he’d sent was already waiting outside the fruit tea shop. The driver had been incredibly polite, even buying every drink in the store, causing a small commotion and earning plenty of envious stares. Maria had never been treated like this before; it felt like sothing out of a drama, and she could hardly believe it was real. It wasn’t until Louis video-called her and showed her that her parents were indeed with him that she finally felt safe enough to get in the car.
The Carter family turned to look at Alexander, their expressions softening a little. Avery smiled and said to Alexander, "Thank you for bringing her here."
Alexander responded politely, "It was my pleasure. This way, please." He guided everyone into the club, pressed the elevator button for them, and led them to a private room on the top floor. Inside, a table full of delicious food was waiting, the dishes still hot and fragrant, clearly just prepared. This perfectly tid al was another sign of Alexander’s thoughtful planning.
Alexander even pulled out a chair for Avery, with the air of a gentleman. "Miss Carter, please take a seat."
The Carter family exchanged looks. Though they still weren’t fully on board with Alexander, they had to admit he was treating Avery with genuine respect. Avery, a bit flustered, sat down. "Oh, thank you."
The others waited for Alexander to sit before taking their seats. Louis remained standing, serving soup to each person and asking whether they preferred wine or a non-alcoholic drink, before pouring accordingly. Only after finishing these tasks did he sit down next to Maria, saying politely, "Both Mr. Moran and I are Miss Carter’s friends. This is just a casual gathering, so please relax—no pressure to drink, just enjoy yourselves and have a good ti."
His warm, courteous, and attentive manner made the Carter family feel respected, unlike when they had been in the hotel lobby earlier, where they felt more like they were being watched as a spectacle.
Alexander smiled and raised his champagne glass. "I’d like to first toast Miss Carter and celebrate her excellent exam results. As her friend, I’m truly proud of her accomplishnts."
Avery raised her glass of juice and clinked it against his. "Thank you."
After finishing his champagne, Alexander poured himself another glass and raised it again. "This next toast is for Mr. and Mrs. Carter, as well as Miss Carter’s brother and sisters. Miss Carter is lucky to have such a loving family, and I’m genuinely happy for her."
The Carter family loved hearing those words. Even Arthur’s expression softened a bit. They all raised their glasses and exchanged toasts with Alexander. After finishing the second drink, Alexander took a sip of soup and said, "Please, Miss Carter, everyone, make yourselves comfortable."
Seeing him begin to eat, the others finally picked up their forks and spoons. Alexander kept quiet after that, leaving Louis to take over the role of keeping the atmosphere lively. As he ate, he introduced the background and cooking thods of each dish, mixing in so funny anecdotes and lighthearted jokes. Occasionally, he would help Maria and Josie with so food, which quickly put them at ease.
The Carter family was clearly enjoying Louis’s hospitality. Maria and Josie, in particular, quickly ward up, laughing and chatting with him as if they had known him for years, completely relaxed. anwhile, Wesley and Claire quietly observed Alexander while eating. Arthur, on the other hand, couldn’t help but keep scrutinizing Alexander, searching for any flaws. But even he had to admit, Alexander carried himself with grace and never showed the slightest hint of disrespect toward their Avery.
What really irked him was how Alexander and Avery looked ridiculously well-matched sitting together. Although Alexander seed focused on his al, he was actually observing the Carter family, too. He quickly noticed Arthur’s phone, Josie’s watch, and Maria’s handbag, all of which caught his attention. These weren’t just ordinary luxury items. Given the Carter family’s financial situation and connections, it seed unlikely they could afford such high-end pieces. He thought, "Could it have sothing to do with Avery?"
Seizing a mont while Avery went to the restroom, Alexander casually remarked, "Mr. Carter, your phone has a really tasteful design. Where did you get it? I’ve been thinking of getting one myself."
Arthur grinned smugly. "Avery gave it to . You can’t find it anywhere. Jealous?"
Arthur thought, "What’s so special about being a big shot? Even soone like him can’t buy this phone, no matter how much money he has."
"Definitely jealous," Alexander replied with a smile. "Where did Miss Carter get it?"
Arthur chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Not telling you."
Alexander just smiled back and didn’t press the issue.
When Alexander didn’t say anything for a while, Arthur couldn’t hold back anymore. "You don’t live in Rosemont City, do you? So how did you and Avery even et?"
Wesley and Claire also put down their forks, their eyes sharp and focused on Alexander.
Alexander paused briefly, and when he noticed Avery returning, he said, "Miss Carter, Arthur is curious about how we t. Is it okay if I share?"
Avery blinked. "Of course." The way they t was completely aboveboard, and she hadn’t shared any secrets with Alexander, so there was nothing to hide.
Alexander then explained, "A friend of mine was sick and really wanted to be treated by the famous Dr. Annie." He briefly recounted how he sought Avery’s help to reach out to Annie for Lucy, though he deliberately left out the part about Lucy’s identity, simply saying he was helping a friend.
Hearing this, the Carter family visibly relaxed. They thought, "So far, Alexander seems like a decent person—going out of his way to co to Rosemont City for a friend and treating Avery with respect. Normally, soone like him probably isn’t up to anything shady!"
At the sa ti, they couldn’t help but feel tempted, thinking, "Dr. Annie is clearly very skilled—maybe we can ask Avery to help arrange for her to treat our elderly relatives as well."
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