But then Khloe turned back to the organizers, her tone softening as if offering them a way out.
“The solution is actually quite simple.”
“Oh? And what solution would that be?”
The reply did not come from the floor manager.
A deep, magnetic voice resonated from the edge of the crowd.
Every head turned.
There stood Nick, dressed in a simple yet impeccably tailored black suit, his strides long and commanding. Only his assistant, Lenny, accompanied him-yet it was Nick alane whose presence seemed to suck the air from the room.
With just a few words, his aura washed over the hall, pressing the crowd into a hushed stillness.
His gaze locked directly on Khloe, his dark eyes gleaming with something unreadable-scrutiny, and a trace of unmistakable amusement.
Khloe’s heart stuttered in her chest. ‘Nick! Wasn’t he thousands of miles away last night? How is he here?’
A wave of shocked whispers swept the banquet hall. Disbelief was etched on every face.
The man was a phantom in the business world-rarely seen, shrouded in legend. But his ruthless demeanor was well-known.
Even among this elite crowd, his circle was exclusive. Power, wealth, prestige-none of it mattered. He had crossed titans before and dismantled them without a second thought. Those who had dared to offend him were said to have vanished without a trace.
Nick was a man who never spared anyone’s feelings-and he was famously indifferent to women.
Even at his age, when most men were settled with families, no one in the Hunt family dared pressure him about marriage.
And yet now, after Khloe had effectively taken his seat, he hadn’t shown a flicker of anger. Instead, he had calmly, almost cordially, asked for her proposed solution.
Under his penetrating gaze, Khloe felt the pressure intensify. But she drew a steadying breath and answered with quiet composure, “Respect the situation and turn a mistake into an opportunity.”
She paused awhile, her eyes scanning the long, spacious banquet table.
“There’s more than enough room here. Adding one place setting is simple. The organizers can arrange a seat of equal standing for Mr. Hunt right beside me. This way, the dignity of Morrison Group is upheld, Mr. Hunt’s magnanimity is displayed, and the organizers demonstrate their flexibility and sincerity in handling a crisis. Isn’t that far better than forcing me to move and creating unnecessary conflict and embarrassment for all involved?”
A dead silence fell over the hall.
Everyone was stunned. To be so calm under pressure, so razor-sharp in logic-this was no ordinary “illegitimate daughter.” This was a mind of formidable intelligence.
In just a few precise sentences, Khloe had unraveled a seemingly impossible standoff. Veronica’s face went pale.
Unnoticed by most, Michael had returned to the hall. Watching his cousin command the room, he quietly released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
Nick studied her for a long moment. The corner of his mouth lifted in the faintest hint of a smile before he turned to the organizers.
“Do as she suggested.”
His tone was even, betraying no emotion.
But the mere fact that he had accepted her proposal was a monumental concession-the organizers looked as if they’d been granted a last-minute pardon.
“Right away, Mr. Hunt.”
Within moments, the staff brought another chair. The disruption was over, and the banquet officially began. Khloe remained the center of attention, but now, not a single person dared question her right to be there.
“Why are you staring instead of eating?” Nick’s sudden, low baritone made her jump. Khloe realized she had been lost in thought, studying his profile.
Their seats were close, uncomfortably so. He had removed his suit jacket, loosened the top button of his shirt, and his tall frame was angled toward her. His distinct, masculine scent seemed to envelop her.
She quickly averted her gaze. “Mr. Hunt, what brings you to this banquet tonight?”
He didn’t look at her, continuing to cut his food with effortless precision.
“Ten hours on a private jet. But it wasn’t a wasted trip. I go to hear a rather remarkable speech.”
He hadn’t answered directly, yet his words were loaded.
He had flown through the night. And he had been there, listening, when she delivered her speech earlier.
Chertel 30
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.