Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 222: Banquet (part 3)

Chapter 222: Banquet (part 3)

Inside the banquet hall, nobody was touching their meal even though the first course had been served. They were too anxious to meet Xavier Galverra to touch anything. As the music played softly in the background, the guests only sipped their drinks and mingled.

Rayne, who had arrived at the hall an hour ago like the rest of the guests, sat down with Lilly in the front row of the table arrangements. She’d looked around the hall for Mia and Neil but had seen no signs of them. Neil had been the one to hand her the invitation card, and she’d naturally assumed they’d be here, but even though the hall’s doors were now closed, she didn’t see them. Thus, she sat with Lilly while her father mingled with people. The girl had been keeping her company and had been talking nonstop about countless things, so Rayne didn’t have the chance to get bored or notice when that jerk, Liam, had disappeared from the hall.

She’d wanted to have an opportunity to talk to him about lying to his niece about her being his future partner, but she hadn’t gotten the chance to find him alone as many women were swarming around him like flies on rotten food.

She would admit that he was handsome, with a disarming smile that would put the top model of their country to shame, and eyes as dark as an endless pit that carried the promise of sweet nothings. She’d admit that if he hadn’t been a Casanova and a jerk, she’d have still liked him and had a silly crush on him just like every other woman in the hall. But she was smart enough to know better than to like someone like him.

Where had he disappeared to just now? He had been standing right there, but now the spot was empty. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d whisked one of the women circling him a while ago into one of the hotel rooms. Nothing a Casanova like Liam Thompson couldn’t do.

With her best friend not being in the hall and her father busying himself among his business partners, she was already getting bored. Not to mention the annoying cameras that were flashing in her direction every now and then made her wish she hadn’t come here. If only her Max had been invited, she’d have passed her time with him. Why was this Xavier Galverra taking forever to show his face? She wondered the same question that was going through everyone’s mind at that moment.

The guests began to murmur amongst themselves, the curiosity and impatience palpable. Conversations buzzed with speculations about Xavier Galverra’s delayed appearance. Some questioned if he’d even show up tonight or if they’d been played into attending a banquet by some prankster. It been hours since they’d all been waiting. Were they being played?

Then, the risen platform where the pianist and musicians had been playing soft music brightened up, and the music softened. A man dressed in a sleek black suit walked up to the platform with a welcoming bright smile on his face.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice carrying across the hall, "I apologize for the delay. I hope you are all enjoying the evening so far."

A ripple of polite applause and murmured agreement swept through the crowd.

"I know every single one of you is dying to meet Xavier Galverra who has managed to stay mysterious for as long as we’ve known him. But do not worry—Xavier Galverra has already arrived and will give a speech to all of his esteemed guests!"

Murmurs of anticipation broke from the guests. Young women, who’d been waiting for this special moment, began to push themselves forward toward the platform, eager to be the first Xavier noticed when he’d be stepping down the platform. Businessmen, who had waited for this moment, prepared themselves to finally see the enigmatic CEO who had taken the business world by storm in just a few weeks after his silence.

Among the guests, Owen remained seated, a smirk playing on his lips as he sipped his wine and watched the man at the platform. In his mind, Xavier Galverra was just another rounded-bellied, bald-headed CEO. Owen believed that, eventually, whoever this Xavier was would want to meet him. He was an important person at the banquet, after all, and he wasn’t going to demean himself by pushing to the front like some eager sycophant.

The man on the platform stepped back and with a flourish announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, meet the CEO of Galverra Enterprise!"

Everyone held their breath as a man clad in a black tuxedo walked out from the backstage of the platform. When his face registered among the crowd, a loud silence fell over the hall. The murmurs ceased, replaced by gasps and wide-eyed stares. Nobody in the hall had expected the man they saw standing on the platform to be Xavier Galverra, and when his emotionless grey eyes swiped around the large hall, they couldn’t help but shiver at the electric shock that jolted them back to their senses.

So Xavier Galverra, the owner and CEO of Galverra Enterprise, was none other than the country’s Adonis hero, Neil Wayner?!

Owen’s smirk immediately vanished, replaced by a look of utter shock as the wine he sipped remained suspended in his throat. He had not expected this. None of the guests had. How was this possible? How could this son of a bitch be the Xavier Galverra who was said to have an accent in his English? He would be damned to believe this! Perhaps there was some sort of mistake, and Wayner had stepped up to give some boring, uninterested speech before Xavier Galverra appeared.

Owen waited for the part where Xavier Galverra would step forward, but that little hope of his was shattered by Neil’s next speech to his guests.

Neil cleared his throat and spoke, his voice detached and blank as he addressed the stunned guests. "I see you are all surprised to find out that I am the CEO behind Galverra Enterprise." He said, bringing the stunned guests back to reality. Many began to wonder how he got to manage a business when he was known as a soldier, a general, and as if reading their thoughts, Neil resumed his words,

"Don’t be too surprised. While my peers were playing and having fun in high school, I was thrust into military school, where I trained all day and attended business courses abroad online."

He paused, letting his words sink in as the crowd stared, rapt with attention. "I had to study and read my ass off for exams while simultaneously training as a soldier. I graduated at the top of my class and earned my PhD. During those years, I ran this company from the space of my camp room, working through sleepless nights to bring it to where it is now."

Admiring gasps broke from the guests as they listened to his speech, with countless flashes of cameras capturing the moment on live streams. Some of the guests couldn’t help but record the moment on their phones, their respect for Neil increasing with every word he spoke.

Neil continued, his tone unwavering and proud. "Galverra Enterprise represents not just business success but the culmination of relentless hard work and unwavering dedication. I thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate this journey with me."

A loud round of applause broke from the guests. His speech had touched everyone in the hall, and the eager females, who had thought Xavier Galverra to be another person, were now more determined than ever to be in his good graces. They knew it would be a plus for them if Neil, now known as Mr. Galverra were to notice them, as he wasn’t just a hero but a businessman who had worked his way to the top without feeding off anyone else.

Furthermore, nobody had heard of him having a woman by his side after Mia Harrison, who they were sure wasn’t invited, had broken his heart and made herself a laughingstock in the country. What a loser she was to lose such a man, but then her loss would be their gain. However, while many women were eager at the front, at the back of the hall, the woman in the mask remained hidden, her gaze fixed on Neil. Though her face was hidden, her brown eyes were not; they shimmered with longing as they lingered on the man on stage.

Once he got down from that stage, she’d take him to one of the hotel rooms to talk to him. It was about time he knew about her—she was his first true sweetheart and not her sister. Her fingers tightened around her glass as she stared at him with a longing that tore at her heart and made her want to throw herself into his strong arms and kiss him for the first time. She couldn’t help but silently wonder how he’d react when she told him she was that little girl he promised to marry when he grew up. Would he hug her and kiss her with the same longing she’d been suppressing? She couldn’t wait to find out.

The paparazzi in the hall began to fire questions at Neil when he finished his speech, and he answered with a straight face that showed no emotion.

"Mr. Wayner, how did you manage both your military career and running a major corporation?"

"I prioritize and manage my time efficiently," Neil replied calmly. "Discipline and determination are key."

"What’s next for Galverra Enterprise?" another reporter asked.

"We will continue to innovate and expand, staying true to our core values and commitment to excellence," Neil stated firmly.

"Are you the man who also handles all of the other Galverra branches in the world? We heard the branch in Mirage Mesa had been run by Noah Galverra, but it has never flourished like it did when you took over. What do you have to say about that?" From this question, a lot of personal questions began to come at Neil at once, without giving him the chance to answer.

"Mr. Galverra, is it true that you are in a secret relationship with Annalise Martinez, the supermodel?"

"Are you in a relationship with anyone now? Because we heard you’d be picking a Cinderella tonight from among all the lovely women in the hall!"

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