“Really? Mr. Sam would come to such a small gathering?”
“I’m not sure; I heard he received an invitation.”
“I’m quite looking forward to meeting this young talent. They say he’s a recognized handsome man in the industry.”
“Indeed, young, capable, handsome, and wealthy. There are countless people in the circle, both married and single, who have their eyes on him.”
“But I heard he seems to be married already.”
“There’s no definite news; who knows if he’s married or not?”
They then exchanged a few more risqué jokes, which Thelma couldn’t bear to listen to. However, she hadn’t expected Sam Noah to have received an invitation to the gala as well; he hadn’t mentioned it to her in the past two days.
Thelma went to find Mira and Phoenix. Just then, a boss wanted to collaborate with her on an advertisement, and Thelma planned to bring Mira over to meet him, taking Phoenix along for support.
Just as she was about to act, Thelma inadvertently noticed a few people walking toward her, clearly heading in her direction. She had thought that coming to MK for the charity gala would likely lead to an encounter with Ava, but she hadn’t expected Chris and Susan to come along as well.
However, Chris was doing quite well in the hotel business now, and since he was Ava’s father, it was reasonable for him to be invited.
The three approached, and Ava smiled, “Mom and Dad are here. Thelma, why don’t you greet them?”
Thelma had just seen them and didn’t have the time to greet them. Even if she did, given the delicate relationship between her and Chris’s family, it wouldn’t be appropriate to approach them.
Chris was already in his fifties, dressed in a tailcoat and trousers, his hair neatly styled. When Chris first rose to prominence, he liked to adorn himself with flashy accessories, but over the years, he seemed to have found that too gaudy and had shifted towards a more understated luxury style. He now appeared somewhat like a refined gentleman.
Susan had gained a bit of weight compared to before. Although she had taken great care of her face, the signs of aging were still visible.
Seeing Chris reminded Thelma of what her sister had once told her: back when Ava took advantage of her downfall to be with Eric, it had stabbed her deeply. Their father had even favored her, spending money to support her entry into the entertainment industry. Thelma was utterly disappointed in this father.
Chris noticed her and instinctively frowned, his expression revealing a hint of sternness. “After all these years, why haven’t you called home? Your sister doesn’t answer your calls, and when you go to find her, she won’t see you. Are you two sisters trying to drive me, your father, to death?”
Thelma hadn’t expected him to have looked for her sister. She replied, “Didn’t I already cut ties with the family when you favored outsiders?”
Hearing this, Susan’s expression soured, and Chris’s face darkened as he said, “Outsiders? Ava is your sister. Besides, I haven’t favored anyone. I just hope our family can live in harmony.”
Favoring? If he hadn’t favored Ava after learning of her betrayal, why was he indifferent and even spent money to help her enter the entertainment industry?
Thelma said, “Since you care so much for Ava and have such a good daughter to honor you, what do you need me and my sister for?”
“You—”
Chris seemed to be angered by her words, ready to reprimand her, but Susan timely advised, “What father-daughter relationship has overnight grudges? Thelma, you should understand. Your father is getting older. As a daughter, what’s wrong with going home to see him? It was just a small matter back then. It’s too immature to cut ties with the family over something so trivial.”
Susan appeared to be advising her, but she deliberately raised her voice, and Thelma noticed that many people around were looking over. Those who were unaware might think Thelma was the kind of ungrateful daughter who cut ties with her father over a trivial matter.
She felt it was a small matter only because they were the ones favored and benefited, naturally thinking it was trivial.
“I’ve been estranged from the family for quite some time now. You could have come to advise me at any time, but you chose this moment to do so? And you’re shouting so loudly, as if afraid others wouldn’t hear about the unethical things you’ve done? Should we compare who can shout louder? The unethical things you’ve done are not limited to this one incident. Should I also raise my voice and talk about them?”
