Chapter 40

Before I could fully process what was happening, Jared started introducing me to the room. "Everyone, this is my wife, Victoria."

"Hello, Mrs. Holcomb," someone said.

"Mr. Holcomb, you're a lucky man. Your wife is young and beautiful," another person added.

Jared smiled politely and led me right over to Nathan. There was an empty seat next to Nathan, and Jared sat down, making me sit beside him.

"Victoria, this is Mr. Hallman. We've worked with him a lot," Jared said, not realizing Nathan and I already knew each other. He was serious about the introduction.

"Hello, Mrs. Holcomb," Nathan said, shaking my hand with a polite smile.

I glanced at Jared, and he didn’t react at all, so I shook Nathan’s hand.

But to my surprise, Nathan didn’t let go right away. He kept holding my hand and asked, "May I ask where you work, Mrs. Holcomb?"

I felt a little freaked out. Jared was right there, but Nathan was still looking at me with those intense eyes.

Jared didn’t seem to notice anything. It made sense, though. He was sure I only had eyes for him, that he was my one and only, and that no man could ever take me away. It made my heart tighten a little.

It was said that good men weren’t up for grabs. Maybe Jared thought of me the same way, like I was just as untouchable as he was.

Jared smiled and said, "My wife’s been a bit bored at home, so she’s looking for something to do. I’m planning to let her take over the Harmonia Hotel, which is part of the Holcomb Group.

"Everyone here is important in business, so I hope you’ll all look out for her and support her when you can."

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but glance sideways at Jared. So this was why he brought me to dinner tonight. He was trying to help me network.

"Sure, no problem," someone said.

"Mrs. Holcomb is not only beautiful, but she’s also doing great in business," another person added.

Nathan chuckled softly. "The Harmonia Hotel has been around forever. My company is actually looking for a good place to host our client events, and I think one of your hotels is near my office."

That caught my attention, and my eyes immediately went to Nathan.

Jared raised his wine glass with a smile. "In that case, let me thank you in advance for your support, Mr. Hallman."

Nathan’s smile lingered at the corners of his eyes, and he said in a polite and serious voice, "Don’t mention it, Mr. Holcomb."

I could hardly taste my food. Nathan’s eyes kept landing on me, whether on purpose or not. He was young and handsome, and while his gaze was usually calm, now it was full of quiet intensity.

He probably thought of me as his savior or something, but honestly, I didn’t want him to pay me back.

Business dinners weren’t about the food. They were about making deals. Once everyone was done, the dinner wrapped up naturally.

Jared had a bit too much to drink and motioned for me to help him walk.

Since he’d helped me network tonight, I wasn’t going to turn down this small favor.

Then I reached out and supported his arm. As Jared said goodbye, I noticed Nathan was a little drunk, too. His face was flushed, and his eyes looked a bit bloodshot.

"Mrs. Holcomb, do you need help?" Nathan asked as he walked over.

I quickly shook my head. "No, the car’s here."

Just then, Warner pulled up.

Nathan strode over and opened the car door for us.