Chapter 6

Her cry pierced the room. All eyes, including Juan's and Debra's, turned to her. In their eyes, Shelia appeared rude and uncultured. The old gardener bent to pick up the scattered roses and apologized profusely.

Feeling the stares, Shelia quickly changed her demeanor. “I’m sorry. I was in a hurry. Are you okay, sir?” Debra watched from nearby. Even with her attempt at amends, it seemed insincere.

Shelia also noticed Debra standing beside Juan. “How did she get here?” Juan frowned, his expression revealing his surprise at Shelia's arrival. Debra wondered if Shelia had come alone. She remained silent.

This plot differed from her last life. Then, Juan had brought Shelia to the party, where she impressed Caleb Houston. This led to a smooth path overseas and success after graduation, supported by Juan and Caleb. Debra hadn't expected Shelia to appear this time. Yet, here she was.

“Mr. Nichols!” Joe rushed in, hearing the commotion. Juan's tone was curt. “Who let her in?”

“It was me,” Joe bowed his head. “I thought Miss Miles could help you.” Juan rubbed his temples. He used to be very tolerant of Shelia, but her appearance here was inappropriate.

“Miss Miles isn’t familiar with the place. Go check on her,” Debra said, taking a sip of champagne.

Juan saw Shelia's frightened expression and couldn't bear to leave her alone. “I’ll be back in a moment.” Debra said nothing. This was expected. He could never let go of Shelia.

Juan approached her and asked, “How did you get here?” Shelia lowered her head, appearing pitiful. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see the event.”

Seeing her tears, Juan couldn't bring himself to be harsh. In a way, he had trained her, and he had seen her efforts. “I’ll have Joe take you back.”

Seeing Juan about to leave, Shelia quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Mr. Nichols, can I stay?” Juan frowned. In the past, Shelia had always been obedient and mindful of her place, never overstepping boundaries.

Shelia sensed his displeasure. “I’m sorry, Mr. Nichols. I…”

Juan relented. “You can stay. This event could be helpful for your overseas studies.” Shelia finally smiled sweetly. “Can I stay with you?”

Juan glanced at the crowd, concerned about leaving her alone. “Yeah.”

Joe couldn't help but ask, “Sir, what about Mrs. Nichols?”

“Go accompany her. Don’t let her cause trouble like last time.”

Juan knew Debra often attended such events, but as someone unfamiliar with finance, she was merely passing the time. As long as she didn't cause trouble, it was fine.

Debra watched as Joe approached. Before he could speak, she asked, “He’s gone to accompany Shelia?”

“Miss Miles is a key candidate for the company, so…”

“I understand.” Debra appeared unbothered. Joe breathed a sigh of relief. But somehow, he felt Debra had changed.

Shelia followed Juan, confidently conversing with some bigwigs, a fact Debra noticed. Although Shelia had good grades, she was still just a student. What she said to these seasoned businessmen wasn't particularly insightful. They were praising her out of respect for Juan.

However, Shelia soon encountered difficulty with an elderly foreign gentleman. Debra recognized him as a financial tycoon from Dawnreach. He only spoke his native language, and his translator was absent.

“Mr. Nichols…” Shelia bit her lip, glancing at Juan.

Juan was considering how to defuse the situation when Debra approached and fluently conversed with the man. He seemed pleased and shook her hand.

Shelia finally noticed Debra, dressed in a similar black dress. Compared to Debra's refined appearance, Shelia felt she looked like a street vendor. She clenched her fists and forced a smile. “Debra, that’s impressive. You can speak the Dawnreach language.”

Debra smiled without replying. Juan remembered Debra spoke foreign languages, but Dawnreach wasn't widely spoken, so he was surprised by her fluency.

“What did you say to Mr. Stephen? He seemed quite pleased,” Shelia asked.

“I told him the piece of land he bought near the southeastern sea at the auction is going to sell well, so he’s happy,” Debra replied.

“That land will sell well?” Shelia looked puzzled. The land didn't seem extraordinary.

“Maybe,” Debra replied casually. In her last life, that land had sold for a considerable sum. The area had unexpectedly become a tourist destination, yielding hefty profits. Mr. Stephen probably foresaw its development. Shelia lacked that foresight.

Juan stared at Debra, making her uncomfortable. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked.

“How did you know that land would sell well?” Juan asked.