The hall was already crowded when Abigail and Diarmuid entered.
There was a round table in the middle with its center removed in place of a fountain, where a half- naked statue of a woman stood.
As the trails of water splashed down, the vapor that swirled out of it made the statue appear as if it stood atop the clouds.
Overhead, a luxurious crystal spiraling chandelier was shining with dazzling radiance.
Couches were arranged by the windows and the table was placed with exquisite confectionery, fruits, and snacks, along with alechol of all types and color.
There was laughter and endless conversation, as the ladies stood in groups of two and three, all of them gossiping or discussing their outfits for the day, praising boutiques or mentioning the handbags they bought.
They were all dressed elaborately and exquisitely fit for the occasion, and it was obvious that they were not your usual housewives since they represented both themselves and their husbands.
The men were mostly on the couches, talking business, standing apart from the women. Diarmuid and Abigail were the only foreigners there, and especially eye- catching among the crowd, and naturally drawing much attention! Most knew Diarmuid since he had some reputation here, and a couple Franconian men made their way toward him when they saw him come in.
Diarmuid nodded slightly and said, “I’ve worked with these gentlemen before.”
Abigail nodded.
“And who might this wonderful be?” one of them asked in Franconian.
“My wife,” Diarmuid replied fluently.
Both men appeared surprised that he was married, and Diarmuid explained that they got married in Zidonia.
Naturally, it was to send a message to the rest that he was married.
The two Franconians studied her then.
Her hair was tied elegantly behind her head with a sidelock dangling beside her head, projecting a liveliness amid her feminine presence.
On her fair ears were a pair of white feather-shaped earrings, each of which was encrusted with diamonds, with the lowest one appearing like a droplet, refracting the light brightly.
Her necklace was a matching set with her earrings, with a lifelike feather dangling beneath the chain of diamonds.
It was just above her cleavage too, visible from the cutout of the black dress over her chest, which bared her seductive collarbone as well.
The blinding white diamond was a perfect contrast to her black dress, keeping the black from getting too dull while competing for attention from the white.
The silky smooth dress hugged her hourglass figure.
Although she had a little tummy after giving birth twice and it was visible from the side, it did not affect her beauty, even adding to her appeal — most people who were slim had not an ounce of flesh, but she was still slim and curvaceous.
The feet that protruded occasionally from her ankle- length gown was dainty and fair, presenting her womanly grace.
“Your wife is simply beautiful,” one of the Franconians praised.
Diarmuid appeared to appreciate the compliment, his cold visage easing slightly.
“Do you work? What is your profession?”
Diarmuid was just about to answer when Abigail replied in fluent Franconian, “I’m a doctor.”
Diarmuid raised a brow.She could speak Franconian too?
Diarmuid actually wondered if Abigail had crammed Franconian just to attend this event with him.
Still, it was just two days, and there must be a limit to what she could learn.
Even so, he admired her attitude.
“A doctor? May I ask what your specialty is?” one of the Franconians asked.
“Cardiovascular diseases. I’m working at a research center, however, not a hospital.”
“Oh,” the man murmured, and shrugged. “I wouldn’t have been able to tell.”
He meant that with Abigail’s pretty face and her stunning figure, it was reasonable to assume that she was a trophy wife.
Still, her having a career surprised him, and then there was that fluent Franconian.
Diarmuid studied her then—her Franconian did not seem crammed in a couple days, let alone novice.
He was certainly surprised!
As they spoke further, more came to speak with Diarmuid about business and economic trends.
Abigail simply could not keep up, and she stuck out since it was the men’s playground anyway.
Also, her leg was starting to ache since she did not usually wear heels.
Diarmuid stayed with her, worried that she would be overwhelmed alone.
“Stay,” Abigail told him nonetheless—she did not want his business to be affected because of her.
Diarmuid was silent for a moment, but eventually said, “Give me a shout when you need me.”
Abigail nodded and Diarmuid left.
She then looked around—there was a huge crowd in the hall, but no one seemed to notice her, so she headed straight to the washroom.
She sat on the toilet bowl and took off her heels for a moment, resting for a while before coming out.
When she stepped out to wash her hands, she noticed a Franconian woman, who glanced at Abigail’s feet when she stepped out of her cubicle, fixing her makeup in front of the mirror.
Judging from the glance, she must have noticed that Abigail had taken off her shoes, but Abigail calmly washed her hands and stepped out into the grand, vast hall.
Abigail stared at all the women who were holding a jovial conversation.
She could not join them since she had no idea what they were talking about—she did not know the collector’s value of the luxury items they treasured so much, or that some of their designer dresses could not be bought with just money.
That was when the woman who was inside the washroom with Abigail stepped out, and said from behind, “Your jewelry set is gorgeous.”
Abigail turned, and seeing that it was the woman, she smiled politely. “Thank you.”
“That calm reaction… you probably don’t know what it’s worth, do you?”
Abigail touched her necklace then.
She did not know much about jewelry, but she could tell from the exquisite craftsmanship and the flawless quality of the diamonds that they were worth a fortune.
Still, she thought herself subtle, since the diamonds that the other women present wore were larger than a dove’s eggs.
Surely those yellow diamonds and pink diamonds were worth more than hers?
“Quite the amateur, aren’t you? Size doesn’t decide value,” the woman said then.
Abigail certainly dressed the part, but she stood out like a sore thumb.
The woman handed her her business card just then. “You may visit this place if you’re interested.”
Abigail lowered her eyes at the simple white card, printed with a phone number and an address to an exclusive club for the ladies.
Since the woman was giving it to her, Abigail had no choice but to take it. “Sorry, I don’t have a business card.”
“Understandable. Well, l look forward to you joining us.” The woman smiled, though she obviously could tell that Abigail was not one of them.
With that, she left to join another group of women.
Abigail raised a brow.
Join them? For what?
Still, she soon forgot about it and looked around for Diarmuid.
He was nearby and having a discussion with other men.
It seemed like he would be preoccupied for a while.
As such, Abigail looked around for a place to sit when someone stepped in front of her.
Abigail turned toward the person, who said, “Mrs. Althoff? Mr. Althoff has instructed me to bring you to the break room.”
Abigail did not buy it right away, but instead turned toward Diarmuid.
He happened to be looking her way, and nodded slightly—a gesture to say that he had arranged it.
Relieved, Abigail told the man, “Thank you.”
“If you’d please follow me…” The man said gentlemanly, and led the way.
The break room was vast and decorated grandly ust like the hall, and Abigail quickly took a seat on the couch inside.
She wanted to rub her ankles but stopped herself, finding it inappropriate.
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Juice, please,” she replied.
“Sure,” the attendant replied respectfully, and soon brought her a glass of grape juice.
Putting it down, he said, “Just give me a shout if you need anything else, ma’am. I’ll be outside.”
“Thank you,” Abigail said.
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.
Leave a Reply