Chapter 248: Don't You Want It This Way?

After locking the car, they walked side by side toward the restaurant. As they were stepping up, Sophie suddenly lifted her hand and gently laced it around Henry's arm. Henry froze, looking at Sophie with a mix of surprise and bewilderment. "What're you staring at?" "Don't you want it this way?" Sophie couldn't help but roll her eyes at Henry's expression. "I do... I love, love this..." Henry quickly nodded, his face brimming with excitement. The doormen and security guards couldn't help but fix their gaze on the pair. They were familiar with Henry but not with Sophie. So, witnessing this scene, aside from being captivated by Sophie's beauty, they felt a deep envy towards Henry. "Good evening, Mr. Carson." "Ah, this is Mrs. Carson..." Henry, beaming with pride, couldn't help but show off to the doorman. This was a rare high-profile moment for the typically reserved Henry. "Good evening, Mrs. Carson..." At that, Sophie blushed, laughed awkwardly, and then stealthily pinched Henry's arm, causing him a moment of wincing pain. Upon entering the lobby, the manager immediately came to greet them. "Mr. Carson, Mr. Cooper and the others are waiting for you in private room 888." "Alright, lead the way." Henry nodded. Truth be told, Sophie felt an illusion at that moment, as if she were Henry's true wife, being escorted to a grand banquet... This had been Sophie's dream for many years, to marry a man who could provide such a life. But in the end, she married Henry, who had nothing and was somewhat of a pushover. Perhaps she once felt aggrieved and blamed fate, but not anymore. She believed that a woman's true happiness lies in marrying a man who sincerely loves her, where material wealth is just icing on the cake. Yet, this belated happiness, she thought, might end in just a few days, which made her feel somewhat melancholic. "Why do they treat you with such respect? Is it just because you know Felix?" Along the way, many greeted Henry, prompting Sophie to ask. "What else?" Henry wore a proud smile, then explained, "Actually, it's because I've helped Felix out before, so he's invited me to dine at the Marriott International Hotel a few times. These people think I'm some big shot, that's why they treat me this way!" Hearing this, Sophie didn't say anything further. After all, others might not know Henry's true status and background, but she knew it all too well. Not long after, under the watchful and envious eyes of many, Henry and Sophie finally arrived at private room 888. As they entered, everyone inside promptly stood up. "Good evening, Mr. Carson!" People greeted Henry, then all eyes turned to Sophie. It must be said, none of these individuals were strangers to high society, yet Sophie's beauty captivated them instantly, drawing all attention her way, which made Sophie somewhat nervous. Among those present, she recognized a few; one was Felix, the owner of the Marriott International Hotel, and another was Zane, the underground king of King City. The others were strangers to her. However, the grandeur of the gathering was somewhat overwhelming for her, not least because figures like Felix were not easily accessible to just anyone. Of course, there was one person whose expression was notably different: Katherine. Upon seeing Sophie by Henry's side, she understood everything and guessed the nature of their relationship. It was clear to her that Henry had done this on purpose. Intending to make Katherine give up. When Katherine saw Sophie, she had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that Sophie was stunningly beautiful, a beauty that could topple cities, and she felt inferior. Not to say Katherine was any less beautiful. She and Sophie were simply different types. Katherine, who usually neglected to dress up, possessed a natural, unadorned beauty that was both cold and striking. Henry, though smiling and greeting everyone, couldn't help but glance at Katherine. Seeing her reaction, he felt a bit relieved, hoping that Katherine would back off and not cause further complications. After signaling to everyone, Henry spoke, "Many of you have just arrived in King City. Consider tonight a welcome from me." "Also, let me introduce my wife, Sophie." "Good evening, Mrs. Carson!" Everyone nodded respectfully towards Sophie, who was unaccustomed to such treatment, especially from people like Felix and Zane, and quickly responded, "Good evening, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Lee, everyone!" "These are all friends of mine. I'll introduce you later, no need to be so formal," Henry said softly, noticing Sophie's nervousness. Sophie blushed and pinched him again, causing Henry to grin and bear it with a wince. As Henry and Sophie sat down, the waiter served all the dishes, and Felix even brought out a bottle of his private Lafite. Sophie glanced over the table, unable to name many of the dishes, and conservatively estimated their value to be over ten million. At that moment, her curiosity about Henry deepened even further. Sophie wondered, what exactly had Henry done for Felix and Zane to earn such respect and status? "Alright, I'll start with a toast. Welcome Mr. Donovan, Mr. Cavendish, and Mr. Trelawney to King City. I'll drink to that." Henry lifted a glass of Lafite, gestured to everyone, and downed it in one go. Seeing this, the others hurriedly raised their glasses, saying in unison, "Thank you, Mr. Carson, for your generous hospitality. Should you ever need anything, we are at your full disposal." "Good, let's not stand on ceremony tonight. There's no agenda, just a simple gathering to welcome you all," Henry nodded. Sophie, too, raised her glass to the others, though she felt somewhat awkward. As the General Manager of The Mitchell Group, she hadn't expected to feel like just a decorative piece at this dinner. Yet, truth be told, she somewhat enjoyed this feeling; even if she were just a "decoration," she was Henry's alone, and others could only envy. Whether they envied her or Henry, it didn't matter as long as it was about the two of them. However, at that moment, Sophie sensed a piercing gaze on her. Furrowing her brows, she looked around and caught Katherine staring directly at her, with a look that could almost be described as seeing an enemy... This sharp intuition made her certain that this woman was no ordinary person and likely had some connection with Henry. Despite her decision to divorce Henry, she couldn't help feeling irked and resolved to confront Henry about this later. "Henry, you've toasted everyone else, how about a drink with me now, to officially welcome me?" Just then, Katherine, who had been silent until now, suddenly turned her gaze to Henry and spoke up.