Among her acquaintances, the girls kept looking at her with an envious eye. If gazes could kill, Debbie would have been dead.
"Debbie," called Colleen and Curtis in unison.
Some men wanted to approach Debbie, Emmett noticed. But when they saw Curtis and Colleen, they stopped.
When Debbie, who was eating a snack, heard them, she put the snack down and clinked with the two. "Hi, Colleen, Mr. Lu."
Taking a step back to look at Debbie, Curtis complimented, "You look great. No doubt Carlos has been good to you."
Colleen released Curtis and took Debbie's hand. "Of course. One has just to look at Debbie to know that she is in love,"
she said, as gentle as the first time Debbie had met her. If Debbie hadn't seen Colleen on the dance floor the other day, she wouldn't have believed the woman could dance seductively like that. Debbie smiled resignedly.
Playfully, Curtis pinched Colleen's cheek before he turned to look Debbie straight in the face. "Did you come here on Carlos' behalf?" he asked.
"Yeah, he is on a business trip," Debbie replied.
Curtis nodded. "Not bad." He was relieved to see that Debbie and Carlos were happy together.
After a short while, Curtis and Colleen were needed somewhere else and left Debbie. So did Emmett. Even though he was only a secretary, many people sucked up to him, on account of having Carlos as his boss.
Left alone, Debbie ate some more snacks and went towards the bathroom.
When she walked out of the bathroom, there was another woman standing in the hallway. Adorned in an expensive champagne evening dress, and holding a fashionable handbag, the woman must have been waiting for Debbie. Straightway, she called out, "Debbie Nian?"
Her voice was not too loud nor quiet, emotionless.
It was Portia. 'Why is she here?' Debbie wondered. 'Since Portia is here, is Hayden here too?'
Debbie nodded and said, "Hi."
"Is it really you?" It was only then that Portia believed the glowing woman at the party was Debbie.
Debbie smiled faintly and excused herself. "Yeah, it's me. If you have nothing else to talk about, I have to go."
Now that she was married, she didn't want to engage with anyone from the Gu family, unless it was necessary.
Just as Debbie was about to leave, Portia began, "What's the rush? Are you hiding something?"
Debbie sneered. She looked at Portia and retorted, "Hiding?"
Born and brought up in a wealthy family, Portia, with a single look, could tell how much Debbie's outfit was worth, but she wouldn't admit it. "Are you afraid that people might know you are wearing a fake designer dress and fake crystal?" she taunted arrogantly.
Debbie laughed. Touching her crystal bracelet, she raised her right hand, which looked smooth after the skin care. "Since when is the daughter of the Gu family so ignorant? Is the Gu family degrading? Or does Hayden grudge giving you money after he became the head of the family?" Debbie fired back.
From Emmett's evaluation of Debbie's dress and accessories, Portia was being either painfully ignorant or simply insulting. If anything, Debbie's dress for the night was something few divas could afford. Even her crystals were not ordinary white crystals, but rare natural ones.
Apart from being pricey, Debbie's accessories had another significance. They were coveted Buddhist souvenirs. In addition to Crystals being one of the seven treasures, the bracelet she was wearing had been consecrated by an eminent monk, for psychic energy to charm and protect.
The bracelet had briefly appeared on display for sale at Shining International Plaza the other day, only to be bought on the afternoon of the same day, by a mysterious collector. Most likely, Carlos had seen it on display and sent someone to make the purchase on his behalf. Later that evening, he had come to the villa with a sweet surprise for Debbie.
Today, Debbie wore brown nail polish and had an extra crystal—a ring on her right hand, which glared in Portia's eyes against the light.
Trying to conceal her envy, Portia said with a fake air of superiority, "Sorry to disappoint you, but the Gu Group is thriving under my brother's leadership. Also, my brother and I are on such good terms that besides my basic income of $500, 000 a month, he always gives me more than double that amount. What about you, Miss Nian? I hear you got married. To whom? A secretary?"
Emmett might be respected by people because of his identity as Carlos' secretary, but at the end of the day, he was not Carlos.
Debbie took her hand back. She smiled at what Portia said, but she didn't deny it. "What about him being a secretary? He works for Carlos Huo. You should know that anyone connected with Carlos is influential and powerful."
She exhaled and continued, "You get $500, 000 a month or double that? Isn't that peanuts the Gu Group pays some of its highest ranking members? I hate to break this to you, but my husband gives me more than ten times as much."
Aside from the bank cards Carlos gave her, the monthly revenues of Orchid Private Club alone were more than 50 million.
However, Portia had no idea about that. She thought Debbie was married to Emmett, the secretary. 'She is only the wife of a secretary. How dare she mock me!' she thought. Squinting at Debbie, she snorted, "Right. Anybody connected with Carlos is important and powerful, but don't you forget that he is not Carlos after all. He is still just a secretary. So, what are you gloating over? Are you really expecting me to believe that a secretary can give you that much as pocket money? Do you take me for a fool? Or is your husband corrupt?"
Debbie felt speechless. She had never said Emmett was her husband. Corrupt? Emmett would never do that. He was always honest. She felt bad about dragging him into this.
'Thank God I married Carlos. Otherwise, Portia and Gail would laugh at me for the rest of my life, ' she thought. "Whatever. I'm busy. Bye." Debbie didn't want to waste any more time on Portia.
"Stop!" Portia called out. She found Debbie had changed a lot. Power never scared her, but she was even prouder than before, not giving a damn about anybody else.
From the arrogant way Debbie carried herself, Portia began to suspect her husband was not Emmett but Carlos.
Debbie turned her head and said, "I always tolerated, humored and even flattered you. It was all because of your brother, but not anymore. From now on, I will humor neither you nor your brother."
"What do you mean? You are going to see my family as enemies?"
Debbie laughed scornfully, "Whatever." None of the Gu family mattered to her anymore, and she didn't give a hoot about what they thought of her.
With her head held high, Debbie walked away, leaving Portia guessing and clutching at straws. She acted calm, but her long fingernails stuck into her handbag, leaving deep marks.