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Since Charlie had agreed to go to the class reunion, Claire reminded him, “We need to prepare some gifts for the opening of Douglas’s restaurant. We can’t show up empty-handed.”

Charlie nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll buy a gift for him tomorrow morning.”

“Great!” Claire replied. “I have to stop by the Emgrand Group office tomorrow morning.”

Loreen, surprised, interjected, “Is that so? Then why not swing by my office afterward? I can carpool to Douglas’s restaurant with you around noon.”

Claire smiled playfully. “Well, you might want to reconsider that idea! I don’t actually have a car. I usually take the taxi or the bus, and sometimes Charlie gives me a ride on his scooter.”

“What?” Loreen exclaimed, sounding incredulous. “Come on, you’re a director now! Why haven’t you bought yourself a car?”

“I just started working and haven’t made much money yet. My salary mainly goes toward our expenses, and I also give my mom an allowance. By the end of the month, I’m usually left with about a thousand dollars, which isn’t enough to buy a car,” Claire explained. “Honestly, I enjoy riding the bus; it’s quite convenient. Plus, riding on Charlie’s scooter on a nice day is a lot of fun too.”

Loreen replied earnestly, “Listen, miss, you don’t have to be extravagant, but you need to recognize your current status. You’re the director of Wilson Group now, and you’re also a partner at Emgrand. Some people might look down on you if you don’t even have a car.”

Charlie felt Loreen had a point. His wife had always been overly frugal. She handed most of her salary to her mother and didn’t keep much for herself. Meanwhile, his mother-in-law was quite the spender, keeping most of Claire’s earnings for herself. Instead of allowing Claire to use a couple of hundred thousand dollars to buy a car, she would rather invest a million dollars of the family’s savings in a dubious financial scheme. Charlie decided he should buy a car for Claire; it would make it easier for her to get around and enhance her professional image during business meetings. Resolute, he planned to visit a car dealership early the next morning.

***

After dinner, the couple said goodbye to Loreen and took a taxi home together. During their ride, the DJs on the radio were chatting about the charter of the Shangri-La Sky Garden. They were all astonished, as this marked the first time in history that Shangri-La was closing off the entire Sky Garden for an event. The DJs were curious about the individual behind this decision and their background. The taxi driver chimed in, “In my opinion, it must be that mysterious rich guy everyone talks about online!” Charlie listened intently, feeling a bit surprised. It seemed that the announcement regarding the Sky Garden had created quite a stir in Aurous Hill! The news spread rapidly, and soon everyone in the city was discussing it. Everyone knew that the Shangri-La Hotel operated on a membership basis, with only the elite members allowed access to the Sky Garden. And as for chartering the space, not even Diamond members had that privilege! Therefore, the person who managed to secure the charter had quickly become a hot topic of conversation. Some speculated that he was the enigmatic figure from the Internet; others suggested he was a wealthy foreigner. There were even rumors that he was a mysterious individual planning a lavish and romantic wedding. The third rumor seemed to gain the most traction! The news sent shockwaves throughout the city!

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