The venue for the party was resplendent, and Jane and Patrick stood side by side in front of the revolving glass door, their images reflected in the mirrored surface.
Patrick turned to his fiancée, his gaze traveling over her figure, and said in a deep, resonant voice, "Shall we?"
After a moment's hesitation, Jane linked her arm with his, feeling that it would be odd for them to enter separately, given that she was his date for the party. Jane's unusual obedience elicited a surprised smile from Patrick.
As the couple walked in together, they immediately became the center of attention. Patrick, in his custom-made black suit, exuded an air of charm and charisma, capturing everyone's focus. Jane, equally striking, wore a long white evening gown that complemented her hourglass figure, exuding grace and allure that seemed to belong to a queen gracing her subjects.
All eyes were drawn to her. Reporters flocked to the couple, thrusting their microphones toward Patrick, inundating him with questions.
"Mr. Pansy, did you organize tonight's celebration for Jane?"
"Is there a wedding on the horizon?"
Morton stepped in, extending his arms to shield Patrick from the onslaught. "I'm sorry, Mr. Pansy cannot answer questions at the moment."
Jane leaned in closer to Patrick and commented, "These reporters have so many questions."
Patrick smiled in response. "As the fiancée of a man of my stature, you'll have to get used to it."
Jane was slightly flustered by his reference to her as his fiancée. She had already made her stance clear, but Patrick seemed to be acting as if she had agreed to marry him. The awkwardness prompted her to change the subject.
"By the way, how did you find out that Joe was the one who sold the design to Madeline?"
"Morton uncovered it," Patrick explained, his brow furrowed slightly. "Identifying the culprit was a walk in the park. Very few people had knowledge of the Ice and Fire design."
Jane, still puzzled, inquired, "But how is that possible? Joe wasn't involved in the project."
Patrick elaborated, "Cara was involved in the project, and Joe is her boyfriend."
"I see," Jane realized.
"But why would he do it? He must have known it could cost him his job and strain his relationship with Cara. Why take the risk?"
"Money can drive a greedy person to do just about anything," Patrick said with a shrug.
Money was indeed a powerful motivator, but Jane couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this story.
As they continued to talk, Patrick leaned in and playfully whispered in her ear, "Now it's my turn to ask you a question."
Jane was taken by surprise. "What would you like to know?"
"What's the deal between you and Nana? And when did you sign the authorization agreement?"
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