Stuck in you

"Yes," Rick answered. When he failed to Lea, he joked about it. "Lucas came with two beauties. The other one is like fire while this one is like ice. He is really fortunate to be able to bring two beautiful women here."

The last sentence was meant as a hidden taunt that men could easily comprehend the meaning.

It was the kind of joke that Jack would normal laugh upon hearing it.

However, this one sounded a little harsh to him. It seemed that Rick wanted to imply that there was there was something between Rachel and Lucas.

He pursed his lips, not saying anything more.

Rick never expected that he had invited Jack's wife and mistress to the party.

Jack's disinterest was eventually noticed by Rick, and it made him wonder whether his jests lacked its usual kick.

He lightly cleared his throat and immediately shifted the topic. He started to talk about corporate plans and Jack's interest was finally piqued by the new topic.

Rick paused to think about the plans and eventually decided to get it all done with Jack. Although he had already signed contracts with several hospitals, the health care hospitals of the MK Group and the Zhou family's hospital were his two major targets because of their longstanding reputation.

Rick was an ambitious man, and he wanted to capture fifty percent of the medical market of Ninwell City.

The lights on the host platform finally lit up.

The host walked up to the stage, approached the microphone stand and adjusted it. Loud applause filled the area as Rick was about to start his speech.

Rachel turned towards the direction of the balcony. She wondered how Lea could be so heartless and leave without warning.

"What brings you here?" Michael asked.

"My friend was invited. And I came with him," she replied casually.

Michael burst into laughter at her reply. "Do you know that Jack is here too?" he asked with a wink.

He briefly looked around the gathered crowd until his sight stopped at the row right in front of the stage. He turned to Rachel and twitched his lips to direct her to look at where his lips were pointing. "There, front row," he said to her as she leaned forward to look.

Rachel followed the line of seats in front of the small stage. At length, she saw someone familiar among the crowd.

And true enough, Jack was there. He listened attentively to the speech that was being delivered on the stage. One hand was in his pocket and the other held a glass of champagne. He looked downward for a moment and suddenly turned his head towards her direction when he sensed that someone was looking at him.

between them and locked on each other. Rachel eventually looked away as if

she was caught peeping at

turned her head, she saw Michael with a hand on his lips, trying hard

not aware how red her face had become, she decided to look away before anyone else

to understand what was being said at

at the decorations and forced herself to be calm as she waited for the blush on

glances of Michael and Marcus exchanged were made obvious for her. They

turned towards the stage and saw Rick

applauded once more when

as the applause faded. He twisted his lips into a slight

project is both

party today. The other reason is that

everyone present. They thought rick's mother was living abroad.

"When I returned home to start my career, my mother passed away in an accident.

his eyes after he spoke as he tried to hide the buildup of emotion on his face.

the years that have passed by, I thought that the wait was

reveal his past to the crowd

I want to do something to help

that I will not be able to help everyone, but I will do my best to help as many people that

was eloquent and expressed himself

his speech was not as stimulating as it should

words that

then raised his voice slightly as he delivered the next lines of his speech. "I invited all of you to come

clapped his hands. A loud burst of applause followed his example soon

his nose with his finger and leaned forward to

to say and touched him slightly as a signal. Michael understood what Marcus meant to say and

it was difficult to for the rest of the people

suit. He then cleared his

the host was over and yet Lea was still nowhere to be found. Even Lucas had disappeared

of them came to the party together,

sneak away from them, Michael suddenly

find Jack together, shall we?"