With David nearby, the people around didn't dare to say anything more. They were all watching David's reaction.
"We're going to wish Mr. Barnes a happy birthday." David glanced at the few people with a cold gaze, took Danielle's hand, and left the banquet hall.
The whispers of the crowd in the banquet hall made Audrey's expression even gloomier. She wished she could tear Danielle apart on the spot.
"Well, is that all you amount to, Miss Audrey?" Cheryl said with a sarcastic smile, holding a glass of champagne.
Audrey glared at Cheryl.âAt least I'm still David's fiancée in the name. You are nothing. What qualifications do you have to laugh at me?â
"Don't be so angry. Maybe I can help you," Cheryl said with a smirk.
âYou help me? You indeed like David, so I think you just want to hurt me, right?â Audrey didn't believe Cheryl had any good intentions.
Cheryl kept smiling. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Why don't we find a quiet place to talk?"
"What do you think, Miss Harris?" Cheryl glanced at Emma, who was standing aside.
The three people stood together with different thoughts. They all looked down on each other, but at this moment, it was not impossible for them to cooperate against a common enemy.
*****
In the corner of the banquet hall.
Sebastian watched the scene with a smirk. Noticing how the three women were creating a drama, he thought to himself that a good show was about to unfold.
As long as David was present, Sebastian felt invisible. Everyone ignored him, eager to gain favor with David. Though he too was a child of the Charrington family, he couldn't understand why he wasn't the one who stood tall and powerful.
'David, I want everything you have now. Money, fame, status, women, I want it all.'
One day, when I step on you, I will return all the pain you have inflicted on me.
David brought Danielle to wish Giancarlo a happy birthday. "Mr. Barnes."
Giancarlo, dressed in a formal suit, sat solemnly at the head of the VIP seat and asked David with a smile, "Hello, David. Who is this young girl you brought?"
The heads of other big families also sat in the VIP room. Several families that had originally hoped for a marriage alliance with the Charrington family now looked at Danielle.
"She is my fiancée, Danielle." David publicly acknowledged Danielle's identity.
Those who were able to attend Giancarlo's birthday party were all prominent figures. David rarely appeared in public, but this time, he not only attended Giancarlo's birthday banquet but also publicly acknowledged Danielle's identity.
Everyone looked at Danielle with different expressions, and also looked at Audrey, shifting their attention back and forth between the two.
They were also curious about the opinions of Logan and Tara, who were seated in the VIP room At this moment, Audrey felt a chill deep in her heart as she noticed the way everyone was scrutinizing her. She didn't believe David would treat her like this and instead admitted Danielle's identity in public.
She clenched her fist until her nails dug into her flesh, but she didn't feel any pain.
Everyone at the banquet was curious about Danielle's family background and how she won David's heart.
Many people in the circle knew that the eldest daughter of the Darling family was engaged to David, but today David publicly admitted that his fiancée was someone else. This was an outright slap in the face to the Darling family.
"Danielle, come here." Tara looked at Danielle lovingly as if she were looking at her own granddaughter.
Danielle walked over to her and greeted, "Hello Tara, Logan, and Mr. Barnes."
"Well, Giancarlo, this is our future granddaughter-in-law, Danielle. Let me tell you, she's wonderful, smart, and beautiful. Our family is really lucky to have her!"
"You should also hurry up and urge your grandson to find a girlfriend, but you won't find one as good as Danielle."
Logan and Tara proudly praised Danielle without holding back.
Giancarlo snorted coldly and glanced at his useless grandson.
Caught by his grandfather's gaze, Joshua who was standing at the side sensed that the days ahead wouldn't be easy. He wondered if it was still too late to run.
"Danielle, just call me Giancarlo, and make yourself at home," Giancarlo said with a smile.
The way everyone looked at Danielle had changed from the beginning. Their gazes now carried respect. After all, Danielle was the future granddaughter-in-law that Logan and Tara had both acknowledged, and she would also be the mistress of the Charrington family in the future.
Some people had even begun to think about how to get on good terms with Danielle.
At that moment, Cheryl walked forward with the graceful smile of a lady from a prestigious family, carrying a gift. "Mr. Barnes, happy birthday. I wish you many more years of health and happiness."
Giancarlo returned to his usual seriousness. "Oh, you're already back from abroad!"
"Mr. Barnes, I just came back a few days ago. I wanted to visit you, but I've been busy lately. This is a birthday present for you."
Cheryl said confidently, her every move revealing the demeanor of a wealthy lady.
Inside the gift box was a set of the Four Treasures of the Study, a thoughtful gift Cheryl had carefully prepared. Knowing that Giancarlo loved calligraphy, she chose something that would suit his taste.
As expected, Giancarlo's eyes lit up with excitement when he saw the gift inside and picked up the inkstone.
Danielle also glanced at the Four Treasures of the Study. The quality of the items was top-notch. It was clear that Cheryl had put a lot of thought into the gift.
According to tradition, there were four famous types of inkstones, known as the Four Great Inkstones. They were Durable Stone, Moist Stone, Smooth Stone, and Clay Stone.
Moist Inkstone, also known as Tail-End Inkstone, was known for its hard and firm texture, fast ink absorption, protection of brush tips, and resistance to ink drying. Among them, those with Ripple and Eyebrow patterns were considered the best.
The inkstone that Cheryl gave was a Moist Inkstone with a "Ripple" pattern.
"Miss Locke, you've been very thoughtful," Giancarlo said with a smile.
"As long as you like it, I'm happy. It's just a small gesture of our appreciation as juniors," Cheryl said with both humility and respect.
Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David)
ï¤Chapter 170 "Mr. Locke, your granddaughter is quite impressive." Giancarlo smiled as he glanced at Tim, thinking that Cheryl's gift had indeed touched his heart.
"Tim smiled and glanced at Danielle. "Yes, Cheryl has always been a filial child," he said, unable to resist praising his granddaughter for standing out at the banquet.
"Grandpa," Cheryl said shyly.
Just then, Emma suddenly said, "I wonder what gift Miss Darling has prepared for Mr. Barnes?"
All eyes turned to Danielle.
Danielle glanced at Emma calmly. She had spared her at school before, but now Emma dared to show off in front of her again and again.
Seeing that Danielle hadn't moved, everyone began to whisper at each other.
"They speculated that Danielle had come to this birthday party without bringing a gift, which made her seem somewhat lacking in grace.
Just moments ago, they saw the head of the Charrington family had praised her so highly, but now it seemed Danielle was nothing special, unlike Cheryl who truly embodied the grace and poise of a wealthy heiress.
"Miss Darling, you didn't come without a gift, did you?" Emma said sarcastically.
A sharp look flashed across David's eyes, but Danielle gently patted his hand, calming him.
Danielle chuckled. "Of course, I brought a gift to wish Giancarlo's birthday. But I'm a little curious, what gift did you bring?"
Emma was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "Is this an excuse you're making up?"