âHaha!â Gerald Graves laughed out loud, âBro, stop joking!â
The Howard Family head gatecrashing the party? Impossible! Itâs just a minor birthday celebration of mine, how could it possibly catch Roy Howardâs attention? The only person at the whole birthday feast who could possibly invite such a prestigious guest was Gavin Graves!
Gerald was in high spirits and approached Roy Howard with a beaming smile, followed by the Graves Familyâs uncles and other senior relatives.
After a round of cordial greetings, Roy Howardâs bodyguard delivered a gift.
Gerald was over the moon; it didnât matter what the gift was, what mattered was, how many people in Wheatley could boast of receiving a personal gift from the Howard Family head?! This fact alone was enough to let him show off for an entire year!
Roy Howard took off his sunglasses, revealing his beguiling dark eyes, and said with a smile, âSecond Young Master Graves, happy birthday.â
Gerald was thrilled to death, âThank you, thank you! Itâs such an unexpected delight to have Master Xander grace us with his presence!â
Gavin could barely stand his younger brotherâs obsequious fawning and shot him a disdainful glance, but Gerald was completely oblivious, caught up in his ongoing excitement.
Gavin gestured invitingly to Roy Howard, âPlease come inside.â
Such an esteemed guest naturally deserved to be well-entertained.
Yet Roy Howard was all ease and relaxation, smiling demurely, âYoung Master Graves, go ahead with your duties. Thereâs no need to fuss over me especially. Iâm just here to have some fun and relax today.â
Geraldâs fondness for Roy Howard grew immensely at that moment!
He always thought his elder brother was too stiff and serious, knowing nothing but work and not how to have fun, despite having started off in the entertainment industry. But look at the family headâa true-life connoisseur, someone who understood leisure!
âMaster Xander, Iâve specially invited the number one magician from overseas today to add to the excitement. I hope you have a great time and thoroughly enjoy yourself,â Gerald said.
âIs it John Kennell?â Roy Howard replied with a smile, âHeâs fantastic. We had him at our casinoâs anniversary celebration too. Second Young Master Graves, you have good taste.â
âYou like him too?!â Gerald was delighted, feeling a sense of kinship with Roy Howard, âMy favorite performance of his was the one in Vienna; it was simply sublime, the embodiment of incredible imagination!â
As the two of them walked and talked, seeing that Roy Howard was unusually approachable today, other guests also stepped forward to greet him. Roy Howard responded with smiles, mingling and exchanging pleasantries with various people at ease.
Purple Summers noticed Roy Howardâs striking appearance from afar, curling her lips in a smile and spoke with disdain, âShowing off like a big peacockâ¦ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âPurple, what are you saying?â Zara Jameson, who hadnât heard clearly, asked curiously.
âHmm? Itâs nothing.â Purple Summers said with a smile, âI was just saying that Second Young Master Gravesâ birthday party is quite lively.â
âYeah, itâs not even a milestone birthday, yet itâs such a grand spectacleâ¦â remarked Zara, not understanding.
Jane McCain immediately leaned in, âYou donât know, do you? Though itâs called a birthday party, itâs actually arranged by Young Master Graves specifically for Violet Nelson to meet the promising young men of the Graves Family. Didnât you notice? All of Young Master Gravesâ half-brothers are almost all here.â
âAh, thatâs trueâ¦â
â¦
Violet Nelson sat among a circle of young ladies of status, like a princess with all eyes on her.
She had thought Gavin to be the most outstanding man she had ever met, but today she was fortunate enough to meet the head of the Howard Family.
âHeâs so young,â whispered one of the ladies to her friend.
âYeah, itâs said heâs three or four years younger than Young Master Gravesâ¦â
âTo become the family head at such a young age, thatâs truly unprecedented. I had always thought the Howard family head would be an old man.â
âHe doesnât have a female companion with himâ¦â
The women eyed the man in the distance, their cheeks flushing and eyes shimmering, especially when someone mentioned that Roy Howard didnât bring a partner. Each one of them seemed eager to try their luck.
But out of propriety, they hesitated and didnât dare to approach him carelessly.
After all, he was the head of the Howard Familyâgiven the chance to make his acquaintance, who wouldnât want to take a shot?