The young embarrassed.
and beautiful Zoe blushed instantly upon hearing Justinâs remarks, feeling quite
Ryan frowned. âJustin, are you mad at Zoe for trying to serve you with her own fork? She hasnât used it
yet, and she offered you the first bite.â Being a protective brother, Ryan immediately stepped forward to
defend his younger sister.
Quickly, Zoe apologized. âSorry, Justin. I didnât think it through.â
Zoe promptly switched to another fork and attempted to place a piece of fish on Justinâs plate, but he
stopped her once again.
âI can handle it myself.â
Zoe pouted. âI havenât been back in years. Justin, are you trying to distance yourself from me? We
used to share ice cream when we were kids!â
âThat was back when we were kids. Youâre not a child anymore.â Justin calmly responded as he looked
at the food. He picked up a small piece of crab meat and chewed it slowly..
Zoeâs heart tightened. Her face darkened as she dejectedly stuffed the fish into her mouth, chewing
with force.
Meanwhile, Justin surveyed the exquisite dishes on the table, reminiscing about the times Bella used to
cook for him. He understood the time and effort these dishes required. He knew Bella used to spend
the entire afternoon in the kitchen, enduring the smoke that made her face oily while holding back her
coughs. Yet he had never praised her, not even once.
Even if the dishes reached the level of a state banquet chef, Justin refused to acknowledge her. Each
time he ate her food, he found himself craving an extra serving.
An inexplicable pang hit his heart as he thought of the pitiful look in Bellaâs eyes, eagerly awaiting his
praise with starry eyes, only to be disappointed every time.
But after a brief moment of disappointment, Bella always regained her composure and smiled at him
cheerfully.
-âNext time, Iâll do even better!â
âNext time⦠Will there be a next time?â
With these thoughts, Justin lost his appetite. Even swallowing became difficult.
âJustin, Bethany mentioned youâve been busy with Ada Wangâs wedding. Are you competing with KS
World Hotel for the hosting rights?â
Not long after, Zoe chimed in, Sensing Justin might be interested in business matters, she propped her
chin on her hand and blinked her grape-sized eyes. She asked with an innocent look on her face, âI
heard that Ada Wang will be coming to Savrow in a few days. Justin, are you planning to host a
welcome banquet? Taking advantage of the situation can also promote the hotel. After all, Ada is an
international superstar!â
Justinâs charming eyes turned slightly cold, but his expression remained calm. What he disliked the
most was discussing business during family meals, especially when unrelated people inquired about
the internal affairs of his company.
âMm.â
âCan I help with anything?â Zoe blinked her eyes eagerly.
Justin declined Zoeâs offer. âThereâs no need.â
Zoe tried to showcase herself to Justin. âI can play piano pieces for Ada Wang and other guests! Itâs my
specialty!â
To Zoeâs dismay, Justin once again rejected her. âThereâs no need for that.â
**
Justin frowned slightly and decisively declined. âYou are the heiress of the Hoffman family. Itâs not
appropriate for you to entertain guests like that. Professionals will be hired to perform live.â
Zoeâs expression instantly fell. âSo, do you think that Iâm not professional enough?â
At this point, Justin had completely lost his appetite.
He initially attended the dinner reluctantly, not wanting to offend Mrs. Hoffman and Ryan, but he found
it increasingly annoying.
âJustin, Zoe is the top protege of a renowned pianist. Sheâs more than qualified to play at your
welcoming banquet. Just let her go.â Ryan chewed and spoke on behalf of his sister.
âYes, Justin. Zoe regards you as a brother, so let her help you this time.â Mrs. Hoffman, who doted on
her daughter, also advised him.
Zoe continued to plead with a pitiful expression. âJustin, I promise Iâll play exceptionally well. I wonât let
you down!â
Justin frowned and reluctantly nodded.
After the dinner, Justin bid farewell to the Hoffmans and left. Outside Hoffmansâ residence, Ian received
an important message and hurriedly conveyed it to Justin.
âMr. Salvador, thereâs a bit of an issue. Your plan has clashed with KS World Hotel on the same day!â
Justinâs face turned cold as he asked, âDid Bella prepare a welcoming banquet for Ada Wang on the
same day too?â