Marrying the Man in the Dark

Chapter 1199 Lighthearted Banter

Lucy swiveled her head from side to side in refusal. "You're still the Gray Group's CEO at the end of the day. How can I ask you to help me with such trivialities?"

"No one really acknowledges me as the CEO, anyway. That title is just a façade."

A wry chuckle escaped Colin's lips as he continued, "Furthermore, contributing to this project alongside you gives me something to concentrate on. It's a welcome change from the monotony."

"Forcing me to face those two stern faces back in the company daily would send me over the edge!"

Lucy's brow furrowed in thought, her eyes narrowing slightly before she responded, "Suit yourself."

As scheduled, Violet's birthday party took place three days later.

The Yatesville Starlight Hotel shimmered with opulence, its lavish furnishings complemented by dazzling lighting that bathed the venue in a celestial glow.noveldrama

Before Lucy arrived that afternoon, she preemptively swallowed a handful of painkillers to alleviate the discomfort gnawing at her stomach.

Standing in the heart of the hotel venue, Lucy was fully engrossed in coordinating logistics with the walkie-talkie pressed to her ear.

Standing in the periphery of the venue, Mandy stood beside Colin, a furrow on her brow. "Did she truly declare she won't be involved anymore after this project?"

Colin met her gaze with a solemn nod. "That's precisely what she conveyed to me."

"Alright," Mandy replied softly, exhaling a heavy sigh.

In truth, Mandy harbored reservations about Lucy taking charge of Violet's

birthday celebration. Yet, despite her misgivings, Lucy remained resolute.

Thus, Mandy could only observe from a distance, silently hoping that Lucy's plans would unfold without a hitch.

Drawing in a deep breath, Mandy retrieved her phone for the third occasion, dialing Cherise's number with a sense of urgency.

Since that fateful night when Lucy had overindulged, three days had passed without Mandy seeing Cherise. According to Damien, Cherise had been battling illness, isolating herself in her room and shunning contact with everyone.

Each attempt to call Cherise ended abruptly, suggesting deliberate disconnection. "Ugh, just in the world is happening?!" Mandy muttered aloud, frustration evident in her voice.

Exhaling in defeat, she added with a tone of helplessness, "They're both insistent on not granting me any peace of mind, aren't they?"

Colin, deeply engrossed in the tasks Lucy had set before him, smiled as he glanced over at Mandy. "What's the latest with Cherise?"

"She claims she's unwell, shuts herself away in her room all day, and hasn't seen anyone," Mandy sighed wearily. "But I suspect it's more about her rift with Damien."

"What illness could she have gotten that's so terrible to the extent that she's unable to answer a phone call? Seems more like she's upset, too lazy to pick up," Mandy mused aloud.

Meanwhile, Colin continued to fasten balloons to the wall. "Your friends do seem rather emotional."

Mandy couldn't help but roll her eyes, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Isn't every woman?"

Women, Mandy reflected, were inherently more emotional than men, placing a higher premium on friendships and being more susceptible to emotional wounds.

"You're different," Colin remarked casually.

Leaping off the table with a faint smile, he continued, "You possess a fiery

demeanor, showing more assertiveness than the majority of men."

Mandy couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "That's only because no man meets my standards, okay!"

"You're not wrong," Colin agreed, unfazed.

As he moved the table and affixed balloons to another wall, Colin pondered aloud, "I'm curious to know what kind of remarkable man could manage a passionate woman like yourself."

In a playful gesture, Mandy kicked the table he had just vacated. "That person will come in due time!"

With a sigh, Mandy navigated around and eased into a chair near them.

"I'm genuinely curious; what kind of man catches the interest of someone like you?" Colin persisted, teasingly grinning.

Since returning home and taking on responsibilities involving his uncle's matters, Aunt Dorothy's affairs, issues within the Gray family, and Lucy's ongoing problems, Colin hadn't truly allowed himself to relax and enjoy a moment in a long while.

Oddly enough, bantering with Mandy managed to elicit genuine smiles from him on occasion.

It wasn't that Colin found Mandy disagreeable; rather, he was genuinely intrigued. How would this woman, who thrived in the corporate world yet displayed a playful side among her friends, behave around a man she admired?

"Why does it matter to you?" Mandy retorted, rolling her eyes. She retrieved her phone from her pocket, tapped open the comics she had downloaded into her favorites folder, and began scrolling.