Chapter 2698
“Ms. Tanner,” Nolan nodded slightly, a wry smile playing at the edge of his lips. “I’m surprised you’re not a fan of the party scene either.”
Busted, Regina had no need to pretend. She smoothed her dress and casually held a few cookies she’d snagged from the kitchen. The truth was, she hadn’t had a chance to enjoy some snacks yet, and she was so hungry she could feel her stomach gnawing on itself.
“What, you don’t like it, so I’m not allowed to dislike it either? Mr. Harris is really laying it on thick tonight,” she sighed.
“People always think the bossy ones are bossy until they get called out themselves. So, what? You still think I took your spot? Even after finding out who I am, you should realize that’s not the case.”
Regina rolled her eyes as she bit into a cookie, “Just because you’re a CEO doesn’t mean you can’t take my spot. I can afford a ticket just as well as you can, you know? You keep saying Dahlia saved you a seat, but even you guys can make mistakes, right? I can’t stand the way you lot always act so superior. Like everything’s my fault, when it’s clearly caused by someone else.”
Seeing Regina chomping down on her snack as if unleashing all her frustration, Nolan couldn’t help but think she was picturing the biscuit as him.
“If you were just another reporter from a different walk of life, Ms. Tanner, I’d get your point. But aren’t you one of us? Your position certainly seems to be among the elite,”
Nolan remarked.
As Regina’s chewing slowed, she reflected on Nolan’s words. She detested all of this, yet wasn’t she part of it?
If she hadn’t begged a friend to snag a ticket, she wouldn’t have been able to see Dahlia perform at all.
And with everything that had happened tonight, she felt utterly disheartened. No matter how much she struggled, her background seemed to dictate everything.
Not to mention her father’s relentless matchmaking, parading a lineup of suitable bachelors in front of her, all to forge an alliance that would raise their family status even higher.
Did Nolan really not understand the nature of this banquet? Her naive words in his presence now seemed bitterly ironic.
“You’re right, Mr. Harris. I’m just like that,” Regina said, her voice a mere whisper of resignation.
Nolan turned to look at her, slightly startled. There she was, wilting like a touch-me-not, her usual spark gone.
What surprised him was that despite her privileged upbringing, she didn’t carry the calculating demeanor of her peers. Instead, she retained a certain innocence, a rarity given her family’s current state.
“Ms. Tanner, you seem quite unhappy. Is it because I’ve hit a nerve?” Nolan asked, his tone softening.
Regina let out a sarcastic laugh, shaking her head in defeat. “It’s just the realization that there’s no point in arguing. Even though I worked hard to earn my place at New Blossom Press, it seems to make no difference. As long as I bear the Lowell name, I’ll always carry the weight of this family’s reputation. No matter how hard I try, no one will recognize my abilities for what they are.”
