"What are you saying? Which one of them?" Lee asked. "The tall one or the dark one? Because to me, the other one, though young, is beautiful."
"She is too young," Drake said. "It seems to me like she is merely nineteen."
"Yes, that's the lady with a great reputation at the imperial university," Edmond said. "At sixteen, she was already a Ph.D. holder, and as we speak, she is a third-year student achieving her second Ph.D."
Drake gasped. "What...? Are you for real?"
"Yes, my dear brother. Am I for real? Hahaha! This is the first time I'm meeting a woman as genius as Edward," Edmond replied.
Carl narrowed his eyes, studying her. "Have a closer look at her. Though she's in expensive clothes, shoes, and carrying a luxury clutch, she is cold and distant."
Eller couldn't waste any more time standing there; she was eager to show off her gorgeous friends to her brothers.
"Excuse me, guys," Eller interrupted, stepping forward. "Let me introduce you to my brothers. Jessy, Ruby, and Tasha—these are my brothers. You can introduce yourselves," she added with a smile.
"Hello, young masters. I'm Tasha You..." She trailed off, unable to finish her full name.
"Tasha Young...?" Lee completed for her. "Oh my goddess, so the only Princess from the Young family is this beautiful? The one who never stayed at home, never appeared in public, and has always supported herself? Nice to meet you, Miss."
"Nice to meet you, too," Tasha said softly.
"Hello, great young men of the imperial city. I am Ruby. Nice to meet you," she said, offering a elegant bow.
Ruby was different from Tasha; she carried an undeniable air of royalty, proving she was anything but simple. She certainly wasn't a woman from an ordinary background.
"Just Ruby?" Lee asked, intrigued.
"Ruby Qin. I'm not from the imperial capital or City K," she clarified.
Drake laughed, thoroughly amused. "You are Princess Ruby? From the southern kingdom? Haha, this group of ladies is truly mysterious."
"I'm Jessy Williams," Jessy chimed in. "I am also not from the Imperial Capital or City K, but I have been staying in City K."
Carl blinked in surprise. "Oh, sister-in-law? You are too young, we didn't know about it!"
"Sister-in-law?" Ruby asked, her brow furrowing. "When did our master get married?"
Jessy looked equally confused. "Exactly. I am only eighteen years old. When did I get married?"
"Oh, we're probably just acting as matchmakers," Lee teased. "We shipped you and our dragon brother."
Jessy's expression turned icy immediately, and the temperature in the air dropped, radiating a heavy, dangerous intent.
"Eller, I need some rest," Jessy said, cutting through the chatter.
"Oh, our boss is pregnant; she needs some rest," Tasha announced protectively.
"Yes, and the room should be completely free from any sort of perfume," Ruby added.
"What? Are you for real?" This time, it was Eller and the brothers' turn to widen their eyes in shock.
"Yeah, I am," Jessy confirmed quietly.
All this time, Edmond and Edward had remained quiet, carefully observing the three girls. But Jessy was clearly outstanding.
"This young girl has an odd air around her. Why can't we find anything about her history?" Edward murmured.
"She has never appeared in public, yet she has been living in this nation this whole time?" Lee mused.
Edward frowned, his mind racing. "I need you all to help me find the root of this jade pendant. I think if we trace it, we will finally understand who she is."
"To think that Eller, the mysterious Princess Ruby, and Tasha Young all call her 'master'... I think she is something else entirely," Drake said in awe.
Meanwhile, the emcee stepped onto the stage, his voice booming over the speakers to announce the grand opening of the occasion.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the grand opening for our beautiful young lady, Miss Eller Gray! This is her first jewelry launch in the market. She has partnered with Golden Empire and Pinnacle Garments to make sure this day is a great success and a true victory!" he shouted. "Now, let's welcome the lady of the occasion!"
Eller walked onto the platform, which was beautifully engraved with a Summer/Winter theme. With a bright smile, she held the microphone and cleared her throat.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe most of you know me, but to those who don't, I am Eller, the Co-CEO of the Eller Jewelry line. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support, and to thank my family and brothers. Thank you so very much for coming today."
She took a breath before continuing. "I also cannot forget to thank my master and the head CEO for her guidance. She taught me a lot. We actually met on the Internet and became friends. I never imagined that a simple encounter could lead to this great empire. My partners from Gold Empire and Pinnacle Garment are here today. Please come up and say hi!" she said, stepping back.
The two beautiful women emerged from the VIP seats.
"Thank you, sister Eller," Tasha began, addressing the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Tasha from the Golden Empire of fashion. In our brand, we don't have a traditional head, but we are proud partners with a great boss. Thank you for your support, we love you! I welcome my partner."
Ruby stepped up next. "Thank you, sister Eller. Ladies and gentlemen, this is our first time appearing in public. Thank you for putting your trust in us. Our boss is here today, but she is currently unwell. Our young master is also on his way, so please pardon our boss's absence."
Ruby smiled warmly, announcing the perks. "To show our gratitude, we are adding an exclusive offer for the VIP customers of Golden and Pinnacle Garments, along with some secret surprise prizes. Our supporters will also receive special gifts. Just text your number to our page, we will do the evaluation, and you will receive a call from us! Furthermore, the first thirty customers to purchase our jewelry designs will receive a grand surprise."
Ruby's voice rang out powerfully through the speakers. "In fact, the first three customers will receive our latest elite models: the Queen J sports car, the Will J, and the limited-edition Ghost limousine."
In the front row, the five most powerful men in the nation stood up simultaneously, their chairs screeching loudly against the floor.
"Ghost?" Lee whispered, his face turning pale. "Those are the prototype names from the Netherworld Organization. How does a jewelry launch have access to them?"
Edward didn't speak. His eyes were locked dead on Jessy, who was being gently led to the VIP rest area by Tasha. She looked pale, her hand resting instinctively over her stomach. Pregnant? The word echoed in his mind like a thunderclap. He felt the heavy weight of the White Jade pendant resting in his pocket. The timeline... the scent... the jade...
"Thank you all, and please enjoy the occasion," Ruby concluded.
"Now, let the celebration begin!" Eller cheered.
Of course, Ruby had no idea that her casual announcement had just shocked five of the most powerful men into standing up.
"What did she just say?" Lee asked, his hands shaking.
"Didn't Boss Ghost say that limousine was reserved strictly for his business partner?" Carl asked, bewildered.
Drake looked from the stage to the VIP doors. "And Eller? Her boss is a young girl... Jessy. Is this young woman somehow related to Ghost? She said her boss is a young lass... just who on earth is she?"