Eric Alexander Spencer, the handsome, blond-haired, blue-eyed young gentleman, was someone Yukino had only glanced at briefly in the Spencer family dossier her mother had sent her.
Her mother's evaluation of him had been short and to the point: naïve, rebellious, and easy to fool.
But Yukino hadn't expected him to be this easy to fool.
He had little sense of caution when it came to people close to him. It was one thing to be tricked by Eriri, but now…
Eric entered the banquet hall wearing a bright, sincere smile, followed by a wave of people behind him.
Right now, he was feeling absolutely triumphant.
Eric had grown up steeped in the expectations of his family. Though a bit rebellious, he still retained a basic sense of family honor.
It was the modern day — he had no interest in arranged marriages. Wasn't racing cars far more exciting?
And besides, according to Eriri, the Yukinoshita family's daughter had a notorious reputation for leaving a string of broken hearts behind her. She had supposedly dated — and dumped — more men than Eric had met in his lifetime. Even if he lost his mind, he'd have no interest in that sort of woman.
The old-fashioned family elders must have been out of their minds.
Of course, storming into the engagement banquet and making a scene would only be idiotic. That would ruin relations between the two families and jeopardize the Spencer family's business plans in Japan.
So, after a quick discussion with his cousin Eriri, Eric decided to hide out at a café outside the hotel for a while.
By the time his parents found him, the banquet would probably be halfway over. He could then claim he'd been delayed by an incident outside. That way, both families could save face while also understanding his stance on the matter.
Brilliant.
While Eric was sitting in the café, congratulating himself on his clever plan, he happened to run into an acquaintance — someone he'd met a few times back in England.
This acquaintance came from a wealthy and influential Japanese family. Eric's parents had once told him to stay on good terms with the young man.
Surprised to see Eric there, the young man asked directly, "I heard there's a Spencer family banquet today. What are you doing here drinking coffee? Wait — is this your engagement banquet?"
"Uh…"
"Who's your fiancée? Is she pretty?"
Who cares if she's pretty?
The idea of an arranged marriage was already embarrassing enough, but having someone he wasn't even close to find out about it was mortifying. He immediately wanted to deny it.
More importantly, he couldn't let it be known that he, the supposed main character, had skipped out on his own engagement banquet. That would humiliate both families.
"I was just about to head there," Eric lied smoothly, "but I spilled juice on my suit. I'm waiting for it to dry off. Hahaha…"
"Actually, it's not really an engagement banquet — just a gathering between families who do business together. My parents, my uncle, and several of our friends in Japan are all attending."
That was, in fact, the public explanation for the event. Both families had avoided calling it an engagement party, in keeping with a certain cultural sense of discretion. The guest list included over a hundred people, including friends of the Yukinoshita family.
The young man seemed convinced. He smiled. "In that case, mind if I drop by? I suppose I count as your friend, right?"
Why would you come to my engagement banquet?
Eric was about to refuse when a thought struck him. His expression brightened instantly. "Of course you can!"
If the banquet's purpose wasn't stated outright, then why not use this chance to completely change its tone?
Eric grabbed his friend's hand. "Actually, do you know any other friends in the city who are free right now? Call them all over! It'll be more fun with everyone there!"
The young man hesitated. "I mean… it's still your family's private banquet. Isn't that a little inappropriate?"
"Don't worry about it. I'll invite my friends too. My parents are always telling me to spend more time with good people like you. They'll be thrilled to see you there with your friends!"
He added with a grin, "Besides, your family probably wants you to meet more of Japan's up-and-coming families. This is the perfect opportunity."
That seemed to do it. "In that case, it would be my pleasure."
The young man's network was indeed impressive. After a few phone calls, a crowd of young people from various industries and families poured in. Even a certain elder-sister figure — well-known and well-liked among the upper circles — made an appearance.
Eric felt a twinge of guilt. Sorry, buddy. But this is for my own future. I can't let that woman get her hooks in me.
When this lively group entered the hotel, they immediately drew the attention of everyone in the banquet hall.
The adults, seasoned veterans of social games, exchanged knowing glances the moment they saw Eric at the front.
"Eric, who are these guests?"
A refined young woman with shoulder-length light brown hair stepped forward. After greeting the heads of the Spencer and Yukinoshita families, as well as several other family friends, she explained with a graceful smile:
"Eric is a good friend of my younger brother, so we were specially invited to the Spencer family's banquet today. I'm Mahiro Shijou of the Shijou family. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Sensing the slightly awkward atmosphere, she added with a touch of embarrassment, "Oh… didn't he mention it to you?"
The Spencer family head cast a cold glance at Eric, but when his eyes turned toward Mahiro Shijou, his expression warmed instantly.
"How could that be? It's an honor to have you here, Miss Shijou."
Mahiro laughed softly. "You startled me for a moment — I thought I might have done something inappropriate and disrupted your gathering."
At that moment, Yukino's mother, who had been in the middle of discussing business matters with the Spencer family head, came over with a glass of wine and a smile.
"We were merely talking about a potential business collaboration. I didn't expect to meet Miss Shijou here."
The Spencer family head echoed, "Indeed — a pleasant surprise."
After the greetings, Mahiro Shijou finally picked up a glass of wine and walked, smiling, toward the person seated at the table.
"I told you before — next time we meet, I won't be the one in a sorry state."
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