Chapter 238: The Company Banquet

After leaving the private restaurant, Luca and Cecelia didn’t return to the company.

Instead, he drove her straight home.

He couldn’t stop her from working when he wasn’t around, but now that he was here, there was no way he was letting her go back to the office.

It wasn’t that he wanted to take away her freedom to work.

He simply wanted her to rest properly until the baby was born.

After all, he had more than enough money to support both mother and child.

...

"Luca, what are you doing?"

Sitting on the sofa, Cecelia reached over and lightly smacked the back of his head, laughing as she looked down at him.

Luca had his ear pressed against her stomach with the utmost seriousness.

"I’m listening."

He didn’t even lift his head.

"Maybe I’ll hear something."

She couldn’t hold back her laughter.

"It’s only been a few days."

"What could you possibly hear?"

Even so...

Her smile softened.

Knowing how much Luca cared about the baby filled her heart with warmth.

Her fingers gently combed through his slightly prickly hair.

"Luca..."

"Do you want a boy or a girl?"

Only then did he sit upright.

After thinking for a moment, he smiled.

"Either one."

Truthfully, he hadn’t thought that far ahead.

He’d considered the possibility ever since he and Cecelia had stopped using protection, but hearing the confirmation still caught him by surprise.

There hadn’t even been time to think about the baby’s gender.

Besides...

With so many women in his life, he wasn’t worried about never having both a son and a daughter.

Sooner or later, he’d probably have both.

...

The two spent the rest of the afternoon quietly watching television together.

By evening, they headed to the restaurant where the company banquet was being held.

Many employees had already arrived.

The moment Luca walked into the banquet hall hand in hand with Cecelia...

The entire room erupted.

"Good evening, President Hale!"

"Good evening, Madam!"

Scattered laughter followed the greeting.

Luca simply smiled and waved casually.

Cecelia, however, blushed from head to toe.

She instinctively tried to pull her hand free, only to discover Luca holding it even tighter.

Realizing resistance was useless, she lowered her head and avoided everyone’s eyes.

Deep inside, she regretted waiting for him in the parking lot.

She should’ve gone inside first.

If she’d slipped into the restaurant before he parked the car, none of this would’ve happened.

Instead...

He’d insisted on holding her hand and walking in together.

With so many colleagues watching...

How could she possibly stay calm?

Especially when she could clearly feel all those teasing, meaningful looks.

At that moment, she wished the floor would simply open up and swallow her whole.

...

Originally, Luca planned to sit beside Cecelia.

Before he could even pull out a chair, Vice President Fredrick and several senior executives dragged him over to their table.

Meanwhile, Roseline and Jessie happily pulled Cecelia toward the secretariat’s table.

"President Hale."

Fredrick handed him a microphone.

"Would you like to say a few words before dinner begins?"

Luca accepted it with a helpless smile.

Back when he was an ordinary employee, the thing he hated most about company dinners was the endless speeches before anyone was allowed to eat.

Most of them were nothing more than empty motivational slogans.

He’d been at the bottom himself.

He knew exactly what employees actually wanted.

Walking to the front, he picked up the microphone.

"Let’s skip the long speech."

"I hope everyone eats well, drinks well, and enjoys tonight."

"Oh..."

"And tomorrow’s a day off."

"Just report to work at 2 p.m."

"That’s all."

"Let’s eat."

For a brief second...

The hall fell silent.

Everyone had been expecting another lengthy speech like the ones Gordon Luiz used to give.

Instead...

Luca spoke for less than a minute.

Better yet...

They didn’t have to wake up early tomorrow.

No worrying about drinking too much.

No dragging themselves into work with a hangover.

For a moment, everyone shared the same thought.

’If only Gordon had been arrested earlier...’

’If only President Hale had become our boss sooner...’

The next second, thunderous applause, whistles, and cheers filled the hall.

"President Hale is amazing!"

"He’s the most handsome boss ever!"

"Wishing President Hale and Madam a lifetime of happiness!"

"May you have a beautiful baby soon!"

...

At Cecelia’s table...

Roseline leaned close and whispered mischievously,

"Cecelia..."

"I wish you a smooth delivery."

Cecelia was already embarrassed by everyone’s teasing.

Roseline’s words made her face turn even redder.

She shot the younger woman a helpless glare before picking up a piece of meat with her fork and dropping it into Roseline’s bowl.

"Eat."

"Maybe that’ll keep you quiet."

Roseline burst into laughter, happily popping the meat into her mouth.

"So delicious."

One of the women at the table suddenly stood and raised her glass.

"Cecelia."

"Thank you for taking such good care of us."

"Here’s a toast."

The others quickly followed.

Normally, Cecelia would’ve at least taken a small sip.

But now...

She absolutely couldn’t drink.

Smiling apologetically, she lifted her juice instead.

"I’m not feeling very well today."

"I’ll toast everyone with this instead."

No one tried to pressure her.

Now that everyone knew she was President Hale’s girlfriend, nobody dared insist she drink alcohol.

Roseline and Jessie quietly exchanged relieved looks.

The two of them had almost stood up to stop everyone.

After all...

Only they knew Cecelia was pregnant.

...

At the executives’ table...

Several managers attempted to toast Luca.

He politely declined each one.

He’d never been much of a drinker.

Unless he was with close friends like Vivienne or Julian Cruz, he usually avoided alcohol altogether.

Although everyone felt slightly disappointed that they couldn’t share a drink with him...

The banquet itself was more than enough to satisfy them.

Lobsters.

Steak.

An endless selection of premium seafood and delicacies.

Everything was available without limit.

Even the group’s senior executives couldn’t help feeling impressed.

For people at their level, eating meals like this wasn’t unusual.

But that was usually for a handful of executives.

Tonight...

Luca was treating every employee at headquarters.

The total cost would easily exceed a hundred thousand dollars.

Even Vice President Fredrick, who earned well over a hundred thousand dollars a month, couldn’t help admiring Luca’s generosity.

As for the ordinary employees...

This meal alone would become a story they’d proudly tell family and friends for years.

A few employees had skipped the banquet because they already had evening plans.

After seeing the photos their coworkers posted online...

They regretted it instantly.

’If I’d known the food was this incredible...’

’Who cares about a date?’

...

The banquet ended with everyone thoroughly satisfied.

Once dinner was over, Luca took Cecelia with him to the front desk.

The restaurant owner hurried over the moment he saw them.

"President Hale."

Luca smiled.

"Was the advance payment not enough?"

The owner nodded before handing him the final bill.

"We’re still short by fifty-seven thousand dollars."

"If you could transfer another fifty-seven thousand, everything will be settled."

Luca glanced over the bill.

The numbers matched perfectly.

Without another word, he took out his phone and transferred the remaining balance.