Chubby Mommy: Scheming Daddy, Surrender Now!-Chapter 412: Meeting Hot Guys

When the plane landed, Ruby Sullivan held Ethan Sterling’s hand just as she had when it took off, and this time, Ethan said "thank you" as he let go.

Ruby smiled, "You’re welcome, humanitarian aid." After saying that, she pushed her suitcase and walked ahead.

She knew that this thank you was something he would say when they were together, but now it felt awkward, like they had reached a point where they needed to thank each other for even the smallest things. Of course, she knew she was overthinking it, but often that’s how it is—knowing is one thing, but that awkward feeling just doesn’t go away.

Ethan Sterling smiled slightly as he got up to collect his luggage. Several passengers passed by him, and by the time he stood upright and looked for her again, she was nowhere to be seen.

He wasn’t worried about losing her, just a bit concerned for her safety since it was already early morning. Ethan still wasn’t savvy enough to know that she had friends picking her up, and Howard was still at odds with him, refusing to disclose anything about Ruby Sullivan.

On the other hand, Ruby intended to wait for Ethan for a bit but saw Luna waving at her from a distance.

Luna had grown a bit more voluptuous in the past two years, and her shiny hip-hugging skirt exposed every flaw in her figure. Ruby knew this was what Luna liked, and as long as she was happy, she didn’t care about others’ opinions.

Despite her unique aesthetic, she was a renowned personal shopper for several celebrities and tycoons within their circle.

So, it wasn’t that her sense of style was flawed, just that she couldn’t quite recognize herself.

"Oh, darling, long time no see." After hugging Ruby, Luna took the suitcase Ruby was pushing. "I’ve prepared a late-night snack. You’ll surely enjoy it."

"Can I refuse? I don’t want to be unable to zip up my dress for the party tomorrow."

"No worries. I can always prepare another dress for you. Do you want a queen style or a princess style?"

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Ruby had no choice but to agree with a smile. After dropping her luggage at the hotel, she changed into an oversized T-shirt and form-fitting denim shorts that could just be tucked into her hem, and followed Luna out the door.

During her four years working at The Lawson Group in Euronia, Ruby had made numerous connections within the European fashion industry. However, after returning home, she hadn’t kept in touch, and hadn’t even asked them to help promote Nirvana. It wasn’t out of arrogance; Nirvana just hadn’t launched in Euronia yet.

So, since she had the chance to meet up this time, of course, she planned to make good use of the resources she’d accumulated. Once the deal with Alex was made, these people would be her best allies.

Ruby hadn’t expected to see Ethan Sterling at the lobby desk checking in. She froze for a moment, and Ethan furrowed his brow, looking somewhat displeased.

"Heading out this late?"

"Mm-hmm." Ruby felt his gaze was rather piercing, making her feel as though she’d been caught doing something wrong. It was true she felt guilty, but she also rationally wondered why she should feel this way.

Luna saw her suddenly become like a little girl and glanced at the "authority figure" not far away, questioning, "Your boyfriend?" Then, realizing something was off, she added, "Your ex-husband?" Her friends had heard from the news about Ruby’s marriage and subsequent divorce, but they weren’t familiar with Ethan Sterling.

However, since he was just an ex-husband, shouldn’t she display pride instead of being so timid? Luna felt a bit sorry for her friend’s reaction, gently holding her hand and laughing, "Let’s go. There are plenty of single handsome guys tonight, and we can get acquainted with them."

She deliberately said this loud enough for Ethan to hear, and intentionally with a cheerful tone, speaking in English just to ensure Ethan understood.

Ruby understood her friend’s intention and could only give a wry smile in acknowledgment of her good will.

Ethan frowned, "Drink less; it’s bad for your health." He spoke in French.

Ruby pretended not to hear, withdrew her gaze, and gave Luna a faint smile, "Let’s go."

Once they got in the car, Luna remarked angrily, "Wenny, you become a different person in front of that man." Then a thought crossed her mind, and she suspiciously asked, "How coincidental is it that he’s also checking in? Did you come here together?"

Ruby exhaled longly, "It’s a long story, but let’s talk about tonight’s party instead."

"Right, let’s not talk about unhappy things." Luna, being a social butterfly, was adept at knowing when to stop, and soon began describing the friends they would meet later.

The gathering place was a well-known cocktail bar in The Eighth District. During their conversation, the car drove along Elysian Avenue, exiting the main road and entering a small lane, revealing a structure resembling a converted old warehouse. Outside, a huge neon sign displayed the vintage name Labière (French for beer) with an image of a tilted beer bottle pouring into a glass.

Though it appeared worn-out, how could a pub in The Eighth District truly be shabby? In reality, it was one of the top-notch bars in Caelus, not only with excellent inside security but also attended by mostly non-ordinary people.

It was nearing half past midnight now, and according to Ruby’s knowledge, the place would close at two. She guessed that the people she needed to see would likely have had enough to drink by now, as her objective was just to show face and exchange a few casual words before leaving.

Besides, like Luna, she could drink some non-alcoholic cocktails, with no fear of getting drunk.

But upon entering, her expression changed slightly. Even though friends came over to hug and tease her, she couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.

There was a man here who disgusted her—George Jr., the third son of a famous Bellaza watch group, notorious as a playboy, infatuated with East Asian women’s faces.

As you might have guessed, he once obsessively pursued Ruby, and, after multiple rejections, he spitefully slandered her in public, only to be disciplined harshly by Robert, which made him behave.

Everyone present knew he had chased Ruby Sullivan—after all, these young masters frequently made it into entertainment news, and with Ruby being a treasured disciple of Robert, the media naturally didn’t shy away from reporting this tale. However, almost nobody knew about the vendetta between George Jr. and Ruby.

Robert’s involvement was something only a reckless person would dare mention.

Luna knew by coincidence because she had been present at that event, and personally saw Robert’s few words leave George Jr. utterly humiliated, forcing him to drink half a bottle of XO as an apology, and rumor had it he went to the hospital to have his stomach pumped right after leaving the banquet.

She whispered into Ruby’s ear, "When I left, he hadn’t arrived; he must have been brought by The Robert Brothers."

"It’s okay, I’ll just sit for a bit and then leave." She waved over a waiter, ordering a "Code Nine."

All the cocktails here were named after French landmarks, except for Code Nine, a warm-fruit juice specially concocted by the considerate owner for friends who didn’t want to drink but had to be present in a bar. Each time, it tasted different, but was guaranteed to be delicious.

After she spoke, George Jr. intercepted the waiter.

He walked over, smiling at Ruby, "It’s been so long since we’ve seen you, and you won’t even have a drink with us old friends?"