---- Chapter 433 Franklin's gaze lingered on Maggie for two or three seconds before moving on. He looked as if he
were absorbed in conversation, but Rex could see where his attention actually went. When Maggie and Johnny
finished speaking with someone and moved away, Franklin's eyes would casually scan the room, as if searching
for where she'd gone next. Maggie, meanwhile, was focused on hosting alongside Johnny and never noticed
Franklin's attention. Rex felt anger flush hot in his chest. When Franklin's gaze cback and happened to meet
his, Franklin offered Rex a polite nod and smile.
Rex's face darkened. The people around him noticed. "Rex, what's wrong?" ---- He forced himself to calm down
and tamped the anger down. "Nothing." Franklin, for his part, nodded back lightly. Rex wanted to stand up for
Julia-but he had no standing to do so. So even if he felt bad for her, he could only keep silent, just as he had
when he'd first suspected something between Franklin and Maggie. But if Franklin really crossed a line- Rex's
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtexpression hardened as his gaze slid to Julia. Julia was smiling, as if she hadn't noticed a thing. As if that were
possible.
She was more attuned to Franklin and Maggie's every move than he was. She had noticed Franklin's attention-
and noticed it more often and more clearly than Rex had. ---- Her fingers tightened around her glass; the
mechanical smile on her face was about to crack. Just then, her phone rang. After answering, her expression
changed. "Okay, | understand. I'm on my way." That drew Franklin's attention back. "What is it?" "My
grandmother was bumped into while walking in the neighborhood and fell. They're taking her to the hospital
now. I'm worried.
| want to go check on her." "Tl go with you," Franklin said at once. Julia hesitated for a heartbeat, her nose
stinging. She'd thought he would be reluctant to leave the banquet and wouldn't go with her. Then Franklin
added, "Let's inform Mr. Gray first." "All right." ---- When they went over, Maggie and Johnny were speaking with
Mr. Freeman, Jordan, and several other heavyweights. Julia had attended plenty of events with Franklin and knew
what it felt like to stand among such people.
But- In settings like these, beyond the initial greetings, she had never been qualified to join their substantive
conversations-much less be one of the focal points. Now, following Franklin, she saw Maggie standing among Mr.
Freeman, Jordan, and the others, at ease and quick with a smile. The admiration from the business leaders was
obvious, and Jordan-the New York politician-looked at Maggie with genuine warmth for a promising junior.
Watching this, Julia suddenly felt that Maggie and men like Mr. Freeman and Jordan were... on equal footing.
Not like Julia had always been-just a
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decorative figure at -— Franklin's
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MaggieMEfen if she wasn't yet fully
their peer in status, she already had
the capital to sit with them and talk
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