From New York to the provincial capital, it was no more than a two-hour drive at most if one took the highway.
The two started their journey at nine in the morning, and by the time they reached the Royal Garden Hotel, it was already half past eleven. They arrived a little earlier than expected, but it was no surprise—Monica had been waiting.
As soon as she saw them, Monica greeted them warmly, "Hi, Queenie! I've got a reservation for box one. The waiter will show you the way. I'll wait here for Mr. Taylor, he should be here soon."
"Hmm!" Queenie nodded, and they followed the waiter to the reserved box.
After about ten minutes of waiting, Monica finally arrived, this time accompanied by a man. "Queenie, let me introduce you. This is Joshua Taylor, the boss of the Golden Group! Mr. Taylor, this is my friend, Queenie!" Monica beamed with a smile.
Joshua glanced at Queenie, his expression unreadable, before saying, "I've read your profile."
Queenie quickly stood up and extended her hand, politely shaking his. "Hello, Mr. Taylor. Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me."
"I wanted to give you this opportunity, first for Monica's sake, and secondly because I've been following your company's recent developments. I must say, Queenie Group has done an excellent job with public relations," Joshua explained, his words careful but pointed.
Queenie's face shifted slightly, though she masked it with a polite smile. She knew it was a complicated subject, and she didn't quite understand how the Russell Family had suddenly chosen to clear the air about Queenie Group.
After the greetings, they all took their seats.
Monica settled next to Queenie, her demeanor softening as she looked at her friend. "Queenie, remember that day when you asked me why I broke up with my ex-boyfriend? Actually, I wanted to bring it up."
"You brought it up?" Queenie asked, surprised.
Monica sighed and began her story, her eyes distant as if lost in the past. "I used to be a girl full of longing for love. I thought I'd grow old with my ex-boyfriend. But after we left school, everything changed. The pressure from work, loans for cars and housing... all of that overwhelmed my dreams of love."
She paused for a moment, her voice heavy with regret. "No matter how strong love is, it can't defeat reality. We had a quarrel over the bride price, and I ended things. I turned to my current husband, my boss. He gave me the life I wanted. I love my ex-boyfriend, but he couldn't offer me what I needed. And now, I don't regret my choice."
Queenie frowned slightly, listening intently, but still not fully understanding why Monica was sharing this now, and why, in the midst of their dinner, she was turning the spotlight away from Joshua. Was this dinner meant to be about Joshua and his offer to Queenie, or was there something else at play?
Joshua, to Queenie's surprise, didn't interrupt Monica. In fact, he seemed completely unaffected by the shift in attention. He remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Monica patted Queenie's hand and spoke again, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Queenie, I just want to tell you, we women must seize the opportunities we're given. Remember, choice is more important than effort."
Queenie, now thoroughly confused, thought to herself, "Isn't she just trying to tell me to cherish this opportunity today? Why is she beating around the bush like this?"
However, Queenie didn't voice her thoughts. She didn't want to risk offending Monica, especially since it was Monica who had organized this dinner. She silently accepted the advice, even if it left her with more questions than answers.
Monica, sensing Queenie's confusion, quickly changed the subject. "I know you're driving today, so I won't make you drink alcohol. Here, have this instead," Monica said, pulling out a large bottle of orange juice from beneath the table and pouring a glass for Queenie.
Queenie, still polite and unsure of what was going on, took the glass and stood to toast Joshua. "Here's to you, Mr. Taylor. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you."
Joshua nodded solemnly, waiting for her to finish the juice. But as he watched her drink, his gaze darkened slightly, a subtle gleam of something far less friendly flickering in his eyes.
And that's when John, who had been quietly observing from the back of the room, smiled and spoke up. "Monica, how about we have a drink too?"
Monica's face lit up with excitement as she quickly turned to John, eager for him to participate. She could barely contain her enthusiasm.
It was at this moment that Queenie realized something wasn't quite right. She hadn't been given a chance to refuse the drink, and the whole situation felt increasingly off. The orange juice, which Monica had so kindly poured, suddenly seemed like more than just a gesture of goodwill.
Joshua, who had already set his sights on Queenie, had not been as neutral as he appeared. His initial interest in Queenie's company had evolved into something more personal—something dangerous. He saw Queenie as a challenge, as a woman who could offer him much more than just business opportunities. But rather than making a direct move, he had chosen a far more subtle path—one that would lead Queenie into a carefully crafted trap.
Joshua had learned that Monica was Queenie's college roommate and had seized the opportunity to use her. The dinner had been his idea, orchestrated behind the scenes. Joshua had manipulated the situation to make Queenie feel that this was a golden opportunity, something to be grateful for, thus lowering her guard.
Monica, meanwhile, had a part to play. She had shared her past with Queenie, perhaps trying to gauge her bottom line, to see how far she could push her without triggering a reaction. But when she realized Queenie wasn't reacting as she expected, she moved on to phase two of the plan—the drink.
It was clear now: Monica had led Queenie into a trap, and the drink was the first step in whatever plan they had in store for her.