STIGMA

In the Golden Lion Hotel of H City

Mr. Shen was slated to be at the dinner party. Even before he arrived, rumors of his date had gone viral. The whole world knew about it. She was said to be the most heavenly beautiful woman.

When the party was already underway, the door to the banquet hall was opened again. The man and woman who walked in caused quite a stir.

As the two of them slowly strode into the banquet hall, the din rose. The guests were gossiping among themselves.

It was indeed Mr. Shen. He was dressed in a black suit with dark stripes and a pair of dark brown leather shoes. There was a beautiful woman on his arm.

The woman wore a black ankle-length evening dress and a set of sapphire jewelry. She had a delicate makeup on her oval face. The guests could feel her presence in the room. No one could ignore her.

When the partygoers got a good look at the woman's face, many of them gasped. They shot glances at Alina Tang, the hostess of tonight's birthday party, and James Xi, the man at her side.

The appearance of the woman in the banquet caused many to whisper among themselves. "Did you see that woman? Isn't that Maria Song?" one said.

"Yeah, you're right. That's Maria!" another confirmed.

"Oh my God! Isn't she dead? Why is still alive? She's a murderess! How could she have the gall to show her face again?" another guest chimed in.

"Speaking of her face, did she have work done? Since when has she become that hot?"

"Who knows? She is Mr. Shen's date. This should be fun!"

That all depended on one's idea of fun. At least things would be interesting.

Maria Song's sudden return not only amazed everyone in the banquet, but also frightened them, because the man she was with was James Xi's business rival, Norman Shen!

Not only that, Maria Song was the ex-wife of James Xi, the CEO of HL Group.

Both James Xi and Norman Shen tended to keep a low profile, limiting public appearances. They seldom showed up at these kinds of parties. But it made sense for James Xi to be here. Gossip of his upcoming engagement to Alina Tang had spread like wildfire. But as for Norman Shen, he wasn't here merely to celebrate Alina Tang's birthday, was he?

James Xi was a big shot in the finance world. Now his rival showed up with his ex-wife. The guests were excited. Who knew what else the night might bring?

Maria Song kept a graceful smile on her face the whole time. She walked up to Alina Tang in her seven-centimeter crystal high-heels, holding Norman Shen's arm.

Alina Tang was her older cousin. Six years ago, she destroyed Maria Song's vocal cords and made her into a mute.

And, now, six years later, the two were brought together, standing face to face.

Alina Tang was bowled over by Maria Song's dramatic change. Her heart skipped a beat. She tightened her grip on James Xi's arm and almost crushed the wine glass she held.

Under the watchful eyes of the other guests, Norman Shen took two glasses of red wine from the waiter. He gave one to Maria Song and kept one for himself.

He glanced at the smiling woman next to him, and then fixed his eyes on the expressionless man in front of him. With a faint smile at the corners of his mouth, he greeted James Xi warmly. "Mr. Xi, it's been a while! Did you recognize my date?"

Though the two men had their differences, Norman Shen was a gentleman through and through. If he were reluctant to do this, no one could tell. In the business world, only profits are forever, not enemies.

However, James Xi gave no indication he was pleased by this meeting. He kept his poker face intact. He didn't even look at the woman beside Norman Shen. He raised his drink and clinked glasses with Norman Shen. "Just a stranger."

James Xi had been working in the corporate sector for several years, and had been CEO for a while now. No one could deny that he was an imposing figure.

It had been six years, but Maria Song felt it hard to breathe when she was in front of James Xi again. This man had grown more mature, and his deep eyes were even more unfathomable.

The people in H City were deferent to Norman Shen. He might not be as powerful as James Xi, but he was no pushover.

If James Xi was ruthless and self-centered, then Norman Shen was shady and showed no mercy. The two men were more alike than they would ever admit.

James Xi looked noble and unapproachable, while Norman Shen appeared gentle and elegant.