"What?" Darpan gave the young man a bewildered look.
"I mean, don't you have many wives?" Evan asked, confused, unintentionally making Darpan's temper flare up.
"She is my first and only wife. Now, please don't say this in front of her and dig my grave, please," Darpan muttered, squeezing his lips. For a moment, he was genuinely scared when Evan asked the question.
Just then, Elena approached Evan with a warm smile, extending her hand to greet him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Evan. Darpan has spoken quite highly of you."
Daniel nodded in agreement. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Evan."
As they exchanged pleasantries, Elena's gaze grew more curious. "I've heard about your recent accomplishments. I wanted to meet the person who's made such an impression on Darpan—enough to bring him to his knees."
Evan, slightly taken aback, responded, "I hope it's not too much of a trouble."
Before Elena could elaborate, Daniel interjected, noticing Evan's unsightly expression.
"Please don't misunderstand. We're not upset. In fact, we admire your ability to navigate through such challenges and succeed without lowering your head. It's quite impressive."
Elena nodded, her expression softening with understanding. "Indeed, we see it as a sign of your skills and determination. Also, this guy needs to be humbled otherwise he thinks that he owns the sky."
Saying this Elena gave a sharp stare at Darpan, making the man sweat tons.
Evan already noticing the thousands of unspoken words exchanged in the brief moment realized that it was Elena who held the reins of power in this dynamic.
Surprised by their supportive attitude, Evan smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. That means a lot."
With the tension from earlier easing, the group soon fell into a warm and engaging conversation, further enriching the evening's social ambience.
Elena smiled warmly at Evan and turned to Daniel. "Daniel, why don't you show Evan around? He's new here and could use a bit of your hand getting acquainted."
Daniel's mature and considerate approach was a stark contrast to the bratty attitude Evan had experienced previously during college.
In the midst of their conversation, the room erupted in applause as the announcer welcomed Noah for his entrance.
Beats were a distinguished family in BBSR and it won't be wrong to say that the wealth of Utkal was heavily tied to them.
"Aren't Noah's parents here?" Evan asked, confused.
Sensing Evan's confusion, Daniel explained, "This isn't the actual engagement. You can see us gathering, it's more of an introduction to the bride which no one has seen yet."
"Personally, I think that this guy is just showing off here since we still don't know anything about the bride," Daniel added, clicking his tongue.
Following the announcement, Noah entered with a flourish, his fiancée by his side and proudly introduced the soon-to-be bride.
A strikingly beautiful woman with long, dark hair and an aura of sophistication walked onto the high platform. Her rich, flowing gown and graceful demeanour highlighted her high social standing.
Noah, wearing a self-assured smile, presented Sonalia to the gathered crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my fiancée, Sonalia Rajput. We're thrilled to have her with us this evening."
The moment her name was announced, instead of claps, a hush fell over the room. The applause abruptly ceased, and for a moment, a deep silence prevailed.
The guests exchanged puzzled and intrigued glances, their attention fully captured by the mention of her name.
The joyful atmosphere seemed to have paused for a moment.
Evan, observing the reaction closely, felt the weight of the moment.
It was clear that Sonalia Rajput was more than just Noah's fiancée; her name... no... her family name carried a significant amount of influence and intrigue within the elite circles of society.
However, contrary to everyone's expression, Evan's eyes narrowed as he focused on the couple.
'The main event will start soon.'