Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon novel Chapter 238

“Sorry I'm late—traffic was a nightmare on the way here,” Mr. Patterson said with an easy smile as he entered the room.

Irving Butler, ever the charmer, quickly replied, “Oh, not at all, Mr. Patterson. You're right on time; we just got here a bit early ourselves.”

The response seemed to genuinely please Mr. Patterson, who let out a short laugh.

Irving then took a moment to introduce Effie and Nelly to Mr. and Mrs. Patterson.

As soon as Mr. Patterson saw Effie, he said, “My wife couldn't stop admiring the necklace Mrs. Hoffman was wearing earlier. She fell in love with that style, heard it was designed by Bagnold, and now she's hoping to get something beautiful for herself as well.”

Effie smiled warmly. “Thank you, Mrs. Patterson, for appreciating my work. I'd be delighted to design a piece just for you—something that matches your style and wishes.”

“Really? That would be wonderful!” Mrs. Patterson replied, clearly excited.

Nelly gave a discreet little cough and glanced at Irving for help.

Catching her hint, Irving added enthusiastically, “Actually, our company has quite a few talented designers, and Nelly is one of the best. She's brought along some of her own pieces today, too.”

He turned to the couple with a friendly grin. “You should take a look at both of our collections. Who could ever have too much beautiful jewelry, right?”

His words made perfect sense; after all, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone.

Mrs. Patterson reached out to take Nelly's tablet, but just as her hand hovered above it, an unmistakable sound cut through the air—a loud, sputtering noise, like someone had just let one rip.

Instantly, a foul smell began to spread through the private dining room. It was pungent, overwhelming, and impossible to ignore.

He'd barely finished speaking when Mrs. Patterson doubled over, retching again.

It was awful. Absolutely awful.

Effie stepped in, trying to salvage the situation. “We're truly sorry about all this. Why don't we move to another room and start over? We'd love the chance to host you properly.”

Mr. Patterson, still picturing the chaos from just minutes ago, felt his appetite vanish. He was about to politely decline when Mrs. Patterson squeezed his hand, her eyes hopeful. “Let's give it another try,” she pleaded softly.

Mr. Patterson adored his wife; they'd always been close.

“All right,” he agreed with a resigned sigh.