Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 78: Chapter 78

Elara was stunned for a moment. "You must be mistaken. I'm just his personal assistant, not his date."
"Oh? Aren't you Elara Langton?" the lady asked.
"Yes, I am." Elara nodded.
"Then there's no mistake. Look at the message Mr. Hartley sent us," she said.
Adrian: [Suite 2909, Elara Langton.]
Elara picked up her phone and called Adrian. "Hello, Mr. Hartley? There are two stylists here saying they're supposed to get me ready. They claim I'm attending the party with you tonight?"
The background noise on Adrian's end suggested he was still busy. He responded curtly, "My original date had a last-minute emergency. You'll have to fill in."
Elara was stunned for a moment, wondering, 'That'll cost you extra.'
Elara hung up and, with a resigned sigh, opened the door to let the stylists in.
"Ms. Langton, I'll start with your makeup first," one stylist said.
Elara settled into the armchair, letting them work their magic.
Two hours later, Elara emerged in a sapphire backless gown, her long hair elegantly coiffed. Her flawless porcelain complexion and delicate, almond-shaped features were highlighted by exquisite makeup, especially those captivating eyes that seemed to enchant with every glance and smile.
The stylist then produced a blue diamond necklace from its case and fastened it around Elara's neck.
Elara wasn't particularly into luxury goods, but she always kept herself informed about them.
This necklace was exclusively designed by renowned designer Connor—the only one of its kind in the world. It was auctioned off just last week for 2 million dollars.
Its name was Eternal & Unique, meaning timeless and one-of-a-kind.
Elara was curious. "Do you even provide such an extravagant necklace?"
"Huh?" The stylist looked surprised. "No, Mr. Hartley had someone bring it over. He wants us to style your outfit to match this necklace."
Elara had assumed this was just another accessory from the stylists, only to realize with surprise that Adrian had arranged it personally. 'He really goes above and beyond for his dates,' she thought.
The necklace draped elegantly around Elara's slender neck, its dazzling diamonds making her glow with an ethereal radiance.
"This necklace was made for you, Ms. Langton," the stylist breathed. "Connor's signature creativity. This piece is truly one-of-a-kind worldwide."
Elara nodded, staring at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She barely recognized herself. 'Guess money really can work magic on people,' she thought.
Before she could grab a bite, Adrian called. "All set?"
Elara replied, "Yeah. Just finished."
"Come to the hall on the second floor. I'll be waiting outside for you," said Adrian.
'Looks like dinner's not happening tonight,' Elara thought. Smoothing her gown, she stepped into the elevator in her high heels.
As Elara approached the entrance of the hall, she expected to find Adrian alone. To her surprise, he was surrounded by a crowd.
Nearby stood Yann, the heir of the wealthiest family in Marisiton, though notably, his date wasn't Sarah.
Elara walked closer and called out, "Hi, Adrian."
At the sound of her voice, Adrian and the group surrounding him all turned to look at Elara. The sight of her left Adrian momentarily stunned.
Her blue gown unmistakably marked her as Adrian's date. His bow tie and cufflinks perfectly matched the color of her dress.
As Adrian's attention shifted to her, the group around him tactfully fell silent.
Elara approached; when Adrian offered his arm, she smiled and gracefully looped her right arm through his left.
Without a glance at his previous companions, Adrian ushered Elara straight into the hall. "Blue suits you well," Adrian remarked.
"Thank you, Mr. Hartley," Elara replied with a polite smile, "though I think it would have suited your original date better."
This outfit was clearly prearranged to match Adrian's attire. Had his original date not been canceled at the last minute, Elara wouldn't even be standing here now.
Adrian teased, "Not feeling confident?"
Elara shook her head. "Couldn't care less."
Whether the dress suited her or not was irrelevant. She rarely dressed like this anyway. Today, she was just here as a last-minute stand-in.
Adrian slid his hand around Elara's waist, his thumb tracing slow circles on her bare skin, sending tingling down her spine.
"Keep your hands to yourself. That tickles," Elara warned, squirming away from his touch.
Adrian smirked knowingly, clearly enjoying her reaction. Elara, seeing right through him, swatted his hand away. "Don't forget. I'm only here doing you a favor tonight.
"If you drive me off and end up alone, you'll be the one embarrassed, Mr. Hartley."
Something Elara said clearly pleased Adrian, putting him in an unusually good mood. "Do you like the necklace?"
Elara answered truthfully, "I do."
"Then it's yours," he smiled.
Elara was stunned for a moment. At this moment, she finally understood what Susan had told her before. "Mr. Hartley can really be generous sometimes."
'2 million dollars, seriously?' she wondered. Elara ignored the stares around her, stopping in her tracks to look Adrian straight in the eye.
"Adrian, you've been showering me with gifts lately. Are you trying to hit on me?" she asked bluntly.
Adrian pinched her wrist. "Why are you always so presumptuous, Miss? That necklace is your overtime pay."
"Are you serious about 2 million dollars for overtime?" Elara shot back.
"Yes, so what?" Adrian replied.
Elara couldn't help but roll her eyes.
As it neared seven, the hall began to buzz with guests. People kept approaching Adrian, chatting about matters within their elite circle, while Elara simply played her role as arm candy. All she had to do was smile gracefully.
The event began with a keynote session. Rows of chairs filled the hall as guests gradually took their seats. Adrian ushered Elara to the VIP spot, right beside him in the front row.
Today's event was a legal awareness campaign themed How to Keep Teenagers Away from Crime. Representatives from both traditional and digital media outlets attended, and the proceedings were live streamed.
This campaign had been extensively promoted beforehand, garnering widespread public attention.
Adrian was the sole speaker invited to the podium. It was then that Elara realized he was also the initiator behind this legal awareness campaign.
Elara recalled and wondered, 'Adrian practically forced me to finish that book on juvenile crime yesterday and even write a report on it. Well, at least it turned out to be useful preparation.'
She looked up at Adrian on the stage. His exquisitely tailored designer suit complemented his commanding presence, exuding an irresistible charm that commanded attention.
With his deep-set eyes slightly furrowed, he spoke with focused intensity about the central topic of the day. "Two years ago, Anchor Law Firm handled 579 juvenile crime cases.
"Last year, that number rose to 1,190—a year-on-year increase of 106%. After documenting and analyzing these cases, we found that most issues stemmed from dysfunctional family backgrounds.
"These youths lacked affection, were neglected educationally, and had weak legal awareness."
As Elara listened to Adrian's speech, she couldn't help but recall her own teenage years. She had been rebellious, wild, and arrogant.
If it hadn't been for Alex, she might have gone down the wrong path and done things she would regret for the rest of her life.
Before the three of them could fall too far, Alex pulled them back from the brink. Calling him their savior, or even a second parent wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Adrian continued, "Therefore, we must pay greater attention to teenagers' psychological well-being. As parents, we should give our children more space and genuine love, and lead by example.
"As individuals with social influence, we should do everything possible to support families with children, addressing both educational and livelihood challenges. As a law firm, Anchor Law Firm will continue to promote legal awareness and education in this important area.
When Adrian spoke, he was nothing like his usual flippant self around her. Instead, he was remarkably sincere, with a commanding presence.
His speech built momentum step by step, each point more stirring than the last.
As the legal representative of the largest domestic law firm and the heir of the wealthiest family in Veritasiton, Adrian co-organized this symposium with Marisiton's richest tycoon, so it was bound to have a major impact.
As Adrian's speech drew to a close, scattered applause rippled through the crowd.
Elara caught his intense gaze, suddenly locking onto her, leaving her wondering, 'What's that supposed to mean?'
As the applause faded, Adrian raised the microphone once more. "Now, let's welcome the world's most promising young psychology expert, Elara Langton, to share insights on how we can better communicate with our children and show them love in parenting."