Chapter 206 - 204: Ma’am, Aren’t You a Little Old?

The moment the young receptionist heard Jasmine Sterling, her expression changed, taking on an unreadable quality.

Still, she maintained her professional smile and replied, "Do you have an appointment, ma’am?"

Jasmine Sterling’s expression faltered. On the way over, she had considered that she might get held up by the need for an appointment. A man of Mr. Jennings’s stature certainly wasn’t someone you could see just by asking.

But she also had a feeling that if Mr. Jennings knew it was her, he would be willing to see her. Though they had only met twice, he had struck her as a very sincere person.

"I don’t have an appointment. My name is Sterling, and I’m from Veridia. Could you please..."

But before Jasmine Sterling could finish, the other woman was already shaking her head gently. "I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t let you go up without an appointment. How about this? I can try to schedule one for you now. Our Chairman might have some availability around the middle or latter half of next month, but there’s no guarantee. It’s the end of the year, and he’s extremely busy."

The young receptionist’s words were perfectly polite and professional, but while she offered to help Jasmine Sterling book an appointment, she was actually telling her that seeing the chairman was practically impossible.

Her gaze subconsciously fell to the insulated lunch box in Jasmine Sterling’s hand, and she became even more certain of her suspicions.

It was no secret that the elder Mr. Jennings was desperate to arrange a match for the Chairman. Secretary Lawson had given instructions: no woman of a suitable age who came to the group alone asking to see the Chairman was to be let in.

She, at the front desk, was the first line of defense. There was no room for error.

Jasmine Sterling, of course, knew none of this. She just assumed it was the standard procedure for a large corporation and had no intention of making things difficult for the young woman.

’Fine, I’ll just call him myself.’ She had originally thought it would be more polite to have the front desk announce her, as calling Mr. Jennings directly might seem a bit abrupt. But now, it was her only option.

She had come all this way, after all.

Who would have thought that at that very moment, a glamorous woman in a fur coat would also walk up to the front desk? And just like Jasmine Sterling, she was also carrying a lunch box.

Unlike Jasmine Sterling’s quiet, reserved demeanor, this woman’s style was far more ostentatious. Her clothes, accessories, and expression all pointed to an impressive background and an arrogant attitude.

"I’m here to see Chairman Jennings."

The woman’s tone was imperious from the very first word.

Jasmine Sterling instinctively looked at her. The woman looked back, but her gaze went not to Jasmine’s face, but to the lunch box in her hand.

A flicker of clear disdain crossed her face, and only then did she carelessly glance at Jasmine Sterling.

Jasmine Sterling was beautiful and had taken excellent care of herself, so it was nearly impossible to guess her actual age.

But no matter how young she appeared, she couldn’t possibly be younger than the woman before her, who looked to be not even thirty—perhaps only six or seven years older than Jasmine’s own daughter.

Thus, even though the woman suspected Jasmine Sterling was also there to see Chairman Jennings, she didn’t give her a second thought.

"Ma’am, do you have an appointment?"

The receptionist asked, her tone still polite.

The receptionist had expected the same answer as before, but to her surprise, the woman blurted out, her smug tone unconcealed, "Of course I do. You think I’d just show up and try my luck? My name is Hughes. The receptionists on duty the past two days all know me. You’d better remember my face, because I’ll be coming here every day from now on."

As she spoke, she didn’t forget to take a veiled jab at Jasmine Sterling, who was standing beside her.

"Ms. Hughes, is that right? I see your appointment information here. Secretary Lawson instructed that someone should escort you directly upstairs as soon as you arrive."

So she really did have an appointment. The receptionist’s professional smile became a little more genuine. Before leaving, she couldn’t help but glance at Jasmine Sterling standing off to the side, then she turned back and warmly invited Ms. Hughes toward the elevator bank.

Ms. Hughes paused as she passed Jasmine Sterling. She gave Jasmine a sidelong glance and asked, "Which Lorcain family are you from?"

Among the great families, just stating one’s name was usually enough for others to place them, even if they’d never met. Ms. Hughes didn’t recognize Jasmine Sterling, so she asked out of curiosity.

Out of politeness, Jasmine Sterling answered truthfully, "I’m not from Lorcain. I’m from Veridia."

"Huh?"

Hearing this, Ms. Hughes let out a surprised laugh. "Veridia?"

She shook her head, looking utterly speechless, and said with undisguised contempt, "Even the most prominent family to emerge from Veridia couldn’t compare to a third-rate family in Lorcain, to say nothing of the Jennings. Ma’am, you should take stock of your own family and background. Don’t just see a hot commodity and try to worm your way in. Besides, aren’t you a bit old for this?"

Jasmine Sterling was speechless.

To be honest, she only half-understood this Ms. Hughes’s sudden hostility and the trash she was spouting.

’Does she think I’m here to curry favor with the Jennings family?’

But it was clear the other woman had no interest in an explanation, and Jasmine couldn’t be bothered to explain herself to someone so irrelevant. She simply watched in silence as the woman walked away, her back radiating an air of smug triumph.

"Miss Hughes, you’re here."

At the door to the Chairman’s office on the top floor, Secretary Lawson came out to greet her. The moment she saw him, Lillian Hughes’s attitude did a complete one-eighty. Her voice grew softer, her expression gentler. "Secretary Lawson, is Randall still busy?"

Secretary Lawson nodded and said in a low voice, "He hasn’t had a free moment all morning. Please wait just a bit. I’ll take you in as soon as the Chairman is done."

"There’s no rush. Work is more important," Lillian Hughes said understandingly.

Secretary Lawson nodded with an accommodating smile. He wouldn’t dare to slight the woman before him.

She was the eldest daughter of the Hughes Group, with a Ph.D. in Finance from the Royal University of Novasia. A top scholar from a prominent family, she had just returned to the country at twenty-eight to join her family’s company.

For the past few months, the elder Mr. Jennings had been pressing the Chairman relentlessly. Suitable marriage candidates from all over Lorcain were being sent to the company every day, as if delivered wholesale, forcing the Chairman to meet with them.

Eventually, the Chairman grew tired of the pressure and chose Lillian Hughes from the crowd, figuring that a highly educated woman would be worldly and reasonable. He knew he was at that age, and even if he had no particular desire to get married, he wasn’t opposed to it either, so he was willing to get to know her.

And just as he’d hoped, Lillian Hughes was the only one with whom he’d taken things a step further, which made the elder Mr. Jennings instantly quiet down.

A short while later, Secretary Lawson went into the Chairman’s office and came back out. "Ms. Hughes," he said to Lillian Hughes, "you may go in now."

Upon hearing this, Lillian Hughes straightened her furry collar, picked up her exquisite little lunch box, and walked inside.

This wasn’t her first visit, so she spoke with an easy familiarity the moment she entered. "Randall, Secretary Miller told me you’ve been busy all morning, but you still have to eat. I made you a beef salad today, you have to..."

Halfway through her sentence, a phone rang in the office. Randall Jennings, who hadn’t looked up the entire time, instinctively picked up his phone and glanced at it. The caller ID showed a number from Veridia.

His train of thought stuttered. He quickly pressed the answer button. "Hello, this is Randall Jennings."