Chapter 27 Attending a Birthday Banquet Chapter 27 Attending a Birthday Banquet "He probably won't listen, Mrs. Jackman." Shadow-1 remarked. Xylia frowned slightly, letting out a quiet sigh. "I hope I'm just overthinking things." +20 Free Coins It would be best if the patient who needed a full-body skin graft due to an allergic reaction to Celestial Leaf was just an isolated case. Shadow-1 and Shadow-2 exchanged a glance, once again reminded of Xylia's kindness. They had known that about her for a long time. She wasn't the type to be blindly compassionate-she made her judgments. To them, it was an honor to protect her, though they wished she would show Sebastian the same kindness. Everyone could see that she treated others with warmth, yet when it came to Sebastian, there was always a guarded distance. A knock at the door interrupted them. "Hello, my dear daughter-in-law," Eleanor greeted warmly, stepping inside. She held a limited-edition Chanel handbag in a soft pink crocodile-skin design, offering it to Xylia with a smile. "I heard your hospital is thriving, so consider this a small gift to celebrate." The bag was exquisite, worth over a million, though that amount was nothing to the Jackmans. In reality, its rarity made it priceless-if put up for sale, wealthy women would scramble to buy it at ten times its value. "Thank you, Eleanor," Xylia said, genuinely appreciating the gift. It's nothing," Eleanor replied. "A woman should have her career, but don't get so caught up in work that you forget about family." Her tone remained gentle as she continued, "It's been two months since you and Seb got married. How's everything going between you two?" Kylia's heart skipped a beat, but she kept her expression calm as she smiled. "Sebastian is good." Eleanor frowned slightly. "You're married now. Calling each other by full names makes you sound like strangers." "...I guess I'm just used to it," Xylia admitted. In truth, Eleanor had a point-she and Sebastian did feel like strangers. After a brief pause, she added, "I understand. I'll change that. How about I call him Seb?" Eleanor seemed pleased. "That's better. There's a banquet tonight. You'll come with me-it's Mrs. Foster's birthday celebration." Xylia nodded obediently. "Alright." The Fosters held significant influence in Atinate. It was well known that their hostess, Aurora Foster, was close friends with Eleanor. With their wealth and power, they never lacked business opportunities. Xylia had long understood the power of status and connections. Becoming the hospital's director had given her a taste of success, 1/2 4:02 pm G P Chapter 27 Attending a Birthday Banquet but she knew she could go even further. +20 Free Coins She didn't see asking for Sebastian's help as a weakness. Throughout history, powerful queens had risen by leveraging the influence of men-she could do the same. Besides, she wasn't taking advantage of him. The hospital's profits would bring him significant wealth, making their partnership mutually beneficial. As for everything she had sacrificed for the Castros? That felt like a lifetime ago. She had once given up her ambitions for the sake of her family and child, but she wouldn't make the same mistake again. At 8:00 p.m., the Foster Residence was filled with Brighton's most influential figures. As Eleanor led Xylia inside, Aurora approached with a welcoming smile. "So this is your daughter-in-law. She's lovely," Aurora said warmly, making casual conversation before sighing. "It's a shame Vivian went abroad and only recently returned. She and Seb never had the chance to be together." "Fate is unpredictable," Eleanor replied with a polite but distant smile. "Xylia and Seb are meant to be." "That's true," Aurora agreed, quickly shifting the topic. She affectionately held Eleanor's hand, and Eleanor didn't pull away. Xylia maintained a calm smile, responding when necessary. Aurora's expression brimmed with pride whenever she spoke of Vivian. "Vivian studied abroad. Even as a woman, she chose one of the most cutting-edge fields-advanced IT. She's currently working on intelligent robotics. I've heard her seniors can't even match her skills. She's also built an impressive young research team. She mentioned wanting to join the Jackman Group and assist Sebastian." "Vivian is impressive," Eleanor remarked, though her gaze flickered as she glanced at Xylia. "Xylia, go enjoy yourself. You don't need to stay with us." "Alright," Xylia said without hesitation, quietly stepping away. The banquet was filled with familiar faces-powerful figures and younger elites. Many of them had crossed paths with her before, but those relationships belonged to the past. "Well, if it isn't Xylia," a mocking voice rang out. "Didn't her family go bankrupt? I thought the Castros treated her like a maid." "Maybe the maid got lucky and climbed her way up? Hahaha!" Xylia's expression turned cold. The changes in her family had already made her experience life's highs and lows. In the past, such comments might have made her lower her head in shame. But now? Never again. She smirked slightly and said, "Ms. Wood, I heard your father's illegitimate child was just born recently. As the only legitimate daughter before this, do you think you still have a strong chance of inheriting the Wood Group?" 2/2 4:02 pm G P