Chapter 246: Chapter 246
Slow, soothing classical music reverberated around the room while light chatter filled it.
It was more like a casual event at that time than the formal one it had been intended, but Ian liked it. It was a departure from the serious and solemn ones that had been held in the past.
"I agree with your father on this, Chairman. This is a very social and different event from what we are used to, but the objective has been reached, though..."
The man that Shelby had been wary of said to the group around Ian, earning nods from them.
"It’s different .... In a good way, and I like that." Another added.
"Chairman Ian, can you tell us more about these wines presented today?"
Ian nodded and looked around for Avril. At this time, he would have wished that Avril was the one during the presentation as this was all her handiwork. Ian did not understand why she would try to take credit for something she had no hand in when she had she cooked up a great wine like that for the company. Avril had her own merits, but she did not see it herself.
Ian looked around the whole place but did not see her. With his height, he could see the top of most people’s heads, so Ian did not have to look hard to conclude that Avril was not in the room of the event for a product she had worked so hard for.
Ian did not like Avril’s attitude in her social life, but he had to give it to her that her professional stance and ethics in that domain was top-notch, and he understood why his father, Alex, liked Avril in that sense as well. ’Looks like she already left,’ Ian thought to himself and turned back to the gentlemen around him.
"Well," he started, noting subtly that when Alex had said he was distancing himself from the business, he really did that. His father had found a seat for himself and was catching up with some of his old friends while they savoured the wines and its associated delicacies.
"We have two of these made by our in-house winemaker, Avril..."
"You mean that girl who took Miss Ava’s credit?" The man interrupted Ian while frowning, indicating his displeasure at that. Avril was hardly known in the higher circles of the company as she preferred to spend her time finding excuses to be within Ian’s vicinity.
Also, the little they had come to know of her was from that evening, so it was no brainer that he was displeased. The man added, "I don’t think she has any integrity in her." Then the man looked up at Ian because of his slightly smaller build, "Chairman Ian, such people should be watched closely. You never know when they might turn to bite you."
The speaker’s displeasure was apparent, and not surprisingly, judging from their slight nods and expressions, all of the few people around agreed with him.
"Thank you for your concerns about that. I will keep that in mind. However, the truth cannot be disguised. Her winemaking skills are indeed commendable, but I’ll leave you to be the judge of that," Ian added as the gentlemen helped themselves to the samples. Ian added a few technicalities about the wine’s composition and a few relevant details as they sampled it.
"Hmmm.... I am quite surprised with this," One man started after taking in a sip of the first wine and rolling it around in his mouth,
"It’s different indeed... and Chairman Ian is right. It takes some skill to bring out such richness . It has a fruity predominantly fruity primary aroma, but I get a hint of nutty secondary aroma from it...." He paused, swirling the wine in the glass, and then took a deep sniff of it.
"Is that a hint of tobacco I smell in here ... or not?"
While contemplating this, he took another sip and then smiled. The man picked up the small pads that had been placed for comments and scribbled his observations on it.
"I like it. There is so much going on in here. The burst of flavours on my tastebuds is amazing. I don’t even know which taste to go with."
Turning to Ian, he downed his glass and added, "I love it!"
"Well, I don’t!" Said the one who had commented on Avril, making some of the men around sigh,
"The wine does not fit my taste buds at all."
"You are tasting a different one though...." The first man pointed out gently.
"I know!" The second man snapped, and the first shrugged. Judging by their exchange, the two men were close acquaintances.
"Is this supposed to be a dessert wine or a sort? Why is it so sweet?" the comment was almost out of disgust as if the sweet wine was so terrible that it was unfit for human consumption.
The first man rinsed his glass and sampled the sweet wine.
He first swirled it around the glass gently, then inhaled it.
"Interesting! This is definitely sweet but has a creamy aftertaste... How did you manage that combination?"
The second man felt ignored, and he huffed while the first talked earnestly with Ian about his thoughts. He had thought he would be backed by the first man, but sadly, that was not the case.
"... these two would appeal to different market groups, but I think that they would be a hit!"
"Whatever!" The second man added after he had spat out the wine. Taking the second sample, he spat out that as well in the closest spit bowl and rinsed his mouth with water.
"Hahaha.... I never knew that you could be so picky..."
Any discerning person could notice that the issue was not with the wine but with the wine maker. This was because he did not bother to write down these remarks, and this man in question is known to be very touchy.
"I’m not one for food, but these cookie bites are amazing! I am sure that my wife is shoving them down her throat now..." A third man, who had been mostly quiet, interjected as if to try and ease up the conversation.
"Speaking of wives, I can see you are very much in love with your wife, Chairman Ian and cannot keep your hands off of her," The first man interjected yet again. This first man was one of the people who had been on the video call and had witnessed the heated moment between Ian and his wife.
Ian smiled, unbothered, as the supposed observation was right. Even at that moment, Ian wished for all of them to disappear so that he could spend time alone with his wife.
"So, I hear from the grapevines that you had an arranged marriage. Are your lovey-dovey reactions and mannerisms toward your wife just a show to let us and the management know that you will stay with her? Are you trying to fool us, Ian?"
Ian smirked, raising an eyebrow at one of his distant cousins who had joined his small circle of executives.
There were always people like those who never stayed in their own vicinity but liked to poke their noses where they did not belong. The aim was right, though, because some of the executives frowned at the comment from Ian’s cousins.
"Yh, that’s true, and I also heard that you were so ill that you could not get out of bed for like a year or something...." Another added, and before anyone could say a word, a third voice also contributed to the conversation,
"Naaaaa, I heard it was because of that woman! You know? The first one? He...." The third man paused as if realizing something, "First brother is right. Brother Ian’s marriage was too abrupt! I had hardly even started talking to my tailor when the wedding pictures came out!"
Ian set down his wine glass and turned fully to the three of them. He did not know whether to call Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest then because their actions clearly showed that they were. Ian was just not sure of who was dumber or who was dumber than the other.
The wine-tasting event was clearly an official way to introduce a new product and get feedback from valuable stakeholders, but these three took that exact time to let everyone know how empty their brains were.
"Is there any set rule for how people are to marry?" Ian chose to ask after a short, uncomfortable five-second silence.
"Hahahahaha.... Cousin! Why are you being so touchy? Did I hit a sore point, cousin?"
The tone used was out of spite and didn’t take any particular intuition for one to know that the cousins and Ian did not see eye to eye.
"So, it’s true?" The second added.
A few other people who were mingling started to gather around Ian and the executives. Everyone was curious about Ian’s marriage story, though.
"Whether you meet, date, fall in love and then marry or do this in a different order does not matter. Yes, my mum was kind enough to arrange a marriage with the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. So..." Ian opened his arms as if shrugging,
"What’s the problem with that?"
After those words, people could not help but look at Shelby’s position among the other women. She was undoubtedly the most beautiful, and Ian did not even have to say those words.
"So, tell me, little cousin, where did I go wrong in this? I married first and then fell in love with my wife. I would suggest you also get mummy to get a bride for you, seeing as you could use some help in that department."
"Hehehhee" A few muffled laughs and snickers went around them.
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