He feels like a volcano ready to explode any minute. Then he stopped and pondered upon his reaction towards Ingrid.

'I need to know what this is all about. I must know why I am feeling like this to her.' He vowed to himself.

...

"Are you okay, Ingrid?" Lance voice was filled with worry, Ingrid nodded in response.

"Maybe I drank more wine than I should." She lied. "..thank you," she whispered.

"Will you go on with meeting them?" his voice filled with worry.

Ingrid countenance is filled with hesitation, but she had make her mind up to meet the couple knowing that she will do it in the future why not do it tonight. What bothers her if what will her father's reaction as soon as he sees her. Will he be disgusted? Will he scold her? Is he still angry at what she did? Will he forgive her after all the years that she runs away from them?

Her steps feel like it weighs heavier, her sweat formed droplets in her forehead despite the chilly blow from the air condition.

"There you are, dear... come, I want you to meet my wife and the Howards," Clint went over her which took her by surprise.

The couple who wants to meet her slowly turned towards her.

"Ingrid, my precious daughter..." John whispered.

Ingrid heard her father's words, tears fell from her eyes. She covered her face with her hands and everyone was in daze when they saw her reaction.

"John, is she the daughter you're referring to?" Helen asked and she was full of surprise.

"Yes she is my precious daughter. After so many years of searching for her I finally got to find her and I was so thankful that she is in safest hands." Her father said full of compa.s.sion then looked at Clint with grateful expression.

Clint was so shocked that his mouth left wide open. He could not grasp what was happening, the reason behind Ingrid's decision to ran away from home. Sooner and later he will find it out the reason behind it, for now he will just let the family to reunite.

He cleared his throat before he continued speaking.

"I am glad that through this event your family has reunited..."

"Dad..." Ingrid called her father at last. "Please forgive me..." she sobbed silently.

Her dad unexpectedly embraced her.

"Sshh, I should be the one to ask for your forgiveness, I was so selfish at that time that I did not consider your decision over the matter."

Clifford was so curious upon hearing the father and daughter's conversation.

'hmm..' Cliff then touched his chin as if he is thinking deeply and observed them quietly. Clifford subsequently called Gary his a.s.sistant.

"Gary, please reserved a presidential suite for the Howards,"

"Yes, sir." Gary called the management. "...prepare the presidential suite for the Howards and send attending staffs in the hall to escort them in their suite." Gary then informed Cliff that it was already done according to his instruction.

Clifford nodded and motioned Gary to inform the Howards about it.

"Mr. Howard, the CEO reserved a suite for your family so that you could have a proper conversation."

Ingrid never bothered to ask who the CEO he was referring to. The attending staff of the hotel then ushered them to their suite.

The guests were surprise when they noticed that the Briggs along with Clifford accompanied a middle aged couple and a woman outside the hall. Their actions make a huff among the guests and ma.s.sive murmurings could be heard in the midst of them.

"Who is that family?" a certain man asked.

"I heard they are the Howards," a woman replied.

"But who are they that the Briggs personally accompanied them? And mind you even Clifford Briggs also goes together with them..."

The guests were puzzled on what is happening, some made a speculation that the young woman may be the prospect wife of Clifford or maybe they were arranging their marriage already, and this event is just one way of publicizing their future partners.h.i.+p.