Always A Pleasure || H.S. [COMPLETE]

Twenty-One

A lot of Katherine's comfort that evening flew out the window when Harry was forced to leave her side to make a speech to the entire gala due to him being CEO of Styles Enterprises. But the pride she felt watching him up there more than made up for it. Happiness completely engulfed Katherine as Harry spoke so freely and confidently in a room of hundreds of people. He was eloquent and funny and engaging with his words.

He even spotlighted his father in his speech, speaking words that were mostly just for show, like how much he admired his father and how much he had appreciated the opportunity he was given to run the company while his father was recovering from a devastating heart attack. His father smiled and clapped for his son – which was also primarily for show.

Katherine almost hated being privy to such private information. It was like pulling back the curtain to see that the Wizard of Oz was just a man. But thus was life.

Harry ended his speech before enthusiastically thanking the supporters for donating to such a special cause. And just before he left the stage, he announced that Styles Enterprises would match every dollar that was raised that night, which wowed the crowd instantly.

Katherine knew immediately, by the look on Des Styles' face, that it wasn't something that usually happened, that Harry had thrown it in on a whim. Maybe to provoke his father, she didn't know. All she knew was that it was above and beyond generous since the gala had already pulled in nearly a quarter of a billion dollars.

"250 million dollars. Are you mad?" Des shot at Harry as quietly as he could when he returned to the table.

"I'm hoping to raise quite a bit more than that, father," Harry said, looking happy and smug at the same time.

"You will pay for this," Des threatened, causing Karen to pat her husband's arm and whisper something to him to get him to calm down.

"No. I think it will be Styles Enterprises paying for it," Harry countered, sending his father a complacent smile.

"Mm," his father seethed, his eyes piercing daggers at his son.

"I always knew you were benevolent," Katherine said quietly, smiling over at Harry.

He turned to look at her with a wide, bright smile on his face. He was so beautiful in that moment, she almost couldn't handle it.

"Dance with me," she suggested and he nodded immediately.

Harry led her out onto the now nearly packed dance floor as a full orchestra played the soundtrack of the evening. Katherine felt like she was in a dream as Harry expertly spun her around the dance floor. She had been so nervous at the thought of dancing at the gala, but when it came down to it, she knew it didn't matter if she messed up because Harry would be right there to help her along.

By the time she and Harry had left the dance floor and went to the bar for more drinks, Harry was being pulled away by the head chairman of UNICEF. Katherine stood on the sidelines, sipping on her champagne, people-watching as she waited for Harry to finish networking.