Julia's eyes locked onto William, her gaze piercing. "You know, Williams, I'm surprised you're still so angry. But let me tell you, my husband may not be a businessman like you, but he's a very good man, with a heart of gold. And I love him for who he is, not for his wealth or status."
Willow snorted, "Oh please, Julia, spare us the details. Did you end up with some old man with a pot-belly?"
Julia's smile turned icy. "Actually, Willow, my husband has a successful career, and he's younger than I. But even if I had married an older man, I would still love and respect him. Something you should learn, Willow, true love has no age limits."
The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Julia, her words hanging in the air like a challenge. William's confidence deflated, his eyes dropping in embarrassment. Willow smirked, her face reddening with anger.
Samantha clapped her hands, delighted. "Bravo, Julia! You've put them in their place. No need for me to intervene at all!"
The tension in the room was palpable, but Julia just shrugged, her expression serene. "I won't tolerate anyone talking down on my husband. He's a good man, and I'm proud to be his wife."
Everyone was quiet, Julia stood up for herself and her husband, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the tension in the air. Willow, trying to stir the pot, said with a mocking tone, "Oh, Julia dear, aren't you just adorable defending your husband? Now we're all dying to meet the lucky man!"
Sharon's expression changed from anger to relief, her eyes softening as she looked at Julia. "I didn't expect you to be married, Julia. I thought you were still...never mind." She trailed off, her bad blood against Julia dissipating.
Willow persisted, "Come on, Julia, why not invite him over and let us meet him? Don't you want to show him off?" She turned to the others, "Don't you all want to meet Julia's husband?"
The others played along, their voices chiming in unison, "Of course we would love that!"
Willow pressed on, "So, Julia, what does your husband do?"
Before Julia could respond, a classmate jumped in, "Tell us, Julia, my husband runs one of the biggest shipping companies in town. I'm sure you've heard of M&M Shipping Company."
The room erupted into a cacophony of boasts, each woman trying to outdo the others with claims of their husbands' accomplishments. "My husband is a powerful politician!" "My husband owns a successful tech firm!" "My husband is a renowned surgeon!"
Samantha leaned back, a knowing smile on her face. She let Julia take the reins, confident that she could handle the situation. And Julia, with a serene smile, was ready to take them down, one by one.
Julia's smile never ceased as she gazed at the group, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Samantha spoke up, her voice clear and confident, "Well, for your information, Julia's husband works with the prestigious Darius Group."
Everyone suddenly stopped talking. The only sound heard was the soft hum of the air conditioning. The group's eyes widened in shock, their faces pale with surprise. Willow's mouth hung open, her eyes fixed on Julia with a mix of disbelief and envy. William's expression turned from anger to shock, his eyes darting between Julia and Samantha.
Sharon's gaze lingered on Williams, her eyes narrowed in calculation. She had tried to get a job at Darius Group, but even her wealth and connections couldn't secure her a position. The thought of Julia's husband working there was a bitter pill to swallow.
Julia's polite tone cut through the tension, "Well, my husband is a very busy man. He's been working non-stop lately, but I'll try to speak with him and see if he can clear his schedule for our next meeting."
The group's attitude towards Julia shifted, their hostility softening into admiration. Those who had once tried to get a job at Darius Group looked at her with newfound respect, their eyes filled with a hint of envy.
Willow spoke up, her voice laced with sarcasm, "Wow, Julia, you're married to a genius. How did you manage to do that?"
Julia smiled, "Oh, Willow, it's not about managing anything. It's about finding someone who loves and supports you for who you are."
Everyone just stared at Julia, their eyes fixed on her with a mix of admiration and resentment. Samantha's eyes met Julia's, a knowing glint in her gaze. She had taken down the group's hostility with one simple statement, and Julia had emerged victorious.
Willow's smile was laced with sarcasm as she turned to Julia, "Well, well, well. Look who's married to a Darius Group employee. That's quite a feat, Julia."
Willow's anger was palpable, her eyes blazing with resentment. "Yeah, Julia, that's a huge company. What department is your husband working in? I'm sure it's not the top tier, but still, it's impressive."
Julia's response was honest, "He's a programmer. As for his department, I haven't really asked him."
The room erupted into snickers and whispers. "Oh really? How long have you guys been married? Shouldn't you know these things about your husband?" someone asked, their tone dripping with condescension.
A murmur rippled through the room as someone scoffed, "Oh, please. That Darius Group might be a giant, but let's not pretend her husband is at the helm. He's merely one of the cogs in the machine."
Samantha's voice cut through the noise, her eyes flashing with defense, "Hey, that's uncalled-for. Julia's husband is clearly talented and successful. Let's not diminish her achievement."
Julia's eyes locked onto Sharon and Willow. "You know, I may not know every detail about my husband's job, but I know he's happy and fulfilled. And that's all that matters to me."
The group's eyes fixed on Julia with admiration and resentment. Willow's anger was still palpable, but Sharon's expression had softened, her eyes filled with a hint of curiosity. "You know, Julia, I think we underestimated you. You're not as naive as we thought."
Julia's response was sweet, "Oh, Sharon, I'm not naive at all. I just choose to focus on the positive. And I'm proud of my husband's accomplishments, no matter what department he works in."
"Hey, don't you think it's time we got real about Julia's husband?" someone asked, their voice filled with skepticism. "I mean, we're talking about Darius Group here. He's not exactly a high-flyer, is he?"
Another chimed in, "Exactly how much does an ordinary employee rake in annually? After all, he's not charting his own course. Unlike Williams, who's now the proud owner of a burgeoning Import and Export company."
The room erupted into a chorus of whispers and nods. "True, Julia mentioned he's with the Darius Group, but for all we know, he could be just another faceless staffer."