Clayton studied her naïve, unguarded eyes, a sly grin playing at his lips. “In our world, having a woman around isn’t called dating. It’s just… having someone on your arm.”
Vivian frowned in confusion. “So right now, you don’t have anyone on your arm?”
Clayton opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it without a word.
Vivian tightened her grip on her uninjured hand, thoughts racing. This was Felicity’s brother. If she could stick close to him, maybe she could tear off Felicity’s mask even more easily!
She looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes, playing the part of the sweet ingénue. “So if I’m your… companion, do I get a salary? Weekends off? Health insurance? If you can give me some decent benefits, maybe you won’t have to spend your life alone.”
Clayton ran his tongue along his back teeth, fighting a smirk. “That’s not what I meant by ‘companion.”
Vivian looked as soft and harmless as a rosebud. She bit her rosy lower lip and asked, “Would I be your first companion?”
Clayton’s lips curled into a crooked smile, revealing the hint of a canine tooth. “Do you think you’re that special?”
Vivian gazed at him, her eyes almost angelic in their innocence. She let out a gentle sigh. “So, when you didn’t have a companion before… how did you even get by?”
Clayton was silent.
Felicity hobbled back into the ballroom, one hand pressed to her aching side.
She searched through the crowd, scanning every face, but Harrison was nowhere to
be seen.
Gemma was missing, too. Had they both left the reception early?
Felicity pulled out her phone, only to find the screen spider–webbed with cks. Her hands were scuffed and scratched from the branches outside.
Her hair was a mess, a scratch marked her cheek, and her reflection in the black screen only made her mood plummet further.
09:05
Chapter
She’d barely managed to drag herself out of the bushes, crawling around on all fours to find her phone among the leaves. When she finally made it back up to the terrace, it was deserted–just a few shards of glass glittering on the ground.
She’d come back, battered and disheveled, hoping Harrison would see her and rush
to her side. But where was he?
Instead, she saw that most of the guests had gathered near the center of the ballroom, standing in tight circles, three or four rows deep. Felicity couldn’t see who was surrounded by all those people, but whoever it was had clearly stolen the spotlight.
Must be some rising star in the business, she thought, and made her way over, hoping to make a connection.
As she drew closer, the crowd parted, making way for someone to step through.
“Excuse me, I’ll be leaving for now,” a clear voice said.
Selene emerged from the sea of guests, bathed in the glow of the glittering crystal chandeliers, every inch the center of attention.
Felicity’s face twisted in shock–and then in disgust. Of all people, it was Selene.
Selene walked over to Adrian and asked, “You’ve been standing off to the side watching me this whole time. Are you sure you’re not badly hurt?”
Adrian’s face went pale, and he coughed weakly.
Selene wasn’t fooled by his pitiful act, but out of basic decency, she offered, “Let me take you to the hospital, just in case.”
Adrian shook his head, coughing harder. “I’m fine, really. Selene, just take me home, okay? There’s no one at my place anyway. I’ll crash on the couch and I’ll be fine, really–cough, cough!”
Selene started to say something, but Adrian kept coughing, his eyes turning red.
“When I used to get hurt, my dad never cared. I heal fast, I promise…”
Just then, Leo wheeled himself out of the elevator. Normally, he’d never be on the first floor during an event like this, but the commotion on the stairs–thanks to Harrison and Adrian fighting over Selene had finally drawn him down.
“Coughing up a little wine and you’re still going at it?” Leo remarked dryly. “Mr. Shaw, you really might want to get your health checked.”
09.05
