TWO FACED

22 - THE PARTY (3)

      "hey there," matthew greeted, his voice smooth and dripping with charm. "you're looking good tonight."

      gray's response was guarded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded matthew. "thanks," he replied curtly, his tone giving away his lack of interest.

      undeterred by gray's cool demeanor, matthew leaned in closer, his gaze lingering on gray's face. "you know, i couldn't help but notice you standing here all alone," he said, his voice low and suggestive. "care to join me for a dance?"

      gray's response was immediate and unequivocal. "no, thanks," he said firmly, taking a step back to put some distance between them. "i'm not really into dancing."

      matthew's smirk widened, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "come on, gray," he persisted, his tone playful. "it'll be fun. and who knows? maybe we'll even steal the show."

      but gray remained unmoved, his expression stoic. "i said no," he repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument. "i'm not interested."

      matthew's smirk faltered slightly at the rejection, but he quickly recovered, his charm still firmly in place. "well, if you change your mind," he said with a wink, "you know where to find me."

      gray's eyes narrowed as he recognized the tattoo peeking out from under matthew's collar, the distinctive design he had seen during the confrontation at their house. the realization hit him like a jolt, and his curiosity piqued. before matthew could disappear into the crowd, gray called out.

      "matthew," he said, his voice steady and commanding enough to make matthew pause and turn around. "what's your game here?"

      matthew raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "what do you mean?" he asked, feigning innocence as he sauntered back towards gray.

     gray crossed his arms over his chest, his expression unwavering. "first, you show up at our house and pick a fight with my brother, and now you come here, asking me for a dance. what's your motive?"

      matthew chuckled, the sound low and slightly mocking. "maybe i just wanted to see you dance," he said, his tone light. "is that so hard to believe?"

      gray's eyes flashed with irritation. "cut the crap," he retorted. "i know there's more to it than that. what's your real reason for being here?"

      matthew's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. he stepped closer to gray, lowering his voice. "alright, you got me," he said. "i was curious about you and your brothers. you seem...interesting."

      gray's suspicion deepened. "curious?" he echoed. "about what exactly?"

      matthew's eyes glinted with a mixture of interest and something else gray couldn't quite place. "let's just say i like to know who i'm dealing with," he replied cryptically. "and out of the wongs, you're the most intriguing one."

      gray remained silent, his gaze locked on matthew's, trying to decipher the true intent behind his words. the room around them seemed to blur as he focused on the man in front of him, the music and chatter fading into the background.

      matthew's smirk widened as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek business card. he held it out to gray, the gesture casual yet charged with underlying intent.

      "here," matthew said, his voice smooth and confident. "my number. call me whenever."

      gray took the card reluctantly, glancing down at the embossed numbers and the simple elegance of the design. he looked back up to find matthew watching him with amusement.

      "why would i need to call you?" gray asked, his tone guarded.

      matthew shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "you never know when you might need a friend," he replied. "or when you might want to take me up on that dance."

      with that, matthew turned on his heel and began to walk away, blending seamlessly into the crowd of elegantly dressed partygoers. gray watched him go, the card feeling oddly heavy in his hand. he slipped it into his pocket, his mind racing with questions and suspicions.

      as he stood there, the music and chatter of the ballroom swirling around him, gray couldn't help but feel a growing sense of intrigue—and wariness—toward matthew whitlock. the man was clearly playing a game, and gray knew he needed to stay on his toes to figure out the rules.

      the card in his pocket felt like a small, burning reminder of the evening's strange encounter, and as gray turned back to the party, he resolved to keep a closer eye on matthew. trust was something he couldn't afford easily, especially with someone as enigmatic as the man who had just handed him his number.

      for now, though, he would focus on the immediate surroundings, the masquerade masks hiding more than just faces as secrets and motives danced in the air like the couples gliding across the floor.

      the scene shifted to another part of the grand ballroom where jessica wong, xaver's stepmother, was engaged in animated conversation with a group of business associates. xaver stood beside her, his posture formal and his expression polite but distant. he nodded occasionally, his mind wandering as the discussions droned on about market trends and investment opportunities.

      jessica, noticing his detachment, leaned in closer and whispered, "xaver, why don't you mingle with people your own age? this party is as much for you as it is for us."

      xaver nodded obediently, though he had little intention of engaging with anyone. parties were never his scene, and the masquerade only added to his reluctance. he turned to scan the room, already plotting a quiet escape to a more secluded corner, when he felt an arm wrap around his neck and pull him back.