In His Arms

Chapter 39

There is something not right about this place...I note to myself as we walk around the reception hall greeting and speaking with random people who somehow know Alexander and me. The party is like what I expected it to be...lots of people dressed to the nines holding glasses of wine here and there making efforts at small talk. Alexander holds me by my waist as he converses with a boring-looking old man who seems to be very interested in what he has to say.

Dressed in a floor-length X-cross back, Grecian neckline, black dress with kitten heels on my feet. My lips are painted a dark red colour to complement my dark shadowed eyes that Adam helped me apply, my hair is swept to the side in soft curls and held in place with a long silver hairpin. He even made me wear contacts.

Looking around the room, I can subtly tell that this is not your typical function, with the strange uptight presence everyone here seems to carry themselves with and the strange men in suits that lurk around every other exit give me a sense of deja vu. This aura that I'm getting from everyone here reminds me of the auras at child slave auctions held by Peter Killingsworth who was and probably still is one of Europe's top human trafficking bosses, but then again it could just be me being paranoid.

After what happened in the hotel room, it's expected that I'm jumpy. The nap allowed me to rest my overwhelmed mind and it's clear to me now that I'm being watched. Stepping away from Alexander with the excuse that I'm going to check out the spread of mini foods on the other side of the room, I smile politely to other guests who return my smile. The pictures are proof of that. With the guards I know Mr Lee has around his estate it should have been impossible for anyone to take those photos but somehow they did.

I have a slight hunch on who ordered the pictures to be taken but the theory of it just doesn't add up to me.

"Excuse me," A server appears at my side just as I am reaching for one of the mini cheesecakes, holding a tray with a champagne flute and a folded piece of paper.

"I'm sorry," I smile softly holding my hand up to the nervous waiter in decline. "I didn't order a drink."

"That man over there ordered this drink for you," He replies quickly, his eyes darting in the said man's general direction as he holds his silver tray to me.

Glancing over in the direction the waiter's eyes went, my heart skips a beat when I see Eugene leaning against the wall by the floor-to-ceiling windows that give the room a skyline view of Taiwan. Staring back at me with a smirk on his face, he tips his glass of amber-coloured liquid in my direction telling me to take the flute and note before me.

What is he doing here?

With a forced smile on my lips, I turn back to the waiter to take the champagne and the note. Disappearing with his tray, I place the champagne flute on the dessert table to open the note, my lips form a straight line when I read his note.

Grabbing the drink on the table, I head in his direction with a smile on my face, pushing my way past some people who either apologise for being in my way or just ignore me. Straightening up once I'm near him, Eugene clinks his drink against mine.

"Cater Logans is here," He says softly before he takes a sip of his drink, eyeing the crowd over my shoulder. "He's the secondary host of this function. Did Alexander tell you what this event is?"

Following his lead, I lift and tip the flute at my mouth, not drinking the liquid, shaking my head in response to his question. My eyes watching the crowd from the reflection of the window, looking out for Carter Logans's familiar physic.

"Isn't he known as Edward West in the legal business world?" I ask him, scanning the crowd behind me.

"Yes, he is and he'll be wearing a disguise as well. You know what he's like," He winces at his own words, realising the meaning of his words. "I didn't mean that. This event is a charity event for orphans. Ironic isn't it?"