The charity ball had an amazing turnout with over 1300 guests and most of them with deep pockets. There were media outlets doing articles on the event so they followed Eric and his mother around as soon as they arrived. Him with his fiancee and her with his father in tow.
They had yet to cross paths.
Kadence wore her extravagant dress adorned with matching jewels and her blonde hair was placed in an exceptional updo. She smiled and waved to the guests all moving about the room with a glass of champagne in hand.
"These things are dreadfully boring. You'd have to be on fire to truly excite me," a man with a glass of amber liquid came close smiling yet seemed miles away from the actual event. "Lance duValle, partner of Eric's. You're his escort, right?"
She didn't want to correct him but he spotted the ring on her finger before he continued.
"Or not. The big guy's really settling?"
"Lance, I see you've met--"
"Your future. Congrats, buddy! She's gorgeous," Lance interrupted with a huge grin at his best friend.
They shared a look before Eric took Kadence's hand and led her over to a table. She downed her glass of champagne knowing what was to come.
"Kadence, I want you to meet my mother and father. Constance and Donald Davidson, the founders of this charity, and this is my future wife to be," Eric gestured between the three people standing in the close circle.
He waited with bated breath as his mother gave Kadence her infamous once over. Her brow lifted slightly and then slowly but surely a small smile made her face appear gentle.
Constance outstretched a hand with her tender smile and Kadence gave Eric a look of concern. She wasn't sure if this meant the woman was happy to meet her or just another fake appearance that most of the people around him seemed to have. His fiancée or ex fiancée from before saw her as a threat and his friend just literally called her an escort.
Eric nodded in approval.
"Hello, Mrs. Davidson..."
"Honey, call me Connie. Only people who work for me address me as such."
Kadence took a deep breath and nodded. She turned to Mr. Davidson who was quiet and seemed to just watch her with curiosity in those blue eyes of his. The look wasn't very comforting but it didn't make her uncomfortable.
Connie took Kadence by the arm passing over their drinks to their better halves before waving goodbye and leading the young girl away.
"So Kadence, you and my son... I know the whole story but I would like to know why you, my dear one, would ever be found in an alleyway at such a late time of night?", Connie gave the girl a stern look as they stepped out of the crowd onto the balcony overlooking the lawn.
"Finishing up work. I didn't-"
"But you did and I thank you. It's a twisted damsel in distress story but I find it very amazing. That one girl he nearly married was a nightmare."
Kadence didn't want to remember her run in with the woman and instead turned to look up at the sky as the night sky shone brightly with intricately placed stars. Her mind wandered to the future as she realized that Connie wasn't as bad as she thought her to be.
"Eric is a sweet man. You raised him well..."
"He practically raised himself. I let him try or do whatever his heart desires and now look at how he turned his dreams into reality."
Constance's eyes gleamed with pride as she began her stories about Eric's earlier days. Kadence smiled fondly at them as she stood beside the woman who could be seen as an embodiment of classy and regal almost like a queen herself. The stories made her realize what a wonderful person she was just getting to know.
