Adrian
It wasn’t until we arrived at the estate that Nikolai told me the engagement dinner was being held here.
Immediately I got out of the car, I quickly checked for any notification but it seems Leonardo had failed to notify me of my own engagement.
Finding out about my engagement from someone was one thing, but from Nikolai was a kind of mockery.
“Are you going to show me around?” He said curtly but I rolled my eyes at him.
“Help yourself.” I grabbed the shopping bags and left him standing there.
The front garden was being used for the party.
A whole decor was put in place, even the most prominent figures in the country were present.
The scent of fresh lilies and expensive cologne tangled in the breeze, while golden fairy lights shimmered along the hedges, casting dreamy reflections on guests’ polished shoes.
Waiters glided by with silver trays of smoked salmon canapés and champagne, and beneath the carefully curated elegance, all I could think about was how pretentious the set up looked.
It was suffocating.
The first thing I thought of was to run away and hide from guests including my in-laws, but luck wasn’t on my side.
“Adrian.” A familiar voice tinged in my ears and I frowned.
“Leonardo.”
“Father…” He frowned.
“Yes, father.”
“Why are you with Nikolai?
Are you both now close?
He even drove your car.
Are you planning on sabotaging my plans?”
“How can we be close?” I asked and he was too stunned to respond.
“Don’t just stand there, go say hello to your in-laws.”
“I have to go inside first.”
Leonardo’s eyes turned red and the skin of his face squeezed in fury.
“Don’t get cocky with me boy, go say hello to your in-laws now!”
My lips slightly opened as I stared at him.
His ugly face and wicked demeanor was something that have always made me wonder-
Why was mother even attracted to him in the first place?
I clenched my eyes shut about to walk out on him when a gentle voice came from behind.
“You are here.” Liliana was the most gentle person I’ve met.
For someone belonging to a mafia family, her elegance was impeccable.
“I found something I like.”
“That’s wonderful.
We heard about…” She then stopped and her eyes traveled to my hands.
“You can drop your bags, we will talk later.”
I quickly excused myself and went straight to my room.
Dropping the bags in the closet, the pain that crawled under my skin caused a whiff to escape my lips.
My hands were bleeding.
Sitting on the floor, I changed the bandage as my mind went through the event of the day.
I had noticed the chandelier, it wasn’t natural.
There was a need to visit the shop again to find some clues.
My heart pounded as a thought crossed my mind-
Was it Nikolai?
But if he were, he would never risk hurting Isabelle.
Again, I ended up with nothing.
Since someone attacked, I wonder if they were after me or Isabelle.
I pushed the dressing mirror aside, behind it, there was a hidden drawer.
A phone.
When my mother passed away at the hospital, the doctor had given me her belongings.
This phone was amongst them.
Last time I remembered, my mother never had such an expensive phone.
No one was able to hack it.
It was a burner customized phone.
If a tamper is detected, the hacker said it will wipe off every detail in the phone, and if it goes off, everything will wipe off.
I’ve kept it charged for the past seven years, trying to figure out the password.
It seems, there was a lot about mother I didn’t know.
There was only one clue the hacker gave me-
The phone’s brand-Ghostcell.
I’ve searched for such a company but there is no information.
“Hello…” There was a voice from inside my room and I quickly kept the phone back in the drawer and placed the dressing mirror back in position.
Walking back to the room, a green-eyed man was standing in front of me.
Franklyn.
“Mr Adrian, I was told to bring you to the garden.
You have to cut your cake.”
“They sent you?”
His brows seemed to shake for a moment and his eyes wavered before he said-
“Well, I don’t know why.” He forced a smile and I could tell instantly.
He is lying.
“Lead the way.” I ordered but he stood for a while before walking towards the door, but then-
“My stomach.” Franklyn muttered, doubling over slightly with one hand clutching his side.
I raised a brow, a hint of uncertainty clamored in my stomach, but handed him a glass of water.
He accepted it with a sheepish chuckle, lowering himself onto my bed without permission.
He sipped slowly, eyes lingering on me far too long between gulps.
“That should do.” I said curtly.
“Now, leave.”
A glint of fear appeared in his eyes.
I stared down at him, wondering why he was here.
But then-
This man stood up in a haste, and wrapped his hand around my shoulders.
Pulling me to himself, he kissed my lips.
I pushed him instantly and he fell on the bed.
“No one called for me right?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you here?” I frowned impatiently.
“I know you, I’ve seen you before.” He muttered with a lustful smirk as he removed his buttons with surety that someone like me would want someone like him.
“From where?” I asked.
“Where do you think?”
I was instantly alerted, it couldn’t be.