The man's gaze seemed almost tangible as it slowly and deliberately traveled over the girl standing in the water.
From where he stood, he could vaguely make out the slender curve of her waist beneath the surface, the soaked fabric clinging tightly to her figure.
And the delicate rise of her chest above the water, along with the pale, fragile line of her neck.
Elena could almost feel the heat and weight of his gaze.
It was as though rough fingertips were brushing slowly across her skin through the air and the water.
She couldn't stop herself from shivering.
She couldn't tell whether it was because the pool was too cold—or because his gaze felt far too penetrating.
Elena lowered her head even further and bit her lower lip, her posture becoming even more timid and subdued.
No one else noticed the exchange.
The young heirs standing beside the pool were already terrified out of their minds. None of them dared to raise their heads and risk meeting Richard's gaze.
They could only feel that cold, commanding stare sweep over them, and that alone was enough to make their blood run cold.
They desperately wished they could disappear into the ground.
Who had the courage to look anywhere else?
As for the girl in the pool?
They had already forgotten about her.
There was no way they believed Richard would care about someone like her.
After all, this was Richard Sterling.
He was the unquestioned head of the Sterling family, one of the most powerful financial dynasties in the country, and the absolute master of a vast business empire.
Even people like them were probably no different from ants in his eyes.
Let alone a poor, gold-digging girl who was trying to use her looks to marry into a wealthy family.
“...What happened here?”
Richard finally spoke.
His voice was deep and rich, each word carrying an unmistakable weight of authority as it echoed through the silent courtyard.
Several of the young heirs visibly flinched.
“Mr. Sterling! We… we were invited by Victoria! She organized this gathering. We were upstairs discussing our project!”
“Yeah, exactly! We’ll leave right away! We had no idea you were coming. We’re so sorry for disturbing you!”
One of the young men, whose family held the most influence among them, gathered his courage and nervously added,
“U-Uncle Sterling, are you… are you here tonight for…?”
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Richard’s gaze finally shifted away from the pool.
He glanced lightly at the young man.
At that exact moment, the young man happened to look up.
Their eyes met.
It was as if an icicle had pierced straight through him.
His face instantly went pale, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. Whatever he had been about to say died in his throat.
He wanted nothing more than to slap himself.
Since when was it his place to ask about Richard Sterling’s schedule?
“Do you want me to have someone escort you out?”
Richard asked calmly.
“No, no, no—we’re leaving! Right now!”
The group nodded frantically, practically tripping over themselves as they rushed toward the mansion to grab their things.
They only wished they had been born with a few extra pairs of legs.
As for Elena, still standing in the pool?
They had completely forgotten about her.
They could only hope that what happened tonight would not be remembered—that Richard would forget them as quickly as possible. Otherwise, their parents would be furious.
In the blink of an eye, the only sound left by the pool was the howling wind.
At Richard’s signal, the bodyguards, assistants, and technicians had already stepped back to a respectful distance.
Close enough to respond whenever he called, but far enough not to disturb him.
Richard started walking.
Unhurriedly, he made his way toward the pool.
Elena kept her head lowered. From the corner of her eye, she watched the tall figure gradually approach.
A pair of spotless, handmade leather shoes came into view.
Then the perfectly pressed trousers, the cuffs falling neatly around his long legs.
The leather and fabric caught the light with a subtle, unmistakably expensive sheen.
Elena felt her heartbeat begin to quicken.
“Little girl.”
She heard his voice above her head.
It sounded much closer now, and somehow even lower than before.
Like the lowest string of a cello being gently plucked, carrying a strange, magnetic quality.
“Frozen?”
His tone revealed little emotion. It sounded as though he was simply asking why she hadn't come out of the pool.
“…No.”
Elena slowly shook her head.
Her wet hair swayed with the movement, and when she spoke, her voice was soft and slightly hoarse from the water, carrying a hint of grievance and frustration.
“If I got out just now, they might have tried to hit me again. It felt safer in the water.”
Her explanation was vague, and she didn't elaborate.
Somehow, Elena instinctively felt that with someone like Richard, complaining too much or telling him everything that had just happened might only annoy him.
“…I'm sorry, Mr. Sterling. I made a mess of your pool.”
As she spoke timidly, she placed both hands on the edge of the pool and pulled herself out.
Her soaked white dress clung to her body. In places, the thin fabric had become almost translucent, tracing the delicate line of her shoulders, the narrowness of her waist, and the soft curves of her figure beneath it.
Her long legs were blurred by the rippling water, while the exposed line of her neck and collarbones looked almost unnaturally pale beneath the pool lights.
She was drenched from head to toe, her wet hair falling messily around her face, making her look less like the shallow, pampered girl everyone here despised and more like something fragile that had been abandoned in the cold.
Richard's gaze remained on her for a moment before shifting to the overturned crystal pitcher on the ground and the orange juice splashed across the floor.
“…I'm glad you came,” Elena said softly. “Otherwise, I don't know what might have happened. Thank you. I'll leave now.”
Without waiting for his response, she walked toward the side entrance of the mansion, her legs still trembling slightly.
The water really was a little cold.
After being in it for so long, her arms and legs had begun to feel stiff and weak.
Elena had only taken two steps when her foot suddenly slipped.
The smooth tiles offered no traction beneath her feet, and her body immediately lost its balance, tipping uncontrollably to the side.
The next second, she felt herself suddenly lifted off balance.
A large, powerful hand had already caught her firmly at the waist.
The hand was broad enough to cover nearly her entire waist, its hot palm pressing against the soaked fabric as his fingers settled securely into the curve of her lower back.
His thumb rested just beneath her ribs, while the other four fingers supported her lower back, holding her steady with effortless strength.
The sudden force pulled Elena toward him before she could react.
Her shoulder lightly struck his forearm.
Even through the thick fabric of his suit, she could feel the hard, solid strength of his arm beneath it.
Her waist seemed especially slender against his broad hand, the wet fabric emphasizing the delicate contrast between them.
For a moment, Elena could only remain there, caught completely off guard.