Chapter 530

chapter530

A chill ran down Annie’s spine as she stared at the card in her hands. “Is everything good to go?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Grayson replied softly, “I’ve made the necessary arrangements. It’s up to you now. Don’t disappoint us, Annie.”

Her face paled as anxiety tightened its grip on her throat. However, considering their dire predicament, she could only nod. “Alright.” She turned and left the hall, the card clutched tightly in her hand.

It was 10:00 PM, and the gala was set to end in an hour. Given the late hour, many guests had already checked into the hotel for the night. Joe swirled his glass, watching the crimson liquid sparkle under the crystal chandeliers. He had finished nearly four glasses of red wine out of sheer boredom, yet his frustration remained unsoothed.

“Mr. Martin, I’ve booked your room. Here is the key card,” Paul said, stepping forward.

Joe took the card and nodded. “I’m going up to rest.” He was no stranger to early exits; high-profile events like these often bored him quickly.

Paul had booked a room for himself as well. After Joe left, he lingered for a few more sips of the premium champagne. He couldn’t bring himself to waste such expensive wine, so he decided to enjoy his share.

Suddenly, something in the distance caught his eye. Hadn’t Natalie already confronted Jeremy about his affair? He knew Annabelle had been fired and the relationship was supposedly over. So why...

Across the room, Annabelle stumbled into Jeremy’s arms. Perhaps Jeremy hadn’t reacted quickly enough to push her away, but for a heartbeat, he allowed her to fall into his embrace. Annabelle’s stunning face was flushed with a dainty blush. From his distance, Paul couldn’t hear their conversation over the music, but his instinct for gossip was tingling.

Annabelle’s schemes are ingenious, Paul thought. She seemed to have a way of twisting any situation to her advantage.

At that same moment, Jeremy regained his composure and pushed Annabelle away with cold, unforgiving force. Surprise contorted her features, her practiced smile faltering as shock took over.

“Mr. Hughes,” Annabelle protested weakly.

How was this possible? For a moment, his gaze had softened just like before. He had looked entranced. Why was he behaving so differently now? Within seconds, Jeremy’s expression had turned ice-cold.

Jeremy clenched his jaw. “I see you haven’t given up on your games, have you?”

“No, I wasn’t trying to seduce you,” Annabelle pleaded, acting like a frightened doe. “My heels were simply too high, and I lost my footing. It was an accident. I still remember what you told me last time.”

She was genuinely terrified. Her usual methods were failing her. Was it because of the shattered porcelain? The tactics that had worked so flawlessly at the start were becoming useless with repetition.

“What perfume are you wearing?” Jeremy asked, looking down at her with a questioning, sharp gaze.

Annabelle froze. Her heart pounded nervously. “I... I don’t use perfume,” she replied diffidently, hiding her hands behind her back.

Why was he asking this now? Had he sensed something unusual? Usually, people didn't pick up on her subtle methods, as modern society no longer believed in the old ways. She thought of Skylar, who worked under Alexander. Even though she’d offered billions in hopes that Skylar would help restore her porcelain charm, Skylar had refused to even look at it.