Chapter 34
The location for The Vanderbilt Fundraising Ball had finally been revealed. It was taking place at the Vanderbilt's
state of the art conference centre. It was their newest built location which had been kept hidden until tonight.
The big reveal was saved for this evening's ball making it an added
bonus.
The entire building was quite a spectacle with the exterior being made out of glass from floor to: ceiling and the
structure forming in to unique shapes making it unusual to sight. The entire location was brightly lit but also
super secured.
The invitation was spared for the wealthy and elite only and a select hand picked at that all in the hopes that
they would cout and donate generously to the cause deemed fit by the Vanderbilt's.
In addition to that that, it was a competition especially since two head strong rivals were in attendance like the
steel manufacturing tycoons. They both usually went head to head to out bid the other in their egotistical wake
to be the best as opposed to their counterparts bringing in a huge winnings for the causes. It was a show of
money than the less fortunate that rugged generously at their
purse strings.
| approached the security guarded gates right where the conference centre was situated. The array of bright
lights that shined from the awaiting cars to be let in through the gates had causedbmild chaos enough to have
passerby cars slow down to make sense of it all but the the line was moving swiftly and the valets were efficient
in guiding the cars through the gates once they were screened.
The glossy back jaguar in front ofslowed down until it cto a complete halt catching my attention. A man
went to the window at the stone cto mine. | rolled down my window and gave my nand
shortly was let through at the stas the car in front. A valet dressed in his uniform had pulled open the
drivers side door and stepped aside.
Being next in line, | was quite intrigued to observe whoever it was that would emerge from this black beast
looking car but | took my thought back when | saw exactly who it had been.
Dante had emerged from the black beast looking the image of the most notorious billionaire of the city. He wore
an all black tux that clung to his muscular b*dy and wide shoulders like a second layer of skin contouring itself to
his rippling b*dy. His dark hair had been styled to the back with the sides of it a little shorter.
To my surprise, his sharp jawline was not cleanly sha ven. Instead, a visible stubble had grown but it was easy to
notice that he cleaned it up a bit but kept it on. In sunexplainable way, it had given him a more alluring
intensity to his look and, | dare say, it made him look a whole other type of appealing. Sthing that I did not
think was possible.
He stood proud and tall as he threw the key to his Jag in the air and the valet caught it with excitement brimming
in his eyes eager to get behind the wheel. Dante told him sthing to which the valet said something back
causing Dante to laugh. His perfect teeth had been in full display, his eyes
had gentle creases at their edges, and the expanse of his chest was only brought to attention but his straining
jacket. The valet had got in to his car, at last, and drove off.
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It was about then that he happen to turn and immediately caught sight ofin my car with my attention clearly
fixed on him. The moment his eyes had locked with mine and he gavea very
Chapter 31
knowing look before his expression turned hard. | knew that his expression was because ofavoiding him so
hard all these days. | stuck my chin out defiantly and it was just about then that he had been guided further
down the red carpet so that he could pose for a few pictures whilst the backup valet had seen to me. | noticed
that Pheobe was not in attendance and was surprised that she did not insisted on coming to such an event like
this. She would kill to be in such a gathering.
Dante had begrudgingly tore his eyes away fromand moved further down the carpet but he was still quite in
full view. | pulled up onto the designated spot and waited for my door to be open before | undid my seat belt and
was helped out.
I on the other hand had not moved an inch seeing as Dante was still in the sspot that | would be in if |
moved further down the carpet. It was the order of things. One pulls up then poses for a photo by the back drop
where two photographers clicked the pictures then proceeds inside.
| knew that he was aware ofstanding where | had been because the photographers were looking atto
move forward. Naturally | had expected him to move along but I inhaled sharply when he had turned fully in my
direction and did not hesitate to take a few confident strides until he stood right in front of me. His dark gaze had
ran over my face before it dipped lower to do a sweep of my entire length. Even though it had been a swift look,
| felf like each part of my b*dy had been brought to my attention beneath his gaze.
The flashes of the cameras had stopped for a moment and my eyes had widened as | tried to silently indicate to
him to move ahead and get away from me. However it was quite idiotic ofto assthat this man would
listen to anything I ever said. | saw his I*ps press in to a firm line as his tall figure towered overand he looked
down atwith the blank look. | clench my jaw together and told him to move away fromand get going into
the conference centre.
Instead he had held out his arm forto take knowing full well that there was no possible way that | could
refuse him when we were quite in the middle of all the attention especially the flashing cameras and the guests
behind.
| forced out a smile purely for the cameras and wound my hand around his arm and | could not help but noticed
just how prominent and firm his bicep had been.
“Have you ever tried smiling?” | muttered through clenched teeth as we were been waved through to exit the
carpet but a grunt was all the response | got.
We began making our way through the grand entrance doors and | was waiting to break away him. I did not want
to be seated next to him if | could help it.
from
“You have been avoiding me, Sophia.” He said in a cl*pped tone just as we both nodded in acknowledgment of
people giving us surprised stares before they would whisper to the person next to them.
“Of course, you'd think so. It was a busy week and | didn’t have tfor friendly chit chat.” | turned to tell him
but found his face alarmingly close to mine.
“Pretending to be busy and actually being busy are two different things.” | gasped at what he had just
insinuated.
| inhaled as | prepared myself to retaliate but | had only got a nostril full of his intoxicating cologne. | swallowed
and for the first tafter a long while | have found such a simple task to be
Chapter 31
so testing.
n
“Are you saying that | pretend to be busy?” we were now entering the banquet hall where circular tables
elegantly set with ntags along each table.
“Not precisely but seeing by how defensive you're getting, it makesreconsider.” He shot atand my
nostrils flared.
“I am not defensive. The fact that | was given an invite to tonight's even proves how fruitful my efforts have
been.” 1 boasted knowing that even he couldn't deny it.
We paused and patiently waited for our turn to be ushered to our seats and | could not wait for him to leave me
be and move away to his seat which | hoped would be as far away from where where ever it is that | was
supposed to be seated this evening. The less | saw of him the better.. | would be more at ease knowing that |
would not be clutching onto my better judgement.
“It only proves that you secured Vanderbilt as an investor.” He shrugged like such an achievement meant little
when | knew other wise.
“Right this way Mr Crawford. “The usher who had appeared in front of us had said before looking back down onto
the cl*pboard that he had in his hand.
| was already removing my hand from around Dante’s arm when the usher had looked upagain. My eyes
darted from side to side like | was refusing to accept what he was about to say to
me.
“You as well, Miss Miller. This couldn’t be happening. The Vanderbilt's would have known better than to seat is at
the stable.
Dante had reached for my hand and repositioned it right back where it had been on the crook of his arm before
he practiced sympathetically even though he wore the most annoying grin over his face.
Aaron had all but draggedalong seeing as there had been a crowd accumulating behind us also waiting to
find their seats and | was not going to move on my own accord.
“Did you have a hand in pulling this stunt.” it certainly was not sthing that | would put past
him.
Dante had scoffed at my question as the both of us had settled into our seats. He had done so fluidly whilst | had
done so begrudgingly.
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“Why would you think that | would have any thing to do with it? sometimes luck is just on the side. of those who
are good. “He said sarcastically.
| bit back a laugh. “If that was truly how it had worked then you would certainly be the most unluckiest of them
all. “he placed a hand over his heart tically and | rolled my eyes at him.
“you truly say the most sweetest of things. “he said sarcastically and | turned my attention away from him to do
a sweep of the room.
“you see this is what happens when you avoidfor no acceptable reason.” Dante's deep voice had
Chapter 34
said from behindand | turned to face him with a straight face.
“It is for a good reason and you are well aware of it. “I pointed out calling him out on his feigned innocence.
“Nevermind the specifics but it only goes to show that luck is on my side here. You finally have no choice but to
face me.” he pointed out smugly almost like he was also satisfied with the situation right now.
“Perhaps you
ire correct about this, after all | certainly don’t see how all of this could have happened if it were not for luck
because there's no way that | would willingly be in your company. “he scoffed at that as if my words had meant
absolutely nothing to him.
“That is what you would like to think.” | gasped in disbelief.
“so you suddenly haveall figured out. “I raised a sardonic brow at him.
“Not suddenly but gradually. It has takena lot to rediscover you.” He said on a flat tone and | felt my nostrils
flare in anger.
“And yet you are still so far off. | mocked but his eyes narrowed at me.
There was an instant shift in the air based on how he had began looking at me. His face was serious, his jaw
firmly set and his orbs looked in to mine like he could readlike an open book.
“Is that so? So | would be wrong if | said that ever since my arm wrapped around your waist outside, your pulse
hadn’t been beating faster, that your mind hadn't been racing with all things you want to do but are too afraid to
let yourself indulge, that if | recreate the events of the last twe were in your living room, | wouldn't find you
as wet and eager for me?” His voice was a low husky whisper and my cheeks immediately turned scarlet.
| swallowed audibly and his eyes darted to the movement of my throat. He didn’t smirk or grin or show any
indication that he was mocking me. All | saw in his eyes were red, hot desire that bubbled and boiled like an
inferno with no hopes to an end.
| didn’t know how the rest of the evening had gone on or how | managed to bid for a piece of jewellery that
caught my eye but it was all a blur with Dante constantly touchingthrough out the night. It was small
touches but it reached to my depths begging forto seek salvation from him.
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