Chapter 78
SIENNA’S POV~
The exhibition hall was packed.
I smoothed down my dress, the red one that made me look good under these lights and scanned the room. Tech displays were everywhere. People in expensive suits all pretending to care about algorithms and robotics when really they just wanted to make connections.
Same as me, I guess.
Aunt Lauren was saying something to Dad about one of the displays but I wasn’t really listening. I was looking for—
Wait. A. Fucking. Second.
I blinked.
Elodie? Was that Elodie?
She was standing near the center of the hall, talking to some tall guy. Laughing. Actually laughing.
What the hell was she doing here?
“Is that Aunt Lauren had spotted her too.
“Yeah.” My voice came out flat.
This didn’t make sense. These exhibition spots were exclusive. You didn’t just walk in off the street. You had to be someone. Had to matter.
And Elodie didn’t. Not anymore.
She’d quit everything when she got pregnant. Dropped out of her programs, stopped working, just… gave up. And then she lost everything, every single thing. What was the point then?
Now she was doing what? Temping somewhere? I didn’t keep track. Didn’t care enough to.
So why was she here?
The guy she was talking to turned slightly and I got a better look at his face.
Oh.
“That’s Johnny,” I said.
Dad looked up. “Johnny p>
“Johnny Cole p>
Dad’s eyebrows went up. Even he knew that name.
Everyone knew Johnny. He was one of those people you wanted to know. Major player at Cole Industries, not just some guy in a suit, he was actually brilliant. Built half their tech himself. I’d heard his name dropped at parties, at Pack meetings. People from the European Packs wanted meetings with him. The Bellini Pack had tried to partner with Cole twice last year.
He was connected. Powerful. The kind of person who could open doors.
And he was with Elodie.
Talking to her like… like she belonged there.
I watched him introduce her to someone. Watched her smile and shake hands and play the part.
My jaw tightened.
“I didn’t know she was working at Cole,” Aunt Lauren said carefully.
Neither did I.
“Must be recent,” I said. “Some entry-level thing probably p>
But even as I said it, something felt off.
These spots weren’t for entry-level employees. These were for executives. For people who mattered to the company.
Why would Johnny bring her?
“Should we say hello?” Aunt Lauren asked. “To Johnny, I mean. Your father’s been wanting an introduction and p>
“I don’t think so. At least not yet.” I said softly, trying hard not to harden my tone.
Dad’s eyes slowly followed her and my eyes twitched in annoyance.
“You look surprised dad.” I said casually, folding my arms to my chest, trying hard not to clench them into a fist.
“Yeah… I am.” He said and softly cleared his throat. “I actually knew that Elodie had joined Cole and left Wilson’s group but I’ve never expected her to walk in with Johnny Zhang himself. I mean I expected her to come alone as a regular employee. But look at that. Johnny looks like he values her extremely p>
My brows raised, taking every single movement of them, right across the room into consideration. Probably… dad was right.
Before I could even voice my thoughts, I heard someone call out, “Miss Brown, Mr Brown. Oh! What a pleasure to see you both are here p>
We all turned to the voice and immediately put on our automatic, fake smiles and shook hands with the man.
“Mr Andy, what a pleasure to meet you.” Dad said and I forced a smile to my face and hummed in agreement.
And then he began to speak and I couldn’t help but join in the discussion despite how much I wanted to have my eyes pinned on Elodie and everything she was going to do today, in here. But the discussion was taking its curve to another end. About last night.
You see… We only had two tickets.
Then Mr. Andy sent one over this morning. Because of last night. Because everyone saw.
Dante’s hand was on my waist at the gala. The cameras were taking evidence and Everyone was staring.
God, the way people looked at us.
At me. Finally,
“Miss Brown”
He began to say, turning fully to face me and I already know what he wants. Same thing they all want.
“Mr. Andy p>
“Is Alpha Dante p>
“He’ll be here p>
I Don’t even let him finish. I know. I always know.
Mrs. Chen appears out of nowhere. Her perfume makes my eyes water. “Sienna! After last night everyone’s just… oh moon goddess, you must tell me everything p>
I smiled. Said something. I don’t even know what.
More people came Drifting over and Circling us.
It’s working. Whatever happened last night, whatever people think we were, it was indeed working.
They were looking at me.
Someone was talking about Pack alliances. Someone else about tech investments. Dad’s laughing at something. Aunt Lauren’s doing that thing where she touches people’s arms when she talks.
And I’m just standing here and people keep coming over, trying to strike some conversation with me so we could get acquainted just because of Dante.
This was good.
This is what I wanted.
Right?
The crowd kept getting bigger. I could feel it. Feel eyes on us from across the hall.
But I turned toward Elodie’s direction and my jaw tightened.
She’s over there with that guy. Johnny. They’re talking but she’s looking over here. At the crowd around us.
At me.
Her face does this thing. Like she’s in pain but trying to hide it. Then she looks away fast.
People kept pushing closer. Wanting to talk. To know me. Mr. Andy was introducing someone else, some investor from the European Packs. Mrs. Chen wouldn’t stop touching my arm.
I glanced at Dad. He was smiling. Actually smiling. That proud look I’d only seen so many times in my life.
Aunt Lauren too. She caught my eye and there was this gleam there. This satisfaction.
We were the center of attention and they were eating it up.
So was I.
Wasn’t I?