Chapter 102

Sam smiled. “Don’t mind me. I won’t know how it’ll turn out if I don’t try, right?”

Miranda replied, “Even if you’re disappointed?”

Sam’s gaze darkened. “If so, I’ll accept defeat gracefully.”

Miranda didn’t expect him to be so stubborn. She fell silent.

Picking up on her emotions, Sam stopped trying to initiate conversation. In silence, they listened to the sound of the waves. He left only at midnight.

Miranda reflected on his quiet stubbornness and resolve. Sam knew his boundaries. He wasn’t assertive or reckless in trying to win her favor; in fact, he tried his best not to bother her. He was unlike Hansel, who relentlessly wooed her, and now frequently lost his temper.

Miranda sighed. She couldn’t stop others from doing what they wanted; she would simply do what she was supposed to do.

As she turned to her room, she spotted a figure standing quietly in the dark, like a ghost. Frightened, Miranda almost screamed. The figure emerged. As the light fell on his face, she realized who it was. “Hansel! What on earth are you doing?”

It was terrifying to find him standing there silently in the middle of the night.

When Miranda left, the ball became meaningless to Hansel. He searched for her but failed. Ingrid clung to him, persistently claiming hunger.

Hansel’s patience wore thin, and he was thoroughly annoyed. He beckoned a waiter and asked him to take Ingrid to the restaurant.

The hotel strictly upheld guests’ privacy, so Hansel had to work hard to find Miranda’s room number. He then eagerly sought her out, only to find her and Sam gazing at the sea from the balcony.

Her white backless dress billowed in the breeze. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her expression made her stand out against the night. Sam, tall, slender, and broad-shouldered, stood beside her; they looked picture-perfect.

Hansel was rooted to the spot. Only after Sam left did Miranda notice him. He still wore his ball mask. A faint glint flashed in his eyes as he gazed at her. With every step he took, Miranda’s frown deepened.

“Why have you come? I’ve said all I have to say. You—” Before she could finish, he grasped her wrist.

“Why would you choose him over me?” Hansel asked, his eyes bloodshot.

Miranda tried to break free, but failed. She looked directly into his eyes. “What are you up to now?”

“Sam. I saw him here,” Hansel said. “Don’t you know what kind of person he is?”

Miranda could feel his breath. Stepping back, she asked, “What are you trying to say?”

Her actions implied her estrangement. Anger flickered in his reddened eyes. His tone grew grave. “Do you think he really likes you? He’s sly, cunning, and a womanizer. Don’t be deceived.”

Sam, raised as the heir to his family, was reserved and introspective. Even Hansel, his best friend, didn’t always know what he was thinking. But recently, Sam had unexpectedly fallen out with him. Hansel couldn’t shake the suspicion that Sam had ulterior motives, perhaps even using Miranda to achieve them.

Miranda didn’t understand or want to listen. She calmly said, “No matter his motives, it’s none of my business.”