Chapter 47

“S! Mr. Flynn! Toast! Toast!” someone shouted enthusiastically.

“S! Mr. Flynn! Cheers! Cheers!” the others joined in, their voices brimming with excitement. The crowd followed suit, their cheers echoing through the room. Yet, after a moment, a puzzled guest asked, “Wait, where’s Mr. Flynn?”

“Yeah, where is he? I don’t see him anywhere,” another chimed in, craning their neck. The crowd suddenly realized the evening's main attraction was missing.

“Hey, Manager Wu!” a guest teased, raising an eyebrow. “How can Mr. Flynn be the star of the night if he isn’t even here?”

“Exactly! Are you trying to trick us?” another guest added skeptically.

“Maybe S is too much of a treasure—a pearl so precious that he’s been hidden away,” someone joked, eliciting a few chuckles.

Henry White, the manager, hurried to calm the room, waving his hands nervously. “No, no, it’s not like that. Let me explain—Mr. Flynn couldn’t make it tonight, but he left us a message.”

Henry hesitated, a cold sweat forming on his brow. He couldn’t reveal the secret agreement—an arrangement ensuring Mr. Flynn’s perpetual position as top bidder, secured by one hundred thousand dollars. If he let that slip, he risked offending the other guests. The Flynn family might be powerful, he thought anxiously, but these people weren't to be trifled with either.

“What message?” someone pressed, suspicion creeping into their voice. Such an explanation clearly lacked persuasiveness.

“Come on, Mr. White, how can someone bid if they’re not even here?” another voice prodded. Someone else asked, “Isn’t the rule at Maze that you have to be present for it to count?”

The comment struck a nerve, sparking a wave of agreement. “That’s right! Absolutely!” Among the most vocal was Adrian, the CEO of the Grandeur Group, who had been second to Josiah in tonight’s bidding. Over the past few weeks, Adrian had spent a fortune supporting Sienna and naturally assumed he would take the top spot. However, Mr. White had suddenly announced that Mr. Flynn had won. Initially, Adrian hadn’t dared to challenge the decision—until now.

“Mr. White,” Adrian said, stepping forward with a sly smile, “if everyone here agrees, shouldn’t the rules be followed fairly?”

Mr. White froze, his heart pounding. Sweat trickled down his temples, betraying his panic. How could this be happening? he thought, utterly dismayed. I invoked Mr. Flynn’s name, and they still don’t believe me!

Meanwhile, Josiah leaned back in his car, exhausted after a long day. As the vehicle slowed, he gazed out the window, his dark eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Zaid,” he called out to his driver.

“Yes, Mr. Flynn?” Zaid replied respectfully.

Josiah opened the car door and gestured for him to leave. “I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll drive myself. Go ahead and grab a cab.”

“Huh?” Zaid blinked, startled. “Mr. Flynn, where are you going? Let me take you there!”

“There’s no need,” Josiah said firmly, shaking his head.

Without another word, he slid into the driver’s seat and drove off, leaving a bewildered Zaid behind. At the next intersection, Josiah made a sharp left turn—a direction that didn’t lead to Silver Beach. Where is Mr. Flynn going? Zaid wondered.

Maze was in complete chaos.

“Mr. Bennett, you can’t go in there! That’s the staff lounge!” someone hurried to stop Adrian.

“Move aside!” Adrian barked, his tone sharp and aggressive. Trying to handle this calmly had gotten him nowhere. How could he possibly let this slide?

“Mr. White!” Adrian stormed into the backstage area, pointing an accusatory finger. “I’ve spent a fortune supporting Sienna over the past few weeks. I deserve an explanation! Moreover…”

He waved his arm, glancing back at the crowd. “Ask them, is my demand reasonable or not!”

“Reasonable!” the spectators agreed.

“Absolutely reasonable!” chimed in the crowd.

“Please, Mr. Bennett,” Henry said hurriedly, stepping forward, “let’s discuss this outside. This is a private area for staff; it’s not appropriate…”

But Adrian’s patience had run out. His pride was wounded, and the alcohol loosened his inhibitions. Grabbing Henry by the shoulder, Adrian shoved him aside with enough force to make him stumble.

“Do you think Mr. Flynn knows you’ve been throwing his name around to bluff us?” Adrian bellowed. “Get out of my way!”

Henry barely regained his footing before Adrian barged into the dressing room. Steadying himself, he caught up, as Adrian had already charged inside.

“Ah!” The startled cries of women filled the room as dancers, in various states of undress, hastily tried to cover themselves.

Adrian ignored them, asking, “Where’s S? Tell her to come out and toast!”

“Her?” Everyone instinctively turned to look in Sienna’s direction. Sienna had just removed her makeup and wasn’t wearing her mask. But the moment Adrian entered, she reacted swiftly, slipping the mask back on. This only made it easier for Adrian to recognize her.

“There you are,” he said triumphantly, striding toward her.

Sienna stood up, her posture straight and composed. “Hello, Mr. Bennett. Is there something I can help you with?”

Adrian paused, slightly stunned. Though her face was hidden, her voice and graceful bearing only heightened her allure.

He said, “S, after the dance, it’s tradition to toast the top bidder. You wouldn’t want to break the rules, would you?”

Sienna remained silent. Though she had no objections, she didn’t have the authority to decide for herself.

Henry quickly stepped between them, his voice placating. “Mr. Bennett, please. Let’s talk outside. This is a private space for the performers.” But Adrian’s temper flared. His pride was bruised, and he wasn’t about to back down. Grabbing Henry by the shoulder, Adrian shoved him aside. “Move! I’m warning you—don’t make me lose my temper, or I’ll smash this entire place!”

Before anyone could react, Adrian reached for Sienna, grabbing her delicate wrist. The moment their skin touched, a sinister light appeared in Adrian’s eyes. The smooth sensation in his palm made him understand what it truly meant to have skin as soft as ermine.

“Come with me!” He tightened his grip, attempting to drag Sienna away.

“No! Let go of me!” Sienna’s voice rang out, sharp with panic.

Adrian sneered, his grip tightening. “You’re just a dancer. Don’t you dare raise your voice at me!”

“I said, let go!” she shouted, her body trembling as she tried to pull free. Her struggles only infuriated Adrian further. Dragging her across the floor, he ignored her cries.

Adrian said, “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.” He dragged Sienna along like she was a piece of livestock. Sienna’s voice broke into sobs as her free hand clawed at his arm. “Let go! Please, let go!”

The onlookers stood frozen, too afraid to intervene.

“Mr. White! Do something!” one of the staff members whispered urgently.

Henry stammered, flustered. “I’ll call security! Right now! Sienna, wait for me!”

“What should we do? Should we go help?” someone said.

“But Mr. Bennett isn’t easy to deal with,” another replied.

One agreed, “Look at him, if we get involved, we might get into trouble!”

Sienna whimpered; her pulled hand had gone numb, her whole body tense, and gradually, her breathing became difficult. She let out a pained sound.

“She doesn’t look good!” someone exclaimed. “She’s struggling to breathe!”