Chapter 227

Celine's sharp gaze shifted to Nikki. "Excuse me, miss," she said, "could you move? You're in the way of my dance with Mr. Alvarez."

Boldly, she challenged Nikki, who reluctantly stepped aside. Nikki clenched her fists in frustration; she hadn't wanted to budge, but the wealthy heirs around them urged her on. "Ms. Barnett, hurry up and move!"

Nikki shot Celine a venomous glare before complying. Celine smirked inwardly. She had already seen Nikki's true nature; this was her retaliation, and it had only just begun.

Celine's gaze shifted to Adam, who hadn't taken his eyes off her. She met his stare, and with a playful smile, slowly parted her legs within his line of sight. Then, she climbed onto his lap, straddling his waist.

The crowd erupted in cheers and whistles. "You're the first one to crawl onto Mr. Alvarez like this and dance so intimately with him!" someone shouted.

Celine wore a delicate veil that partially obscured her face. Her usual ethereal, cool beauty was transformed into a fiery, seductive temptress. No one seemed to recognize her.

She teased playfully, "Really, Mr. Alvarez? Your love life is like a never-ending season of blooming flowers. There's always a new woman—first Ms. Baren, then Ms. Tate. Looks like I'm just another face in the crowd."

Someone laughed. "Well, if you want to stand out with Mr. Alvarez, you'll need to dance even better than the others!"

Celine looked at Adam with mischief in her eyes. "Well, I guess I'll have to try my best under all this pressure from Ms. Tate and Ms. Barnett." As the music played, she moved in perfect harmony with it. Her waist swayed fluidly to the beat, captivating everyone's attention. The most captivating part was the seductive sway of her hips as she sat on Adam's lap.

The entire bar was in a frenzy. People cheered and screamed; some even surrounded her, moving to Celine's rhythm. The atmosphere was electric.

Adam's dark eyes flickered, twin flames igniting in his gaze. While others failed to recognize her, he instantly saw through Celine's disguise. Anger boiled within him as he tried to understand why she was dressed like that. What was she up to?

As Adam watched the men around him, their eyes glazed over with fascination, he couldn't help but wonder if she had come to turn the world upside down. His gaze drifted down her provocative, gyrating figure. How many sides did she have? The cool, ethereal goddess; the fiery temptress. Each seemed to have men wrapped around her finger.

As Celine continued to straddle him, he suddenly tightened his grip around her waist. In the blink of an eye, Adam's powerful arm circled her, pulling her tightly against his chest.

Celine lifted her gaze, meeting the smoldering intensity of his eyes. She flashed a teasing smile. "Mr. Alvarez, what are—"

"Celine, what exactly are you playing at?" he growled.

Her smile faltered. Had he recognized her? She hadn't expected her disguise to be blown so quickly. With a sharp push against his chest, she scrambled away and bolted, running as fast as she could.

The crowd shouted in disappointment, "Little temptress, where are you going?"

The music abruptly stopped, and the bar manager took the stage, announcing, "Ladies and gentlemen, the performance has ended. Thank you for your—"

Though the crowd craved more, they reluctantly dispersed.

Nearby, a group of wealthy heirs laughed and nudged Adam. "Mr. Alvarez, first Ms. Tate danced on you, now this little temptress. Which one do you prefer—the close dance with Ms. Tate or the one with the little temptress?"

Adam's shirt and trousers were slightly wrinkled from Celine sitting on him. The creases added a touch of disheveled charm, giving him a wild, carefree edge in the bar.