Chapter 53

My nose tingled, and I quickly covered it, looking up at the newly arrived man. He had wine-red hair that shimmered a bold, dark red in the light, and his handsome face exuded arrogance and recklessness. A purple ear stud glimmered on his left ear.

I immediately apologized, bowing my head. "I'm terribly sorry, I entered the wrong private room!" I finished my sentence and turned to leave.

The man grabbed my arm and snickered, "Who said you could leave?"

My expression changed. Was I dealing with an unreasonable person? I tried to remain calm. "What would you like me to do?" I looked up at the man.

He gazed directly at my face, then pinched my chin. "Lift your head!"

I froze. Annoyance was rising. "Please let me go!"

He took a closer look and chuckled mischievously. "Since you're here, let's play together!" He tried to pull me into the private room.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Ava opened a luxurious, inconspicuous door and saw two men sitting inside. Her expression changed slightly. She quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I entered the wrong room!" The girl at the door looked like a timid rabbit, her cold demeanor out of place.

Elias raised an eyebrow and stood. "Let me see what kind of look made you enter the wrong room!" Ava became flustered, wanting to leave. But Elias quickly caught her arm.

Unspoken Farewell at 30,000 Feet

In her panic, Ava saw me being dragged into one of the private rooms. Her expression turned unpleasant. I was here to help her find someone; if something happened to me, Ava would never forgive herself. She struggled and was about to rush over.

From his angle, Elias saw James pulling a woman into a private room. Unexpectedly, he heard a familiar name. He held Ava's arm firmly, his eyes glinting. "Did you just call out Sophia?"

Ava didn't expect him to know me. Desperate, she answered, "Yes, it's Sophia! Do you know her? She was pulled into that room!"

Elias glanced over, his eyes flickering. He said, "Wait here a moment."

Ava, bewildered and anxious, obediently nodded. Elias, his curiosity piqued, entered the private room.

Lukas sat nursing a drink. A grin curved Elias's lips. "Lukas, care to guess who just crossed my path?"

Lukas, nonchalant, barely lifted his eyelids. "Does it concern me?"

Elias chuckled, sat down, and looked at him. "Absolutely! We were just discussing that person. Guess who's here?"

Lukas frowned. "Are you in need of psychiatric assistance?"

Elias clicked his tongue. "How boring! We were talking about Sophia, remember? And I just saw James King enthusiastically escorting her into a private room! She's a designer at your company, isn't she? Should we ensure her well-being?"

Lukas immediately understood. Speak of the devil… A shadow flickered in his gaze. How could this woman be so troublesome? He rose and went toward the door.

Elias's mischievous smirk lingered. "Just as I suspected. Your actions speak louder than your words!"

Meanwhile, in the neighboring private room, I was pulled in. The man laughingly introduced me to the crowd. "Let me introduce you all to Sophia Lopez, the designer from Strakovsk who's enjoying a lot of limelight at the moment."

The men and women in the private room turned to look; some were curious, some disdainful, others envious or jealous. Someone was already pouring drinks.

My surprise at being recognized was evident. I was certain we'd never met before. Few could identify someone from a video and then in person. I realized staying wouldn't be good.

I took a deep breath. "Sir, since you recognize me, let's dispense with pleasantries. If I've unintentionally wronged you, I apologize. However, I must leave."

The man's grip tightened. He snorted. "In a rush? But you haven't heard my name yet. I'm James King. A name worth remembering, wouldn't you agree?"

I furrowed my brow. "Mr. King, your name is now etched in my memory. May I leave now?"

James looked at me playfully, admiring a precious gem. He curled his lips. "Want to leave? Of course, you can! Just finish drinking this entire row of alcohol!"

My heart skipped a beat as I saw eight glasses of brandy and several empty bottles. My eyes darkened. "Mr. King, you're putting me in a difficult situation!"

I had no idea how I'd offended him, but his intentions were clearly not good.

"Difficult situation? How could you hurt my heart like that? I genuinely want to be friends with you. After finishing these eight drinks, we'll be sworn siblings! If you don't drink, you're rejecting my face!" James said, laughing maniacally.

I responded calmly. "I have no intention of disrespecting you, Mr. King. But please understand, I really don't know how to drink."