He knew she was somewhere in the hall, but he couldn't find her. He kept searching until his eyes spotted a head full of red hair from a distance. He didn't know when it had become a habit at every family gathering to look for her first, but he was sure it had nothing to do with emotional feelings; maybe he was just used to mocking her about her husband, or "sympathizing" with her for marrying second Bradford but he wasn't that nice.
After spotting her in a corner giving instructions to a server, he wanted to go "speak" to her, but it looked like God wasn't in support.
The moment he moved his legs, the door of the hall opened and the light in the hall dimmed.
Was it a special effect planned by the Bradfords? No one knew, but it looked like the light couldn't contain the glory that had just walked in.
He was here, the mysterious second Bradford everyone talked about but had never seen, and he had finally arrived. Everyone's blood was pumping, including some family members who had never seen him but had only heard of him; they couldn't wait to see the second Bradford.
The moment was finally here. After a short while, a spotlight shone toward the door. The first to enter was a handsome man with deep brown eyes, accompanied by a pretty man with striking green eyes. They both looked like models and were unlike anyone from the first Bradford's line. Comparing the three of them would be a disservice to the world, because each had his own unique feature. The man with green eyes carried an elegance as he walked, producing a noble aura in and out, like a fallen angel, while the man with brown eyes looked easygoing with a light smile, though a subtle coldness could be felt beneath those eyes.
To Olivia, neither of these two men was a stranger. The man with brown eyes was Robert Coker, whom she had met at the mall with Vivian. The second man was the man who made her blood boil. The pretty man with no value.
Why is he walking in with Robert, and who is he, exactly? Olivia thought.
After the arrival of both men, the door closed, and the crowd felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over them. The person who had entered wasn't second Bradford, but Robert Coker and Victor Robinson of the great Robinson palace.
Robert walked up to the Great Elder and whispered in his ear. After that, the Great Elder walked up to the stage and said,
"Good evening once again, everyone. Second Bradford ought to be here by now, but he faced a minor accident on the way. He will join us shortly." After saying his piece, he left the stage and walked to a side of the hall with his son, Timothy Bradford.
By 7 p.m., most of the people present had already lost hope. Some even thought that the Bradfords simply wanted to organize a banquet but hadn't had a proper occasion, and the arrival of the mysterious second Bradford had become the excuse. Some saw it as a loss, but to others, like the socialites, it was still a win, at least they got to be in the same space as some of the most handsome men around.
The banquet went on, with people using it as an avenue to socialize and make more connections. Matthew, on the other hand, had gone ahead to have the conversation he'd been hoping to have, until the arrival of Robert and Victor interrupted him.
On getting to where she was, Matthew fell into a daze. He had seen his fair share of beauty, but he had to admit she was on another level. The backless royal blue gown brought out the curves of her body perfectly. He hadn't noticed she was that curvy before, not until that very day. Her red, waist-length hair gave her a fairy-like look. She looked like a lost princess found among mere mortals. In summary, he was impressed.
"Your husband refused to arrive," Matthew said as soon as he reached Olivia.
"The Great Elder said he faced some difficulties on his way. He'll probably arrive soon," Olivia replied.
"Well… I love your optimism," Matthew looked at Olivia mockingly.
Before he could continue, Robert and Victor came up and hit his back playfully at the same time.
"Yo! First Bradford!" Robert said.
"Robert! Who gave you permission to hit me like that?" Matthew exclaimed. This was the first time Olivia had seen Matthew lose his cool.
"Easy there, elder brother, you know that's how he is," Victor said jokingly.
"And who is your elder brother?" Matthew said angrily.
"You, of course… Brother Matthew," Victor said with laughter in his voice.
"Don't forget I'm just two years older than you guys," Matthew said.
"You're still our elder brother, then," Victor replied.
During Matthew and Victor's banter, Robert noticed Olivia, who had moved a short distance away from them, and was struck by how pretty she was. His voice made Victor and Matthew stop their banter.
"If I remember correctly, your name is Olivia… hi," Robert said, walking toward Olivia.
"Hello," Olivia responded with a slight nod.
"You!… How come you're allowed to be at this banquet?" Without waiting for Robert to speak, Victor's voice cut in. He looked at Olivia coldly.
"And why can't I be here?" Olivia responded with irritation.
"I know you're stalking me around. I'll grudgingly accept you, since you look a little decent," Victor said, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Olivia.
"What do you mean, accept her? She's second Bradford's wife," Robert interrupted their conversation.
"When did second Bradford get married?!" Victor exclaimed.
"You can ask the Great Elder for details," Matthew said from behind them.
"Does he even know he's married?" Victor asked the two of them.
"As of now, he should be aware," Matthew answered, glancing at the time on his wristwatch.
"This is unbelievable," Victor said, not minding that he'd mistaken Olivia for a stalker.
"I was also shocked when I found out," Robert said.
"That means you knew about it and refused to tell me," Victor stared at Robert.
While they were still talking, the hall suddenly went silent, and all the lights went off. Immediately, they knew their friend had arrived. The king of darkness had descended.