Annabel's POV
"I'll grab us wine," Lucian offered, slipping away and leaving me by myself.
Only then did my gaze sweep across the room, taking it all in for the first time.
The banquet hall of the Golden Monarch shimmered beneath the luxurious chandeliers, the soft glow mingling with the sultry hum of low jazz.
Nothing was basic here.
Everything was perfectly arranged.
Everyone was almost in pairs—chatting and definitely enjoying the evening.
I moved to a reserved table and picked up the golden card placed on it.
The dotted line at the bottom of the card held Daniel's signature.
Annual Celebration Dinner — Investors/Senior Staff Invited.
A gasp escaped my lips. Why did Daniel invite me? I didn't deserve to be here. I had barely started working in his company, and now he was giving me special treatment.
Did that mean he felt something for me?
I noticed other colleagues staring at me, whispering. Probably talking about how I got to attend, not minding that I'm a new staff member.
But I didn't give a damn about what they thought. I wasn't going to let anyone ruin my evening. I was officially invited, so I had every right to be here.
My eyes scanned the room with curiosity, searching and wondering where Daniel was.
I had put in effort dressing nicely just for him.
I took a few more steps toward the crowd, hoping I would see him.
And just then, I found him.
He was speaking to someone I couldn't see, his back turned to me.
Then one of his men approached, whispering something in his ear. Daniel shifted, revealing the person he had been talking to.
Fiona.
My breath snagged in my throat.
I could feel my heart racing as I gulped down my breath to stay calm.
What could she be doing here?
Of course, I knew she was Daniel's mother, but I never thought about the chances she might come to the dinner.
Did she know I worked for Daniel?
Fuck.
What if my dad came with her?
My secret would be revealed.
No. This was not the plan.
Daniel could not find out about my real identity now.
Not like this.
I still had to execute my revenge plan. I needed to find a way.
Just then, I felt a soft tap on my back. I flinched, turning to meet Lucian, almost dropping the glass of drink he was offering me.
"Hey… hey…" he steadied me. "Are you okay?"
I shivered in fear. "Uhm… I… I just need to make use of the restroom."
He narrowed his eyes on me. "Okay… I'll be waiting for you"
I couldn't wait for him to finish his sentence. I made my way through the hallway leading to the restroom.
The ladies' bathroom gleamed with marble walls and gold-trimmed mirrors. It was filled with a soft fragrance that welcomed anyone who walked in. Light music played faintly from unseen speakers, soothing the atmosphere.
As soon as I entered, I slammed the door, rubbing my forehead as I paced around, Trying to figure out how to escape this mess
How do I escape this?
No plan was coming to mind.
My gaze met the mirror, reflecting my pale face.
My makeup was smudged. I was close to losing it.
I dug my fingers into my hair and ran my hand over it in frustration.
Then the door swung open hard enough to rattle the hinges.
Stephanie stepped in.
I saw her reflection in the mirror, yet I steadied myself from unleashing my anger on her.
I knew she was here to bring trouble—trouble I was not in the mood to entertain.
She moved closer, her eyes narrowing. "You don't look too well, Annabel." Her voice was clearly mocking.
I turned around to meet her. "What do you mean?" I ran my hands over my face.
She chuckled dryly. "Cut the act, Annabel… we both know you're hiding something. Why did you leave the hall in such a manner?"
I didn't utter a word.
She continued. "What secret are you hiding? Why are you bent on seducing Daniel? To get back at me, huh?"
She laughed bitterly. "I just want to tell you that Daniel can never look your way. He will just use you and dump you like the others. He is mine forever!" she yelled.
"Mine?" My voice came out sharp and strong."If Daniel is truly yours, I don't think you'd be here fighting over him… while he's outside having a good time."
"Snap out of it, Steph. And stop acting like a desperate, jealous lover." I clicked my fingers in the air.
She leaned closer, raising her hand to hit me, but I caught her wrist.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said, tilting my head as my mouth curled into a smirk.
Yes.
I saw the fear in her eyes.
Just what I wanted.
To see her powerless.
To watch her lose control.
My goal was to make her feel the pain she had put me through.
And from the look on her face, I could tell I was winning.
Just then, I heard a voice approaching from our direction.
I could recognize it anywhere, it was Fiona's. I had memorized her voice like an alphabet.
What could she be doing here?
Stephanie saw how worked up I was, and I'm sure she wanted to know why. But I was never going to give her the chance.
I released her wrist and rushed into an empty bathroom stall, shutting the door behind me as I hid.