3 Cat and Mouse
Although Almodiel Senior played it cool, Kristofer felt his disappointment all the way from the podium. His father was giving him the death glare that only he could recognize.
He was sure that he would receive his wrath later. All the blame would be on him, as always.
Right now, all he wanted to do was to look for the person responsible for ruining his night; the frustration threatened to burst out of him.
A soft touch from Grace Inolan calmed him a little. But it was not enough to stop his thoughts from wondering who would have dared to humiliate him in front of so many people?
"I'll talk to the technical team. Maybe someone could give us some answers about what happened. Don't do anything rash, Kristofer. Okay?"
Kristofer couldn't remember if he even gave Grace a nod, but she left without another word.
The younger Almodiel was confident that whoever did it was someone ignorant. Else that person would have thought twice before doing such a thing.
Kristofer let his eyes wander around the ballroom. He had his hands balled into fists. Had he been holding a pen, it would have snapped in two.
Amidst the chaos around him, he spotted someone wearing a red dress. The color reminding of some unpleasant memories he had when he was young.
The lady caught him staring. Her lips slowly curled into a smirk, captivating Kristofer for a few seconds before he got distracted by the camera flashes.
Following his instinct, he pushed his way against everyone blocking his path. For some reason, he wanted to confront the woman wearing the red dress, his heart beating wildly at the thought of approaching her.
The smirk she had sent to him just now had told him something. He was sure, and most often than not, his instincts were never wrong.
The gathered reporters blocked his path, trying to have him answer a question or two.
Kristofer never liked them. They were like flies swarming around him but only pounced when something happened.
Pushing past them, he kept his eyes trained on the woman in red.
He found it amusing when she had paused by the door and let her gaze fall on the place he used to be standing.
The disappointment on her face did not escape him either. It somehow brought a smile to his face, making him forget that he was supposed to be suspicious of her.
As far as his memories could go, he had never seen her before. There was something about her that was calling out to him.
She was beautiful, no doubt. The confidence radiating from her demanded attention, and Kristofer fell right into that trap.
Not wanting to lose her, Kristofer hurriedly grabbed her by the arm before she could open the ballroom's double doors and flee.
As their eyes met, Kristofer got lost in the deep brown eyes that stared right back at him. Time stood still, and the man looked boldly at her inviting lips.
If not for the sudden flashes of cameras that eventually got the two of them cornered, Kristofer would have continued to stare at the woman in the red dress.
The mystery of her identity was slowly gnawing at him. Unfortunately, before he could even figure out who she was and what business she had to entitle herself to come to this party, one of the reporters had asked them to pose for the camera.
Kristofer stared at her, and before changing his mind, he pulled her towards him.
"Be sure to smile," he whispered, having her stand next to him, his hand slipping around her waist, their backs facing the double doors which, only moments ago, she had wanted to pry open and make her escape.
"Perfect," the reporter stated, taking one snap with the others following suit. Momentarily, the scandalous video was forgotten.
Kristofer could already imagine what the headline would be for the next paper. The photo with the mysterious woman would sell better compared to the scandal.
Everyone would want to know who she was and would likely do a background check on her.
He, himself, had no idea who this woman was. But for the time being, he let a few more photos be taken before pushing the double door behind them himself.
He then began leading her away, closing the door shut. They were welcomed by the stillness of the hallway.
"You could stop pretending now. You can let go of my hand now, too," hearing her clear and sharp voice, Kristofer scoffed but did as she demanded.
He cocked his head to one side, trying to place her face somewhere and ultimately failing.
He can't remember ever seeing her anywhere. It made him think that she could be one of his flings or one-night stands.
"It would be best if you could first disclose your identity. That way, we can stop being strangers, shall we?"
Kristofer eyed the woman in question. He watched as a playful smirk began to form across her lips.
"Believe me when I tell you that it is better for you not to know who I am," she spoke confidently.
Kristofer kept his gaze steady, devoiding her from showing any signs of reaction from him.
"Did you not see the eager faces of those reporters back inside the ballroom? One way or another, your identity would be unveiled and more. But, I can prevent them from uncovering anything only if you abide by the condition."
Anna wanted to roll her eyes just hearing Kristofer Almodiel's arrogant voice.
His petty threat would have scared someone else but not her. In fact, she regarded his attempt to threaten her as empty.
This thought made her smirk for the second time. She was tempted to make a threat of her own; however, she held her tongue.
"Oh, I know. You don't have to be so cocky about that. However, I only have one thing to say to you and them," she stated, pausing briefly to look directly into his eyes.
"Good luck."
