chapter 9

Darren walked into the hall alongside German. He didn't have the zeal to be here but he just had to come. German led him to a seat at the end of the hall, he could see all that was going on in the hall.

"Hmmm.. quite lively don't you think?" German nudged his shoulders.

"When does the party end?" Darren asked in reply.

"Party pooper" they sat on a high classy table different from the guests tables.

Darren's eyes lazied around watching the guest who came in and those who went out.

Some ladies had their eyes on him, but he didn't spare a glance at them. He easily got irritated when ladies ogle at him. This got him a nasty reputation for being gay though he wasn't. He didn't bother defending himself after all humans are like fallen leaves, they'd follow the wind wherever it goes.

"Bro 6 o'clock" German cleared his throat and whispered. When Darren turned to his friend his eye tailed down where his friend was looking at and immediately he regretted coming to the party.

  Felicia Dwagan, German's cousin she was a beauty with sexy alluring eyes, bold slender curves and domineering aura she walked towards Darren like a goddess. She was a complete head turner. This would be the words of any man other than Darren.

To Darren she was the complete opposite. She was overbearing and utterly spoilt. She's a child pampered to a fault, she's rude and has a green eye for everything even when she has more than enough. In Darren's eyes he saw Felicia as the nasty version of his pampered younger sister.

"Hello" Felicia waved her hands seductively and sat beside Darren "missed me?"

"No" Darren replied and waved the waiter for a glass of wine.

"Interesting" Felicia rolled her eyes and turned to her cousin"hello German, how are you"

"Good evening Licia" German smiled warmly "your trip?"

"Annoying, but I managed " the waiter Darren called for came with a tray, holding a bottle of champagne and three cups. As the waiter poured in a glass for Darren, Felicia stared at the man scrutinizing him. Darren stretched his hand to pick his cup but Felicia beat him to it.

"How rude, serving yourselves before the guest" she took a sip and then gave Darren the same cup, all the while fluttering her lashes like they were butterfly wings.

"I lost appetite" German spat out the wine he had in his mouth. He wanted to laugh but he was choking.

"Serves you right" Licia rolled her eyes at her cousin before striking a seductive glance at Darren."wanna dance?" She offered with a smile.

"No"

"Why are you so rigid?" She pouted in annoyance.

"Felicia beha(clears throat) behave yourself" German warned her subtly.

"Whyyyyy....." Licia whinned like a child. "He's being mean to me and you're not saying anything..." Darren rubbed his temples how he wished he could return to the secret room and drink to stupor.

German and Felicia started bickering with themselves, while Darren decided to zone out of there and just watch the event taking place.

He's eyes travelled among the faces of the people on the dance floor. He had met a lot of these people due to his family's reputation and the companies his in charge of.

Suddenly he pause at a particular guest, her skin is shinny like the sun with her blonde hair packed in a ponytail swaying as she dance. The blue gown she's wearing grips her skin tight but gently, his eyes trails on her every move somehow he gets irritated, why is she dancing with a man and why is she smiling like that.

"Darren" he doesn't pay attention to his friend instead his laser focus on the woman. Gradually he finds himself standing up and heading towards them.

"Darren" German holds his friend by the arm "bro what's wrong why are you acting this way?"

"Gwen" Darren whispers her name all the while staring at her longingly. The dance finally comes to an end and Gwen walks back to her sit.

German watched Gwen from afar and is awestruck, he didn't expect her to be present. He turns to his friend who is holding unto his last string of composure. The man sitting beside Gwen smiles in a way that makes German shake in fear. Not the guest's smile but the aura his friend was giving off.

"Darren are you alright?" Felicia walks towards him and tries to touch him.

"Touch me and I promise you'll lose an arm" her hand hangs midair, she frowns, what had she done this time.

"Let go German" German felt the urgent need to pull his friend away but he feared for his own safety. He let go gently but before he could get a grip of Darren he was off.

"Darren!" German tailed behind him quickly, the last thing he needed was a seen at an event like this.

Darren had arrived at their table and stretched his hand ready to punch the man beside Gwen but then he holds himself, what was he going to do after that, how was he going to approach her. He stood still for a while thinking of the first words he'll say to the woman he loves.

Suddenly he grabs the hand of the man beside Gwen. He didn't know how he did it but his reflexes took charge of him.

"Keep your hands to yourself"

The table turns silent and a few guests around the table seems bewildered.

"D- Darren"

People began to murmur

Darren had his eyes on Gwen all the time. He felt his heart racing, now he started this how was he going to end it. He didn't realize he was hurting the man beside him.

  Gwen tries to pull his hand away from Aden but instead he holds hers instead. Gwen's heart beat skyrockets, she felt her voice choked like she was dumb.

"Gwendolyn"

Gwen had a lot running through her mind, but the first that came to her mind was unexpected. She stood up carefully while staring deeply at Darren's eyes. Slowly she pulled her hand out of his grip, leaving her bangle in his hand. Gwen ran out of the party without sparing a glance at anyone.

It was almost like some Cinderella cosplay. Darren stood still looking at the bangle in his hand. He didn't expect her to run away. He turned to the exit watching her retreating figure, he wanted to move, to chase after her, to hug and hold her but his body was stiff.

He didn't know how to express his feelings right now, he could only smile warmly. He had a quick deja vu which made him so happy and sad at the same time.

"Who are you?" And now all of his happiness was about to be ruined. He turned to the man standing beside him, he was same height with him and had this aura that darren didn't like.

Darren tilted his head "Darren, and you are?"

"That's not what I'm asking" George had balled fists. He felt a dominate ring personality from this guy the moment he got to the table."who are you to Gwen?"

His question made Darren think for a while who was he truly to gwen, friend, boyfriend, crush. All these thoughts made him smile deeply "someone dear to her" he replied with a smile.

Darren turned to Aden who held his hand  and scrutinized him to nothing, Aden felt like he was a rug to be matched on under the gaze of this man."The next time you try to touch her brace yourself to be armless" his words sinked into Aden's mind like the Titanic. He gave a sweet smile that had one meaning 'know your place' after which he walked away gracefully.

TINK TINK

"Ladies and gentlemen I believe it's time to tour the exhibition for this lovely evening" German's voice breaks the guest's attention from the drama table.

George turned to Aden and glared at him "don't ever play that kind of stunt around my sister"

Aden frowned in annoyance, what had he done to receive so much warning.

George narrowed his gaze studying the man he had just encountered, before leaving the hall to meet his sister.

As George walked towards the parking lot, he fell into deep thinking for some reason that guy felt familiar to him. Also he had never seen Gwen act the way she did today.

He wondered who was this Darren guy to Gwen, even though the answer was vague to George he had a slight insight of who he was and how he's related to Gwen.

He got to the limo but didn't see Gwen"where's the lady?"

The driver looked confused "she hasn't been here sir, is there a problem"

George got into the car hurriedly, "let's go she hasn't gone that far"

At the party

"Darren, what was that?" German looked furious "if I hadn't intervened things would have turned ugly, hey I'm talking to you"

Darren had a bracelet in his hand and he kept fiddling them with his fingers "she's still as beautiful as the last time I saw her" his voice held regret and sadness " I wished I tailed her, I wished I was with her regardless of how things would turn out"

German was silent for a while and watched his friend, his heart broken friend. "It isn't your fault, I mean a lot happened and don't forget she locked you out of her life"

"That doesn't change the fact I ignored her feelings, or I didn't put much effort in finding her after that night" Darren sighed heavily and rested on the wall. "I wish I could buy time, but there are some things money can't bargain with"

German pat his back a few times and smiled "well... you can always make things right, right?" Darren smiled lightly and looked at the bracelet one more time before putting it in his pocket. "Now stop being sober and let's go drink..."

"Drink!!!" A female voice echoed in the veranda were Darren and German stood.

"Mom" Darren smiled and walked towards her, hugging her lightly " I missed you"

"Really?" Once Darren pulled away, German also hugged her

"Welcome back Mrs Everest"

"Thank you" she turned to her son and raised an eyebrow "what's up with him?"

Darren and German looked at each other confused.

"You look like you had an entire bar to yourself, why the long face" Mrs Everest walked to him and studied his face for a while "something happened "

"No, nothing serio..."

"Mrs Everest, where can I keep the gifts" a young lady walked in with hands full of bags. German stepped forward to help her, while Darren looked at her from head to toe before turning to his mother. His mother had an oblivious look on her face that made her easy to read.

"Seriously..." Darren sighed and walked out of the veranda. The young lady bowed to Darren lightly and watched him leave. She was awestruck by his beauty.

"My advice is you stop looking before he pulls out your eyes" German's words made the lady shiver.

"Really?" German nodded with a meek smile. "German Dwagan, nice to meet you" he stretched out his free hand to shake the lady.

"Elisabeth James"