172 Who Are You?

- Jason's Party -

Guests showed up one after another; all dressed up to meet the standards of a formal event. Surprised expressions — widened eyes and parted lips — started to look like imitations as everyone began to gather inside the ballroom.

Crystal chandeliers spiraled down the cream ceiling, highlighting the royal gold colors of the walls and a floor so polished it could be used as an ice-skating rink.

It wasn't just the delicate designs of the ballroom - the women looked like the deep ocean floor where glistening coral reefs vibrantly expressed itself uniquely. Likewise, the partners they brought — if any — wore luxury branded suits to match them.

As the host of the party, Jason was already walking around with a glass of wine in his hands. Though he wasn't drinking the content, he clanged the glass in his hand with others when necessary.

In the middle of a conversation, Jason spotted Eric walking through the crowd. Seeing his father-in-law's head turning left and right, he smiled and excused himself from his clients. "My apologies, but I just saw someone I know in the crowd that I must greet first. I hope you enjoy your time here tonight."

"Dad." Jason called out to Eric with a charming smile.

"Jason! I'm looking for your mother-in-law. Have you seen her?" Eric looked at him with a concerned expression as if something troublesome had occurred.

"Yes. She is with Selina in the changing room upstairs. Is everything alright?" There was a sense of urgency in his father-in-law's tone that he couldn't brush off. If something was indeed going on, then he would put a hold on the party to help.

"No. No. Everything is fine. I was just worried because I couldn't find her anywhere. I'll go check up on them before you give your speech." Eric replied quickly before heading upstairs.

Once Eric was out of the crowd's sight, he rushed upstairs. Sucking in a deep breath, he looked down at the long hallway. Following the signs on the wall, he turned the corner to look for Selina's room.

His heart raced nonstop as he searched for the right room. Oddly, he didn't run into any bodyguards while he was walking around. The abnormal quietness in the halls heightened his awareness of the surrounding.

If he knew this would happen, he wouldn't let her go into the ballroom first. He would've made her stay with him until he found a parking spot. Earlier, he tried calling Rosanna's cellphone, but she didn't pick up his calls. Hence, he began searching for her in the ballroom thinking she already met up with Selina.

After hearing Jason's words and observing the environment of the ballroom, he felt relieved because bodyguards were everywhere. Somehow, the set up no longer made sense. Jason has always been careful with security arrangements. So now, why would the whole second floor be unguarded?

Finally, he reached Selina's room.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Eric yelled as he dashed over to block the door from him. A waiter carrying a tray with a glass of orange juice on it was standing outside the room. His fist was in midair, ready to knock on Selina's door when Eric interrupted.

"I am a waiter for tonight's VIP event. I was told by the host to come up with a glass of orange juice for the miss." The waiter bowed slightly and took two steps backwards to maintain a safe distance from Eric.

Eyeing him up and down, Eric noticed the pen hanging on the front pocket of his uniform. From what he remembered, all waiters downstairs wore a uniform without front pockets. Not only that, none of them had a pen with them. 'This pen and the small hole on the pen cap. That is a camera.' He thought inwardly.

Suspicious of the man in a waiter's uniform, Eric asked him a few questions that he knew the answer to. Of course, these were questions waiters should know if they were arranged to serve at the event tonight.

"Oh, I thought you were some peeping tom. Sorry about that. By the way, I forgot the dinner menu tonight. Can you tell me what tonight's main courses are? Oh, and the dessert! I think the dessert was this hotel's special fountain lava cake with bananas on top." Eric smiled amiably, acting as if everything was fine.

"That is alright. As for your inquiry, the main course menu will be distributed to each table before it is served. And yes, the dessert you just mentioned is the dessert for the night. I hope you enjoy the event. If there isn't anything else, I need to deliver this glass of orange juice to the miss behind this door." The waiter wore a professional smile on his face.

"Oh, right. Just one more question. Who is the host for tonight's event? I forgot if it was the Huo, Fu, Lun or Hwang family. You work here, so you must be clearer than me. It'll be embarrassing if I walk in and talk to the wrong person." Eric smirked as the waiter already failed the simplest questions he asked.

"Tonight's host is the Lun family's VIP event. Sorry, but I must complete my task." He replied.

"Alright, Jeopardy game is over and you won zero points. Who sent you here?" Eric snatched the glass of orange juice from the tray.

"Sir, what are you say-" The waiter tried refuting but wasn't given the chance to speak.

"First of all, there is no main course because it is a buffet style. There are less than twenty dishes being served tonight and most are simple dishes the hotel serves for dinner. Each waiter downstairs could easily list out the dishes being served tonight. Second of all, the famous dessert for the hotel is Creme Brulee. Third of all, tonight's host is none of the surnames I listed. You've failed all of these questions, yet you claim you're working here tonight?" Eric slapped undeniable facts to the waiter.

"Tch. I was so close!" The waiter mumbled. With a grievance look in his eyes, the man slid his hand under the tray and took out the knife attached under it. He slashed sideways to buy himself time to escape.

As the sharp tip of the knife targeted Eric's throat, the waiter heard footsteps coming from down the hallway. He exchanged a few punches and kicks with Eric before attacking with pepper spray. Fortunately, Eric ducked and closed his eyes when he saw the lipstick looking container in the waiter's palm.

When he was being sprayed, Eric recognized the two voices from the opposite side of the hallway. Though he wanted to move away from where the pepper spray was released, he couldn't leave his current position. If he walked away, the disguised waiter would use this opportunity to enter selina's room. Hearing the sound of the waiter running away, Eric shouted. "Michael! Aaron! Catch that man! He is one of them! Don't let him get away."