Chapter 75

Clara's POV

It made me feel a lot better knowing that she was okay. I'd be a lot better off if I were out of here.

Derek came back not too long after. He looked a bit frantic and out of breath. "Unfortunately, I have to show up at the auction tonight. I'll only be in and out of the event. I'll be back in a few minutes." He informed me.

What kind of person shows up to his event for a few minutes?

"I want to go," I found myself saying.

Derek's eyes shot wide open as he looked at me in disbelief. "Are you sure? You should probably get some rest, and maybe some sleep would be good for you." He answered.

"I feel perfectly fine," I answered.

There wasn't a reason for me not to attend.

If I stay here hiding away, it will just mean that Jocelyn will have won, and she needs to be stopped.

He was on his way to making his next argument, but I was already getting out of bed, standing up straight to prove how fine I was.

"I'm perfectly fine," I assured him. "You should go and get dressed. It wouldn't look appropriate if you were late for your event," I said. I was now pushing him out of my room.

He didn't seem to have much of an argument after that. I had already closed the door in his face.

I was reminded of how clueless I was about the event that Derek was hosting. What would I even wear? I'd have to start with the dresses Cassia showed me earlier.

And to think that not too long ago, I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. I had a feeling this was almost over.

There was a knock on my door. It would probably be Derek. I wouldn't be surprised if he were here to talk me out of going.

"Go away!" I yelled at the door.

"It's just some people here to help you prepare for the event," Derek yelled.

That would probably be helpful.

I unlocked my door, allowing two women in. Derek shook his head at me, showing his disapproval.

With the help of the two ladies, preparing became a lot easier. I was outnumbered when they chose a red off-the-shoulder dress over a black one.

Working through my hair alone took nearly an hour. I was beginning to think that Derek had given up and left without me or had probably taken a nap. I wish Ivy were here. She would go crazy over this. It's a shame she isn't here for me to share this with her.

After make-up and hair, I could finally see the final result.

My hair was in a high ponytail, and my red lipstick matched the red dress with contrasting silver heels.

From my jeans and t-shirt, this was an upgrade.

The two women were the first to leave the room, giving me a moment to gather myself.

I took a deep breath, gathering the courage to leave the room.

Surprisingly, Derek was still here. Fully dressed in a black tux with his jaw brushed back.

The sound of my heels caught his attention.

He slowly looked up, his eyes meeting mine. My brain spiralled into a panic as he observed my every move. I couldn't quite read him. He had a blank look on his face. The only thing I knew was that it made me nervous. If this didn't stop it in a minute, I might seriously wind up in the hospital this time.

"How do I look?" I asked, standing a few steps in front of him.

He didn't answer, and he remained unmoved. His eyes were still searching mine.

Did I look that bad? I thought the two ladies had done a good job.

"You can't go wearing that." He answered with a straight face.

"Why? Is it that bad?" I asked, my mind racing.

He was now approaching me, taking small steps at a time.

I didn't have time to change. I'd have to redo the make-up, too, and I'm sure that by then, the event will be over.

He was now only a few inches away from me. His presence became more demanding. His strong scent filled my nostrils. "There is no way you can go there looking this gorgeous." He whispered. His breath brushed against my ear, sending tingles down my spine.

I stepped away from him, slapping him gently on the shoulder. "You can't mess with me like this," I answered, my heart rate returning to normal.

"I'm serious. Isn't there some law in this country that says it's illegal for you to look this good?" he replied convincingly.

Thank goodness for makeup. My cheeks would probably be bright red right now.

"Come here," I heard him say. Before I could respond, he drew me closer with his arms around my waist before placing his lips against mine.

Initially, I was shocked. I responded to the kiss, throwing away all logic and ignoring every alarm bell.

This wasn't going to end well.

Our kiss was heated. All the emotions I had been trying to suppress resurfaced. I wasn't thinking, and it was just me and him.

He pulled away, then smirked at me teasingly, his eyes meeting mine. "What were we just about to do? Were we even going somewhere?" He whispered, his face clueless.

All I could think about was the warmth of his lips against mine and how good it felt to have him close again. How could he be so calm after that?

It took me ten seconds to snap back to reality. Where am I right now?

"You have an event." I was reminded.

"Why don't we just stay in and not leave this place?" He whined. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me even closer to him.

"We can't, you are hosting." I reminded him.

He stared at me, his lips pouting.

Why did he have to be this cute?

I was the one having to drag him out of the suite.

Luckily, the event was being held in a hall downstairs. It meant it would take us five minutes to arrive instead of half an hour.

The event had already started with soft music playing in the background.

There was a podium at the far end. The guests were walking around and deep in conversation. The kind of guests here were the kind of guests I normally serve. What was I even doing here?

I felt Derek's arm tighten around mine. He could probably see how anxious I was.

“Derek," A man approached us. He stepped over to whisper something to Derek.

I looked around the room. There were no familiar faces. I've never felt more out of place. I would probably have been much happier just being one of the waiters. I'd be invisible.

"I'll be right back," Derek said as he kissed my arm.

He walked away towards the stage.