The smile in Nicholas's eyes deepened, and his mood visibly brightened.
His handsome, almost otherworldly face was no longer clouded by that cold, icy demeanor.
He let out a soft laugh, his cool gaze glancing at Riley.
Then, under Riley's terrified watch, he walked straight past him...
In the instant their shoulders brushed, Riley felt his soul leave his body, and his legs went weak.
He let out a yelp. "Nicholas, I was really wrong! I'll never have designs on Serena again!"
After shouting, he bolted toward the ballroom doors as if he'd seen a ghost.
For Riley, this was far more terrifying than seeing a ghost.
This was so scary!
He didn't want to be sent to some godforsaken outpost!
He didn't want to spend his life doing manual labor in the desert!
"Bang!"
In his panicked sprint, Riley knocked over a waiter's tray. Champagne and drinks spilled all over him, but he didn't even bother to clean himself off, just kept running.
Even his escape was utterly comical.
"Sir, Master Riley is..." Patton said, watching Riley's fleeing figure before turning to Old Mr. Blackwood.
Old Mr. Blackwood waved a hand. "Don't worry about him. I've already told security at all the exits not to let him leave the estate early tonight."
That troublemaker. All he ever did was cause trouble. If he left, there was no telling what kind of mess he'd get into and ruin Brianna's coming-of-age party.
"You like that type?" Nicholas asked, walking over to Serena. He lowered his gaze, noticing she was still watching Riley's back, and his tone soured slightly.
Serena looked up at him. "Riley is pretty amusing."
"Is he?" the man's tone grew even more sour, tinged with a cold laugh. "Amusing enough to go mine coal in Hartville, I'd say."
Serena raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that an abuse of power?"
"If he had the power to abuse, he'd be free to abuse it right back," Nicholas said, his enchanting eyes lowered, fixed on the girl's stunningly elegant face.
Serena crossed her arms, a wry
smile playing on her lips as she studied the man's face for a long moment you know, you do
.
have the vibe of a possessive, brooding type. You're not... actually a psycho, are you?"
The last part of her sentence rose in a teasing tone.
Nicholas's captivating eyes seemed to swirl with starlight. His voice was low, laced with a tender smile. "Serena... what do you think the odds are of me locking you up?"
Serena replied, "Zero."
Nicholas's smile widened, making him look like a captivating demon. "See? So why would I imitate those possessive, brooding types from novels?"
They stood very close, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, both with exceptionally striking auras. As they spoke in low voices and stilled, it was as if a spotlight had fallen upon them.
The atmosphere was tinged with a certain intimacy.
Their families watched them interact. Old Mr. Blackwood exchanged a look with Patton and chuckled secretly.
On the Lancaster family's side, there was a mix of wistfulness and happiness.
After all, they had practically
watched Nicholas grow up. Their
families were of equal standing and
his looks and charisma were a match for Serena. They had also seen his character and capabilities firsthand.
They could also tell that Serena didn't mind Nicholas's presence.
Although they had verbally refused to acknowledge the childhood engagement, they
knew deep down that the marriage would likely happen.
It was only a matter of time.
And this scene also reached the ears of Isabella, who was huddled in a corner, practically on her knees.
She heard people around her whispering-