The CEO and the Country Wildflower chapter 64

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The CEO and the Country Wildflower
Chapter 64: The Gala and the Unexpected Dance


The grand ballroom of the Lasmington Grand Hotel glittered under crystal chandeliers, filled with the city’s elite in their finest attire.


Emelly Clus, standing at the entrance in a borrowed emerald-green gown that hugged her curves perfectly, felt like an imposter. She had never belonged in this world of diamonds and deception, yet here she was—on the arm of Lucas York, the infuriatingly handsome CEO who had dragged her into this mess. Lucas, ever the picture of controlled elegance in his tailored black tuxedo, glanced down at her. “Stop fidgeting. You look… acceptable.” Emelly narrowed her eyes. “Acceptable? I look like I robbed a jewelry store and won.” A smirk tugged at his lips. “That’s one way to put it.” She huffed, resisting the urge to stomp on his polished shoes. “Remind me again why I agreed to this?” “Because,” Lucas said smoothly, “you owe me for the printer incident.” Emelly groaned. That had been a minor office prank involving glitter and a very confused IT department. Before she could retort, a familiar voice cut through the crowd. “Well, well. If it isn’t the country wildflower playing Cinderella.” Linda Crow sauntered over, her blood-red dress as sharp as her smirk. Emelly forced a sweet smile. “Linda! I didn’t know they allowed snakes at charity galas.” Lucas coughed into his hand—whether to hide a laugh or a warning, Emelly couldn’t tell. Linda’s eyes flashed, but before she could retaliate, a booming voice interrupted. “Lucas! There you are.” Bruno Halthorn, Lucas’s childhood friend, clapped him on the shoulder.


Beside him stood a petite woman with fiery auburn hair and a glare that could melt steel—Serritary Jonshon, his reluctant fiancée. Bruno grinned. “You two look cozy.” “We’re not,” Emelly and Lucas said in unison, then glared at each other. Serritary snorted. “Oh, this is going to be fun.” Before Emelly could ask what she meant, the orchestra struck up a waltz. Lucas’s hand tightened around hers. “Dance with me.” “What? No!” “It’s expected.” His voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Unless you’d rather explain to everyone why you’re refusing the host of the event?” Emelly’s jaw clenched.


Trapped. Again. As Lucas led her to the dance floor, she hissed, “If you step on my toes, I’m throwing my champagne in your face.” “Noted.” Then his arm slid around her waist, pulling her close. The moment their bodies aligned, something shifted. The usual tension between them crackled, but beneath it was something else—something warm and unsettling. Emelly’s breath hitched as Lucas spun her effortlessly, his grip firm yet gentle. For the first time, she noticed how his migraine lines had vanished. His usual scowl had softened into something almost… peaceful. “You’re staring,” he murmured. “You’re not in pain,” she blurted. His steps faltered for a fraction of a second before he recovered. “No. I’m not.” The admission hung between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. Emelly’s pulse raced.


This was dangerous. Too dangerous. Across the room, Linda watched them with narrowed eyes, whispering into her phone. Meanwhile, Jane and Tony stood near the buffet, their argument from earlier still simmering. “You can’t keep avoiding this, Tony,” Jane said, crossing her arms. Tony ran a hand through his hair. “Jane, it’s not that simple—” “It is! Either you like me or you don’t!” Before he could answer, a crash echoed through the ballroom. A waiter had tripped, sending a tray of desserts flying—straight into Leo Brown, York Group’s rival, who had just arrived uninvited. Silence fell. Then Leo, dripping chocolate, locked eyes with Lucas. “York.” Lucas’s grip on Emelly tightened. “Brown.” The air turned electric with hostility. Emelly swallowed hard. This was not part of the plan. And then— The lights went out. Complete darkness. Gasps erupted. Emelly felt Lucas pull her closer, his breath warm against her ear. “Stay close.” Before she could respond, a hand grabbed her wrist—not Lucas’s—and yanked her backward. She stumbled, heart pounding. Someone was kidnapping her.