Simon Adler’s gaze shifted away from the man’s blood-stained fingers.

"I didn’t see you inside just now. I thought you weren’t coming today."

Yates Donovan smiled, slipping the knife into his jacket pocket. "How could I not?"

"On such an important day, of course I had to come and join the fun."

"It’s not like she’s with you. Why so happy?"

"Happy? Of course I’m happy. I’m happy no matter who she’s with."

"You’re sick," Simon Adler muttered.

Beside him, Simon felt a chill run down his spine and sucked in a sharp breath.

Luckily, they were some distance away, and Yates Donovan hadn’t heard.

Simon Adler didn’t want any more contact with the psycho across from him, so he turned to go back to the banquet hall.

"Hey, Adler."

A lazy voice called out from the side.

Simon Adler stopped but didn’t look at him.

Simon peeked over and met Yates Donovan’s playful, mocking gaze.

"Mind your own business."

Simon Adler turned back around. The end of the corridor was empty; Yates Donovan had already left.

Simon breathed a sigh of relief. He’d been afraid the two of them would start fighting.

"Boss, let’s head inside."

"It should be starting soon."

’It was just a small incident, not worth dwelling on.’

——

Back in the banquet hall, the crowd had clearly grown.

Scanning the crowd, Simon spotted them and reported to Simon Adler, "Mr. Grant and Ms. Hughes have arrived. I don’t see Serena Grant."

"So they do respect Miss Grant after all, huh?"

"Should we go over and say hello?"

They were Silas Grant’s parents. Simon Adler had no reason not to greet them.

He walked up to them. "Mr. Grant, Ms. Hughes. It’s been a while."

Upstairs, Mia Grant sat on a chair, taking deep breaths and trying to steady her breathing.

She was someone who had been through a lot, but an event like her own engagement party still made her heart beat uncontrollably fast.

When she thought about what was about to happen, she even felt a strange thrill of excitement.

Mia Grant was lost in thought and didn’t notice the door behind her being pushed open.

Someone came in.

Sensing something, Mia Grant looked up at the mirror in front of her and was caught off guard by a pair of dark eyes.

She jumped, her shoulders trembling. "You scared me to death."

"Is it time to go down?"

Felix Sinclair, standing behind her, didn’t speak. He just stood there quietly, watching her.

Mia Grant found it strange. Realizing something, she turned around to meet his eyes and frowned. "Ian Sinclair?"

Hearing this, the young man’s expression softened into a smile. "You even figured it out?"

Ian Sinclair seemed to be in a good mood. He took a step forward, placed his hands on her shoulders, and leaned in close to the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling her sweet, fresh scent.

"When I came in just now, none of them recognized me."

"How did you know it was me?"

He and Felix Sinclair were already nearly identical. When they dressed the same and stayed silent, even their own father couldn’t tell them apart.

Plus, Felix Sinclair had a sullen, quiet personality.

So, it was very easy for him to pretend to be Felix Sinclair.

The hotel staff outside weren’t familiar with him anyway.

They were easy to fool.

The young man’s slender fingers brushed against her smooth skin, sending a shiver through her.

Mia Grant’s shoulder tickled, and she raised a hand to slap away his "paws."

"You two aren’t the same to begin with."

"Then who was it that always got us mixed up before?"

Mia Grant was speechless. She decided to change the subject. "What are you doing here? If you have something to say, say it quick. I have to go down."

"I just wanted to come in and see you first."

His puppy-dog eyes were fixed on her, making no attempt to hide his affection and intentions.

’She’s so beautiful today.’

’Her makeup is exquisite, her neck long and slender, like a noble black swan.’

Afraid he would do something rash, Mia Grant quickly pushed him away a little. "Alright, alright, had your look? Go on, hurry up. Someone’s going to come in soon."

The puppy was reluctant to leave. He wanted to kiss her, but she shot him a glare that made him back off, so he could only steal a few more glances.

His gaze was like a searing hot iron, gliding across her delicate skin.

Mia Grant’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes darted away as she urged him to leave quickly.

The puppy pouted. "Fine."

"Are you going back to school tonight?"

"Yup."

After a pause, Mia Grant added, "Wait for me to get back tonight. I’ll call you."

"Oh?" The puppy’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

He wasn’t happy for more than a second before he heard Mia Grant say, "We need to settle the score for you hiding my fake ashes."

"..."

The puppy was kicked out and ran right into Felix Sinclair, who was about to enter.

Their eyes met. Ian Sinclair shot him a provocative smile. "Hey, bro, can we make a deal? Maybe next time don’t be in such a rush to tattle."

"Whatever, just go in. She’s waiting for you."

Felix Sinclair glanced at him sideways but said nothing and pushed the door open to go inside.

Hearing the door close behind him, the smile on Ian Sinclair’s face vanished completely. He turned to go downstairs, but a glance caught a figure not far away.

There was a rather hidden spot by the spiral staircase, completely unnoticeable from downstairs.

And Yates Donovan was standing right there. It was unclear how long he’d been there, but he held a glass of champagne, leaning against the wall and looking down with a lazy posture, as if watching a play.

Ian Sinclair’s brow furrowed slightly. ’As a guest, he obviously shouldn’t be here.’

"You’re a guest, why are you up here? Aren’t you going to go down and take a seat?"

Remembering that this was the man who had stopped Mrs. Grant at the hospital, Ian Sinclair was still relatively polite to him.

Yates Donovan slowly turned his head, a comfortable smile on his face. "Who told you I was a guest today?"

"?" ’My mom definitely invited the Donovan Family,’ Ian Sinclair remembered.

Meeting his confused gaze, Yates said, "I’m security."

"..." Ian Sinclair’s mouth twitched.

"Our hotel isn’t short on security, is it?"

"It’s not. But I took this on as a private gig. A side job, you get it?"

Ian Sinclair scoffed. ’This guy is nuts,’ he thought.

’Who’s ever heard of a boss moonlighting as a security guard?’

"You must be joking. If anyone saw this, they’d think our Sinclair Family was neglecting you." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Do I look like I’m joking?" Yates Donovan reached up and straightened the crooked name tag on his chest. On it were the bold words: [Security Department].

"..."

"If you don’t believe me, go ask her. She paid me for it."

In an instant, Ian Sinclair realized who the "her" he was talking about was.

Yates Donovan really wasn’t joking.

Last night, he’d stolen a kiss from Mia Grant, and she had been furious.

Her eyes had turned red, and she was on the verge of tears.

She’d said all he knew how to do was bully people.

’How unfair.’

’If I really think about it, I’ve barely made any forward moves on her since we met.’

’Everyone says I’m a dissolute flirt, but with her, I’ve been more of a monk than Kian Keller.’

’Practically a vegetarian.’

’But what could I do? I made her cry, so I had to be the one to coax her, even if it meant groveling.’

He’d told her he would grant her one wish.

Mia Grant had thought about it and then proposed that he be her security for the day.

Not a real security guard, of course.

She wanted him to watch for any trouble from the shadows, worried someone might come and ruin the event.

——

「It was time.」

Under the spotlight, at the top of the spiral staircase, Mia Grant appeared in everyone’s view, arm in arm with Felix Sinclair.

The young woman’s hair flowed down to her waist. She wore a little black dress, paired with black, strappy high heels.

The tiara on her head was particularly striking, and along with the diamond necklace at her throat, it reflected a dazzling light.

’Even though I saw her in the dress last night, I’m still stunned now.’

Yates Donovan stood in the shadows, leaning over the railing and letting out a soft whistle as he watched her.