IN LOVE WITH MR BILLIONAIRE (ON HOLD)

Chapter-7

I press my hands against the balcony rail and lean forward, drawn to the intense, unreachable beauty of the setting sun.

“Almost makes the paintings inside seem redundant, doesn’t it?” I didn't recognize the throaty, feminine voice and turn to face a women in her 40's, smiling at me.

“I’m so sorry. I know I must look like a giddy tourist.”

“Don’t apologize,” she says. “ It's beautiful out there. You seem to be lost in your thoughts.”

"Oh, no its just these type of gatherings get to my nerve"

I laugh, immediately more at ease.
“Hiding out?”

“Excuse me?”

"You know, awkward situations, crazy boyfriend??"

"Oh, haha nothing of that sort" l don't usually feel comfortable talking to peoples but her warmth makes me comfortable to talk to her.

"So, you are running away from old friend or some creepy ex" she exclaimed.

"No l really don't have a boyfriend or an ex" l said smiling. God her theories are so drastic.

"So are you........?" She asks me raising her eyebrow.

"If I was to be then l surely would have one here by my side" I say dryly.

“I knew I liked you.” She glances around the balcony. “What the hell kind of party am I throwing if I don’t even have one goddamn candle on one goddamn table? Well, fuck it.” She puts the unlit cigarette to her mouth and inhales, her eyes closed and her expression rapturous. I can’t help but like her. She wears hardly any makeup, in stark contrast to all the other women here tonight, myself included, and her dress is more of a caftan, the batik pattern as interesting as the woman herself.

She’s what my mother would call a brassy broad—loud, large, opinionated, and self-confident. My mother would hate her. I think she’s awesome.
She drops the unlit cigarette onto the tile and grinds it with the toe of her shoe.

So, she is the one throwing the party.

I glanced around when the owner of this entire business empire entered into the room, mostly because everyone else in the luxurious party did the same thing. My heart jumped. Through the crowd I  saw the tall man dressed in an impeccably tailored suit  revealing a long, lean body was the man the man that I had crashed into exactly two time. I immediately recognized him. My gaze lingered on the elegant yet arrogant man. The random thought hit my brain that the suit was all wrong. He belonged in jeans, didn’t he? My observation made no sense whatsoever. He looked fantastic in the suit.One of the men who had entered with him reached to introduce him to other elites, but he shook his head once.

Apparently, the enigmatic Mr. Arrogant wasn’t planning on doing more than making a cursory appearance at the party.

Francesca, the sassy woman beside me, trails off, and the corners of her mouth turn down in a frown as she scans the room again. “Yes! Now there the King of the business world. He is the one behind this party” She points towards Mr Arrogant , “He hardly ever throws any party, this is an exception,” she says.

Who is she to him?

He must feel the weight of all those eyes, and yet the attention doesn’t faze him at all. He smiles at the waitress with the champagne, takes a glass, and begins to chat casually with a woman who approaches him, a simpering smile stretched across her face.

The crowd returned to their conversation, but the energy level of the room had somehow amplified with Mr Arrogant arrival.

Emily finally got time from her boyfriend as she approached me,

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Em said, flashing an orthodontist’s dream smile as she shook Francesca’s hand. “And the party is amazing, and the paintings from your gallery are fabulous”

Wait so this lady is someone important, since Em was acting weird.

Francesca took her leave, not before smiling at me and thanking Em.

"Wow, Ann how you got to know Francesca!!"

"Umm....why? Em"

"God, you are so dumb, the paintings for this charity auction are from her gallery" Em was laughing, showing her teeth.

"She is close to Mr Lucien Knight's family"

"Ohh"

"Yeah, ohh!!! Now let's go, and have some drink"

***********

I turned to Em and grinned broadly, determined to enjoy myself now that I  confirmed my anxiety about this party had been a waste of time.

“So what’s the deal with Lucien Knight, you were glaring at him a while ago?” Emily asked me.

I started at her bald question and glanced around.

"Forgot it Em, I did no such thing"

“ Are you into him too!!! Just like all the females present here”
Emily smirked.

Emily broke into laughter and I joined her too. For a moment they were just two young women giggling over the most handsome man at the party. Which Lucien Knight was, I conceded. Forget the party. He was the most arresting man l’d ever seen in my life.

My laughter ceased when I noticed Emily’s expression. I turned. Knight’s gaze was directly on me. A hot, heavy sensation expanded in my belly. I didn’t have time to draw breath before he was stalking across the room toward us, leaving a surprised-looking Model behind him.
Oh and Derek was coming with him too. Oh!! I forgot he worked for him.

I had a ridiculous urge to run.

“Oh . . . he’s headed this way . . . Derek must have told him about us,” Emily said, sounding as bewildered and caught off guard as l felt. Emily was more practiced in the art of social elegance than me, however. By the time he reached us, all traces of the giggling girl were gone and in their place stood a contained woman.

“Mr. Knight, good evening.” Emily said. I was behind her. He shook her hand but was staring at me it made me uncomfortable.

“Emily, isn’t it?” he asked.
Emily couldn’t hide her pleasure at the fact that Knight had known her name.

"Oh!! And this is my friend Anne Jones" He raised his eyebrows all the while looking at me. There was smirk in his face. Oh so he remembers.

He took my hand. “It’s a pleasure, Ms. Jones"

I just nodded. I couldn’t speak. My brain was temporarily overloaded by the image of him, the warmth of his encompassing hand, the sound of his low voice. His skin was pale next to his dark, stylishly coiffed, short hair and gray suit.

He released my hand slowly, causing his skin to slide against mine. A horrible moment of silence passed as he just looked at me. I gathered herself and straightened my spine.

An old man came and said something to him in low voice, a frown appeared on his face. He nodded and the old man took his leave.

While Emily and Derek were busy talking.

"Until we meet again, Ms Jones" with smirk on his face he left.

I was totally flushed.

The rest of the party was me thinking about him.

Guys!!!

New update is here.

The story is on hold. Update may not be regular.

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P.S
showerblessing I hope you will enjoy the chapter 😇😇😇