CHAPTER TEN _ PLAYING WITH FIRE.

She sip from her wine, her eyes were everywhere, but one would hardly notice that she was staring at them.

The room was buzzing with soft music from the background.

Then an arms raped around her neck, she turned, it's was warren.

“Remove your arms” she raised her voice.

“Why?” He asked.

She glared at him.

He raised his eyes brow “walk with me”

Hm.

“It not a request, just come with me”

“Are you commanding me then?”

She followed him, which even surprised her that she is going with him, even when he did not answer her question.

Warren led her to quiet corridors, the laughter became distant, the soft music was now a hum. Th

He turned to her, faith kept moving backward, he continued moving with her till her back hit the wall.

He hands on top of her head.

Faith breaths caught, she swallowed her sliver.

“What do you want?”

“Victoria”

Faith kept her face neutral “what about her”

“She is dangerous,” he said slowly.

“Why did you say so?”

“Because I have dealt with someone like her”

Faith scoffed.

“Ladies who arrived with a smile take everything without looking back”

Faith study his face carefully “saying like you had a specific experience before”

He did not answer immediately.

Then his voice came out low “Be careful, that's all I have to say”

“Careful,” she repeated the word, like she was memorizing it.

She entered the room, took a seat before turning slightly.

“Warren”

“Yes”

“Let her come-”

He frowned “ faith, what do you mean?”

“I have plans,” she said simply.

“Plans?”

“Yes”

“Seems like you have known Victoria”

She smirked “that's aside, I have plans for all of them before tonight”

Silence followed.

“You are playing with fire,” he said.

She looked at him, their eyes met and something in her expression changed, not something soft but dangerous like a door that had been shut for a long time.

“I have already being burned” she continued “ Everything that could be taken from me was already taken, so there is nothing to be afraid of”

He stared at her with a blank expression.

“the Bravest this is this world is a sharp tongue, it a weapon, I don't know which one to call you if you are brave or dangerous”

“Maybe both”

Warren looked at her, he was trying to solve the problem and she is adding fuel to it, and this question he had been meaning to ask since the birthday.

“Who are you really faith sartini?”

The question landed softer than she intended, she was expecting him to be harsh but his voice was calm

The question really deserves an answer. The cold floor, the blood, the poison, the say she saw him cry when she was dead, and why she wished to be given a second chance, so she can rebuild her future to choose from the right path not the wrong.

But she swallowed it.

“someone who knows exactly what she is doing” she said instead.

“Then I will follow your lead,” he said , "but faith.

“What”

He shook his head once “nothing, not yet”

They returned to the Hall separately.

Her gaze met with how uncle Marcus was standing with her father, he had this evil smile on his face.

Then he cleared the mic. “The boards members concerns, we all know my brother is getting old and his is supposed to his his position as the chairman to someone who is strong enough”

“What do you mean?”

“If he is old, he has a child”

“Naturally. Faith is brilliant, but she is a girl child she can't handle the company on her own, though my son his joining her but I want to be in the company together with them”

“Even if she is a girl child, who said girls can not be successful?”

“Do you know woman can build the company more then a man”

Faith father stepped in “what do you mean Im getting old and I can't handle my company”

Faith watched from the Hall.

“Finaly making his first move in public”

She set down her glass

Move across the members meeting her dad on the stage.

She placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Dad the Harrington family Martichach want to see you”

He nodded before walking out.

Uncle Marcus' smile didn't waver, instead he smiled more. “You have your mother instincts”

“And your father's memory,” she said .

She turned and flashed him a little smile “I know everything uncle”

“You think you know what you're

“ hiding”she cut in softly finishing the word before he could say it.

Uncle Marcus' jaws tighten. The smile on his face vanished, replaced with something dark and furious.

“Didn't I say you should never”

“Oppose me again” she completed again with a calm voice.

This time his expression hardened completely. Anger flicked across his features, not loud, not his expression said it all.

He raised his glass to her and left.

Faith stood in the space he left.

The gala continued, the music, the whispers, the laughter and dance.

The evening was winding down.

Faith turned toward the bar for a final drink and stopped.

Victoria was standing beside Warren. Too close.

Her hand rested lightly on his arm. Her laugh carried just far enough across the room to reach Faith where she stood.

Warren's expression was polite. Controlled. But he had not stepped away.

Faith watched for exactly three seconds.

Then she set her glass down and walked toward them. Unhurried. The red dress moves with every step.

She reached Warren's side and slid her hand into his without a word.

Warren looked down at her hand. Then up at her face.

Something shifted in his expression that he did not manage to hide in time.

Victoria's smile tightened almost invisibly.

"Faith," she said warmly. "What a beautiful evening." She continued “I love the way you spoke to your uncle”

"Isn't it," Faith agreed.

“I love your type, can you add me to WeChat”

“Of course”

They exchanged contact info.

Their eyes held one beat too long.

Then Victoria excused herself smoothly and disappeared into the thinning crowd.

Warren leaned close to Faith's ear.

"Was that necessary?"

Faith kept her eyes forward.

“I know what she's up to”

A pause.

"How did you know?"

Faith smiled into the middle distance, nothing crosses my path that I won't know.

"I always know.”