CHAPTER FOUR

“Ethan, over here!”

“Ethan, is it true your Anita Brown rejected your proposal?”

“Ethan, what do you have to say about your father cutting you out of the will”

“Ethan…..”

The million blinking white lights from the paparazzi felt blinding to Ethan as they all flicked their cameras in his face, whilst throwing absurd questions his way. Even his Dior sunglasses did little to shield the annoyance in his eyes as he stood still on the red carpet for the pictures. It wasn’t an exercise he fancied, red carpet and all the glitz and glamour that accompanied it but he was on the final streak with his father so if posing on a dusty red carpet with flashing white lights aimed at blinding him was going to get him back on the good graces, then so be it. He glanced over at Jackson who stood at the other end in his sleek black Calvin Klein suit and Christian Louboutin shoes, hands buried deep in his pockets with a sly smirk etched on his face, it was hard to deny the charisma and how much he enjoyed the attention and flourished in it. After all, he was City’s golden boy and he made sure everyone knew it.

 Meanwhile, Ethan stood awkwardly his arms flailing seamlessly beside him unable to strike the perfect pose effortlessly as his brother did but he decided not to dwell on it. Soon enough, he was joined by his brother and later on his parents with his mother coddling him and placing wet kisses on his cheeks while he inhaled her Chanel perfume, with his dad he received nothing more than a curt nod of the head while they all posed for the paparazzi. Ethan had trained himself not to dwell too much on his father’s cold demeanor towards him, he had never been on the receiving end of his father’s affection mostly because there was nothing to give. His father, Williams Hatton gave the feel of a towering oak tree, with a stern gaze that most people cowered under. He had a presence that always commanded authority and demanded perfection with a voice that resonated with power, like thunder rolling through the sky. He stood tall and proud with a chiseled jawline, clean-shaven and bald that exuded authority. His piercing eyes, like polished steel, always seemed to see right through, scrutinizing and judging till you faltered. Ethan found it the hardest to hold his stare, no matter how confident he trained himself to be, he cowered like a coward in the presence of his father.

“How’s the engagement coming up” his father said to him, although he had a bright smile on his face for the pictures, the tone underneath sounded nothing like that. It was filled with authority.

“I’m working on it,” Ethan said trying to keep his tone light and confident, he fidgeted with his hands, placing them in and out of his pockets awkwardly. He wasn’t sure how well-versed the old man was with the local gossip because the news of his rejected proposal had spread through the city, he saw his name picture on every gossip blog he came across out of curiosity.

“I don’t care who you marry Ethan, the foreign investors need to see that you’re a family man to trust you with this deal and we need to close this deal in three months, I don’t care how you do it, find a woman off the street or something, I want you engaged in three weeks, got it, son? That’s your ticket back on the will”

“Yes sir” he managed an answer before his father stalked off, hands placed sufficiently on the lower back of his mother on her low-cut silver Miu Miu dress, elegantly hugging her slender waist.

“Tough time bro?” Jackson approached him, and while they posed more for the paparazzi

“I have to get engaged in three weeks,” he said “Old man’s order to close the deal in three months”

“Damn, that’s tough,” Jackson said while also flashing a million-dollar smile.

“Tougher than not finding anyone suitable enough in the whole New York City to have a fake marriage with, they’re either too desperate or just too plain, I’m sick to my stomach”

At that moment while they walked towards the entrance of the ballroom with Jackson well ahead of him, he fumbled on his phone struggling to send a text. Albeit distracted for a moment before he looked up from his phone and his eyes danced around his surroundings and that was when he saw her, 

the strange girl from the park.

It wasn’t that he instantly recognized her, but the way she stood out plainly amongst the glamour that surrounded her. It was like noticing a sheep among a pride of lions ready to be devoured except she didn’t look scared or out of place. She was dressed in simple jeans and a plain tee, a black jacket hung loosely across her shoulders and she typed carelessly on her phone oblivious of her surroundings and how well she blended in despite her plainness. 

What was she doing here? 

This hotel was home to only the rich and people of his caliber and status, was she rich and just pretended to be otherwise like dressing in plain clothes and walking the park with blood dripping her knees and a tear-streaked face? The curiosity nagged at his chest and he wanted to know more. But she looked up and her eyes met him for a stiff moment he wondered why he became nervous. A failed attempt at a smile due to her frown that didn’t match his. He suddenly realized how awkward the situation was, he was staring without much trying to hide it and he managed to look away for a second pretending to type away at his phone while he just scrolled through apps, and the next moment he looked up, she was gone.

That was when it hit him, she didn’t recognize him not just as the guy from the park. She didn’t know who he was, she didn’t know he was Ethan Hatton.

He smiled

He was intrigued.