Chapter 4-Suspicion

The applause slowly faded as Mark and Lucia finished their first dance. Guests began returning to their tables, and the band shifted to softer music while waiters moved through the room with trays of food and champagne.

I sat beside Adrian, trying to look calm even though my mind was still racing.

Everything tonight had gone differently than I planned.

Too many eyes had been on us during the dance earlier, and Mark had definitely noticed. I could feel it every time I looked up. His attention kept drifting back to our table.

I reached for my glass of water.

“You look like you’re preparing for battle,” Adrian said quietly.

I glanced at him. “Maybe I am.”

He leaned back in his chair, looking far too relaxed for someone who had just spent the evening pretending to be a stranger’s boyfriend.

“You’re doing fine,” he added.

“That’s easy for you to say.”

Before he could reply, someone approached our table.

Of course.

Cassy.

She pulled out the empty chair across from us without even asking and sat down like she had been invited.

“You two disappeared after that dance,” she said, her eyes bouncing between Adrian and me.

“We needed some air,” I replied simply.

“Mm-hmm,” she hummed suspiciously.

Then she looked at Adrian again, curiosity written all over her face.

“So, Adrian,” she said, resting her chin on her hand, “how did you and Ariana meet?”

I opened my mouth, but Adrian answered first.

“At a café.”

I turned toward him.

“A café?”

He shrugged lightly.

“It sounds romantic.”

Cassy’s eyes lit up immediately. “Which café?”

Adrian didn’t miss a beat. “The one on Westbridge Street.”

I blinked in surprise.

That café actually existed.

Cassy narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly trying to figure out whether we were lying.

“And who approached who?” she asked.

“Ariana,” Adrian said calmly.

“What?” I whispered under my breath.

He smiled faintly. “She spilled coffee on my shirt.”

Cassy gasped dramatically. “No way.”

I stared at him.

“You’re making this up.”

“You’re the one who spilled the coffee,” he replied smoothly.

“I did not.”

“You apologized and bought me another drink,” he continued, ignoring my protest. “We started talking. The rest is history.”

Cassy leaned back in her chair, clearly entertained.

“I like this story,” she said.

I shook my head in disbelief.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Yet you hired me,” Adrian replied under his breath.

Before I could respond, the room suddenly grew quieter.

A few people began whispering.

I followed their gaze.

Mark was walking toward our table.

My shoulders stiffened instantly.

Adrian noticed.

“Relax,” he murmured.

Easy for him to say.

Mark stopped beside our table, his attention fixed entirely on Adrian.

“Ariana,” he said politely.

“Mark.”

His gaze shifted back to Adrian again.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he said, though he didn’t sound sorry at all. “I just wanted to properly greet your boyfriend.”

Adrian stood up and offered his hand again.

“Adrian.”

Mark shook it, studying him carefully.

“I still feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before,” Mark said slowly.

Adrian smiled lightly.

“I travel a lot. Maybe our paths crossed.”

Mark didn’t look convinced.

Behind him, Lucia had also stopped a few steps away. Her expression remained pleasant, but her eyes were watching everything very closely.

Mark turned back to me.

“You never mentioned you were seeing someone,” he said.

“You never asked,” I replied.

Cassy nearly choked trying to hide a laugh.

Mark ignored her.

“How long have you two been together?” he asked.

“Six months,” I said again.

Adrian nodded once.

“Six.”

Mark looked between us for a moment.

Then he gave a small smile.

“Well,” he said, “I’m glad you found someone.”

Something about his tone made it sound less like kindness and more like a challenge.

Lucia finally stepped forward beside him.

“We should let them enjoy the evening,” she said gently.

But before leaving, she glanced once more at Adrian.

There was curiosity in her eyes now.

And something else.

Suspicion.

They walked away a moment later, disappearing back into the crowd.

I exhaled slowly.

“That man asks too many questions,” Adrian said.

“You used to date him,” he added.

“Unfortunately.”

He sat back down beside me.

Across the room, Lucia leaned closer to Mark, clearly whispering something to him while still looking in our direction.

I frowned.

“Why are they still staring?”

Adrian followed my gaze.

“Maybe they’re trying to figure out who I am.”

My stomach tightened.

“You said they wouldn’t recognize you.”

“I said they probably wouldn’t.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

He chuckled softly.

“You’re worrying too much.”

Just then, the band announced the open dance floor and several couples began moving toward the center again.

Adrian stood up and extended his hand toward me.

“Come on.”

“What now?”

“Another dance.”

I stared at him.

“We already danced.”

“Yes,” he said. “And it worked.”

I glanced across the room again.

Mark and Lucia were still watching.

Slowly, I placed my hand in his.

“Fine,” I said.

“If we’re going to keep pretending…”

Adrian pulled me gently toward the dance floor.

“We might as well make it convincing.”

As we stepped into the lights again, I noticed something near the entrance of the ballroom.

A man in a suit stood awkwardly near the entrance of the ballroom.

He looked out of place.

While everyone else was relaxed—laughing, dancing, sipping champagne—he stood stiffly, scanning the room like someone who had arrived late and wasn’t sure what to do next.

His eyes moved across the crowd.

Then they stopped.

On me.

More precisely… on Adrian and myself.

His expression shifted almost immediately from confusion to shock.

My brows knit slightly