17 Evening

It’s always nice to see a man lose the power of speech when you show up.

But as we arrived at the venue, I was the one left speechless.

We drove up to some kind of luxurious estate that practically screamed wealth and high society — to an indecent degree.

I had thought my dress was expensive, but after seeing the women walking past us, I realized I didn’t fit into this environment at all. Their outfits cost ten times more than mine, and the stones on their elegant necks, ears, and fingers were worth more than my apartment… and my car.

“Wow,” Danil muttered, taking in the surroundings. “Where do these people even get this much money?” He rubbed his temple thoughtfully. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not poor, I make good money, but these people…”

“I earn pretty well too, but I feel like the poor relative in this crowd,” I agreed. “Like an ugly duckling that wandered into a group of swans…”

“That’s where I disagree!” Danil turned to me and looked at me seriously. “You look absolutely stunning! And I’m sure plenty of the wealthy men here would happily trade their current partners for you!”

“Oh, stop it… if you keep talking like that!” I let out a sigh, embarrassed by such bold compliments.

“It’s the truth,” he smiled, disarming me completely, then offered me his arm like a true gentleman. I took it, and together we headed toward the entrance.

The estate itself and the surrounding grounds were beautiful. Neatly trimmed, wide lawns, flower beds with fragrant blooms, and plenty of lush greenery. I saw a small stream crossed by a charming stone bridge, where a few people were standing, along with several stone sculptures.

The estate building was also made of beige-brown stone, partially covered with dark green ivy. A wide, high staircase with massive railings led to the entrance. The windows were enormous, arched, just like the entrance doors.

The second floor was decorated with white terraces, supported by equally snow-white square columns, and panoramic windows for the numerous rooms.

The evening lighting gave the estate an air of mystery and fairytale charm, and soft music played from the wide-open doors. There were already quite a few people gathered, though more were still arriving.

“So… what are we even here for?” I asked as we entered the building, where our coats were taken. We found ourselves in a huge hall, illuminated by a luxurious, enormous crystal chandelier. I tried not to turn my head too much with my mouth open, but it was stunning.

“My father’s business hasn’t been doing too well lately, and somehow he got an invitation to this event. He sent me and gave me the task of finding a certain Valentina Baleshina and trying to establish contact with her so that we might cooperate in the future,” Danil shared his plans.

“Oh, I see,” I smiled and winked. “You’re an undercover agent today.”

“Something like that,” he laughed, and we made our way to the table with drinks.

With sadness and regret, I looked at the poured champagne and wine in the glasses, wishing I could finally muster the courage to wean the babies.

Understanding my mood, Danil handed me a glass of juice, which I accepted somewhat reluctantly, with a sour expression on my face. This elicited a quiet laugh from the brunette and a look full of adoration.

“I also have to greet a few acquaintances and my father’s business partners,” he sighed heavily, and it was clear that he wasn’t exactly thrilled about the whole thing.

“No worries,” I smiled. “You just make an appearance, greet them, show respect, and we can sneak away if you want.”

“You’re gold,” he laughed, then his gaze drifted somewhere behind me. “Oh, here’s one of them.”

Taking my arm, we approached a group of three older men. All were in expensive tuxedos, holding glasses filled with amber liquid.