Chapter 98
On the upper floor, Rain still couldn’t believe that Alexander was standing beside her, calm and composed as always. She had been surprised enough just by his presence, but what truly caught her off guard was the warmth of the conversation unfolding around her.
“I was really surprised when Rock called me last night,” Vernice said with a bright smile. “He told me he wanted his daughter-in-law to attend this event. It’s a pleasure meeting the woman who managed to marry Xander p>
Rain’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she returned Vernice’s smile as she extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Vernice. I’ve always admired your work p>
Vernice accepted Rain’s hand with a warm handshake, her expression softening. “Thank you, dear. It’s always a pleasure to meet someone who appreciates the arts p>
Turning to Alexander, Vernice added, “I’ll leave you two for now. I need to greet a few more guests, but I’ll be back. I’m eager to hear more about how you two met.” She gave them a playful wink.
“She’s lovely,” Vernice told Alexander, making Rain blush.
Alexander gave a simple nod, his tone casual. “Thanks, Vernice,” he said, to which she waved dismissively. “It’s nothing, dear. I’ll see you two again soon p>
With that, Vernice gracefully moved through the crowd, leaving Rain and Alexander standing together. Rain was about to relax when Eric suddenly approached, his expression carrying a hint of concern. “Looks like the commotion downstairs isn’t over. Paul just arrived p>
Rain’s face paled. She quickly moved toward the edge of the second floor, looking down to get a clearer view of the growing tension below. The last thing she wanted was for the event to be ruined because of her presence.
She clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath, “I have to do something p>
Just as Rain was about to head downstairs, Alexander grabbed her hand, stopping her in her tracks. His grip was firm but gentle. She met his eyes and swallowed nervously, his gaze conveying a silent command to stay put.
“Why waste your time with them?” Alexander said, his voice low and steady. “Aren’t you here to enjoy the art p>
Rain hesitated, torn between the chaos below and the serene atmosphere above. Rain bit her lip, conflicted. “But… I can’t let them ruin this. The last thing I want is for my presence to cause more trouble p>
Alexander’s gaze softened slightly, though his tone remained steady. “You’re not causing trouble. ’They’ are. You’ve done nothing wrong p>
Without releasing her hand, Alexander turned to Eric. “Handle it discreetly,” he instructed, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Make sure those two are both kicked out p>
Eric gave a nonchalant shrug, as though he was used to handling such situations. “Alright. I won’t take long.” With a nod, he descended the stairs, his posture relaxed yet purposeful.
Rain watched him go, anxiety bubbling within her. “Are you sure we should just let him handle this? What if it gets out of hand?” she asked, her voice laced with concern.
Alexander squeezed her hand gently, pulling her closer to him. “Eric’s more than capable. And if it does get out of hand,” he said, his voice low and reassuring, “I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to get involved p>
Rain glanced up at him, feeling the steady warmth of his presence. His calm confidence had a way of easing the tension in her chest, and for a moment, she allowed herself to relax.
For once, Rain realized she didn’t have to fight every battle on her own.
Still, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Dina and Paul were going to create more problems.
As they waited, Rain peered over, watching as Eric approached Paul and Dina. From her vantage point, she could see Paul’s confusion as Eric spoke to him, though she couldn’t hear the exact words. Dina’s expression, however, was unmistakable—her face contorted with rage.
Rain’s fingers tightened around Alexander’s hand. “I don’t think Dina will go quietly p>
Alexander’s lips curved into a faint, almost amused smile. “She doesn’t really have a choice p>
Sure enough, Dina’s angry gestures and raised voice were soon met with the security guards stepping in once more. This time, however, with Eric’s presence, the situation seemed more controlled. Paul tried to reason with Dina, but she stubbornly refused, her arms crossed in defiance. Rain could see Paul rubbing his temples in frustration, clearly embarrassed by the scene Dina was making.
“They should’ve known better than to mess with you,” Alexander murmured, his voice carrying a quiet intensity. “Especially with me around p>
Rain glanced up at him, surprised by the protectiveness in his tone.
As Rain continued to watch, she noticed that the murmurs among the guests had quieted down, many of them turning their attention back to the art displays. It seemed that Eric had managed to diffuse the situation, even as Dina and Paul were escorted toward the exit.
Rain let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Looks like it’s under control p>
Alexander gave a small nod, his expression unreadable. “It’s done p>
Rain turned back to him, her smile widening as she said, “Thank you… for not letting me go down there p>
Alexander’s gaze softened, and he brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “You don’t need to fight every battle. Sometimes, it’s better to let others handle it.” Rain felt as if time itself had stopped, leaving her alone in the moment with Alexander.
With her smile still beaming, she leaned in slightly and shamelessly murmured, “Can I keep you forever p>
Alexander’s face reddened. He opened and closed his mouth, momentarily speechless. Rain had caught him off guard, and she wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip away.
“You’re like my knight in shining armour,” she continued, her gaze locked with his, “and I want to keep you. But I guess you don’t want to keep me just yet p>
She paused, her eyes searching his for a response.
“Tell me,” she said softly, “what can I do for you to decide to keep me with you forever p>