"Hello, is Miss Elena in this room? We have a delivery for you. Hello?"
Elena grudgingly sat up from the comfortable hotel bed and rubbed her eyes a few times. She had barely just closed her eyes when a knock at the door woke her up again. Elena leaned forward and fell asleep once again with her head leaning against her arm.
"Hello. Is anyone inside?"
Elena forced herself to sit up straight and tidied up her hair. She slowly made her way to the door and peeked through the door hole to check who it was.
She opened the door and frustratingly asked, "What is it?"
"Oh. . . are you Miss Elena?" the hotel worker asked.
"Yes, I am."
"I have a package for you, delivered from Miss Wang Mian. Can you please sign here to confirm that you received it?"
Elena slowly picked up the pen while yawning and scribbled her signature onto the slip.
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
Elena slammed the door shut, still frustrated about being disturbed while she was sleeping. She threw the box onto the table and rolled back into her bedsheets.
'Something about this doesn't feel right.'
Elena's eyes suddenly shot open. She reached for the phone and almost screamed when she saw the time.
Mila said the party was at 8 o'clock and it was already 6:30 P.M. She has to leave at 7:30 so she only has one hour to prepare. Elena internally cursed herself for not setting an alarm.
She hopped out of bed, fully awake now, and jumped into the shower. After a quick ten minute shower, she hurried and did her makeup.
She used a light coral shade for blush and eyeshadow, and a red bean lipstick color for a natural look. Since it was the first time Elena would be showing her face in the Jin Province, she needed the media to get a good look at her naturally blessed features.
She then put her hair up into a bridal bun hairstyle and smiled at herself in the mirror.
Perfect.
Elena still needed an evening gown as she forgot to prepare one because she was too busy sleeping. She began searching for her phone to call Mila when she came across the delivery box she threw aside.
She quickly opened it up, and inside she found the most beautiful dress she has ever seen. The sleeveless gown was a beautiful gradient dark blue. Starting from the waist area, the navy blue color slowly turns into a light sky blue. The entire dress has small sequins and jewels glued onto the soft silky fabric, resembling a night sky.
Knowing she has little time to spare, Elena quickly changed into the dress and put on a pair of silver sparkly heels. She snatched her phone from the table and checked the time: 7:20 P.M. Elena checked once more in the mirror and left for the party.
At 8 P.M., the entire Jin Province would already be dark. People would either stay home with their lights on, or they would be outside, guided by the streetlamps and the stars. Today, however, was different. A part of the Jin Province was still light.
Outside of the tall and prestigious building of the LIQuan Company, cameras were flashing and several light poles were set out to keep the area well-lit and bright. The reporters stood there, getting ready to get a good shot of whoever would come out of the next car.
As Elena stepped out of her car, she sensed the confusion among the reporters. The media would have checked who would be attending tonight's party, but few were able to recognize the foreigner.
Finally, one reporter seemed to have figured out who she was, as he gasped and began taking pictures. Slowly, the reporters all figured out who the flawless lady was, and all of them were fighting to get a good shot of Elena.
Elena steadily walked across the red carpet, smiling at all the cameras. At the end of the carpet, she turned around, nodded her head, and disappeared into the building.
In her two years of being one of Korea's most highly recognized female idols, Elena has never seen anything like this. In the gigantic banquet hall of the LIQuan Company, several long tables were set up with glasses of wine and trays of foods.
In the front of the hall, a huge stage was assembled, and the screen behind it read "The Annual Jin Province Celebrity Banquet Party". Hundreds of people were assembled in the hall, and Elena recognized a few of them.
On her side, Mila told her, "Everyone that comes to tonight's party would have at least some fame or power. It would be helpful for you to befriend or get to know a few of them. This will certainly aid you in growing in the entertainment industry here."
Elena smiled at Mila, "I know. I haven't eaten in forever, let's go get something to eat."
Elena and Mila walked to the nearest table, smiling at people along the way. The options for food to choose from were endless. Elena grabbed a piece of cheesecake and took a small bite. The cheesecake was delicious, and each bite melted in her mouth.
She took another bite when she heard a voice behind her say, "The food is good, right?"
She turned around and examined the person in front of her. He was a middle-aged man and was shorter than her. Behind her, Elena heard Mila whisper that he was a manager of some company.
Elena smiled at him, and asked politely, "Are you talking to me?"
The man nonchalantly touched Elena's arm, and teasingly said, "Who else would I be talking to."
Elena pulled her arm away, raised her eyebrows, and laughed. "The food is good, but it's not good to eat too much."
She looked at the man once more before she gave the cheesecake plate to a waiter passing by, and walked away. Mila nodded politely towards the man, who was even shorter than herself, and quickly followed Elena.
"That guy is the Chief Marketing Officer in the LIQuan Company. You shouldn't have talked to him like that." Mila looked concerned, afraid that Elena might have offended the man earlier.
"I could easily tell that man had bad motives for talking to me. He deserves a lesson. It's too bad I can't be the one to give him one." Elena grabbed a glass of wine and the lights suddenly turned off. A man grabbed a microphone and walked onto the stage.
The spotlight suddenly switched on, shining onto the man.
"Hello everyone, and welcome to The Annual Jin Province Celebrity Banquet Party. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come to today's party. We are honored to announce that once again, the LIQuan Company is sponsoring tonight's party. Please welcome LIQuan Company's CEO, Mr. Lu Chenjun to come up and say a few words."
The man swiftly got off the stage and handed the microphone to a person hidden in the dark. Once Mr. Lu Chenjun stepped into the spotlight, Elena was amazed. In all her years of being alive, she has never seen anyone as handsome as the man on stage.
He was extremely tall and well built. In the light, you could clearly make out his defined features. He had thin lips, a high nose, a small face, and most importantly, his eyes. His eyes were extremely cold, staring blankly towards the audience. Elena looked into his eyes, and she felt as if his gaze could pierce deep into her soul, revealing everything about her. She turned to Mila and asked her who this man was.
"Him? The man just said he is the CEO of the LIQuan Company, Lu Chenjun."
"I know, I know. Tell me more."
"Well, I don't know much. I know he is a playboy. He has had several rumors with different actresses and the daughters of many entrepreneurs. None of those relationships lasted for over two weeks. However, he is a legend in the market. In only five years, he created the LIQuan Company and has developed it to become the biggest company in all of Asia. That's all I know? Why?"
Lu Chenjun didn't seem to care much, and he only said a few words before he walked right off the stage. The lights turned on again, and people began talking and eating again.
Elena turned and smiled to Mila, "Compared to the man earlier, I would much rather talk with Lu Chenjun."
Mila gasped, "Wait! No, Lu Chenjun is very powerful. You do not want to offend him."
"Who said I was going to offend him? Didn't you say I should make some friends here? Mr. Lu would definitely help me grow in the entertainment industry in Jin Province."
Elena put down her glass of wine and confidently made her way across the hall to Lu Chenjun. He was alone, taking small sips from a glass of champagne. Elena put on an elegant smile and picked up the same drink from the nearby table.
"Hello. I am Jin Yinghui."
**Lu Chenjun: Age - 27 yrs old. He is the CEO of the LIQuan Company (the biggest company in Asia; controls the entire Chinese market). He is extremely handsome and holds a height of 186 cm. Has a lot of rumors with many girls, and is known for his merciless tactics in business and his cold personality.**