"Champagne, miss?" a server asked while he presented the wine and champagne tray he's holding.
Veronica nodded her head in reply before taking a glass which she immediately downed in a second.
Where on earth did April go? One moment she's here and then the next she's gone. Veronica thought before grabbing a piece of cracker from the tray of a server passing by when her stomach silently growl.
As she put the last bite of cracker into her mouth, her eyes continued to scan the crowd hoping to find her missing friend.
Then her gaze met intense grey eyes observing from afar. For some reason, the man seemed familiar to her. Veronica's certain that she's seen him somewhere, she just can't say for sure where. Like the man, she also didn't break eye contact trying to figure out the identity that was at the tip of her tongue.
And then it hit her.
Oh, god, isn't he the billionaire from the news? she whispered in her head, unconsciously widening her eyes in the process.
No...no...he's not looking at me, is he? she continued talking inside while peeking behind her, checking if he's looking at someone else instead of her and that she must be assuming things.
But her face quickly turned to look in front when cold hands held hers and the man who was about a few feet from her was now suddenly before her.
This was supposed to freak her out but her eyes can't help but admire his unquestionably attractive face.
The sound of the microphone feedback echoing inside the large hall brought Veronica back to cold reality. Like literally cold. The guy's hand is icy cold and is also gripping her hand a bit tight to her comfort while his body exuded warmth like he's some walking hot pack.
"Mic test...mic test..." a man cleared his throat and all heads turned to look at him on stage. Veronica also recognized the man holding the microphone as the tall, chestnut-haired guy who brought her here to the hall.
Her first reaction was to hide so she automatically ducked her head behind the man's shoulder as it is wide enough to cover her while she frantically unties the string of her mask with her free hand afraid that the guy on stage might recognize her and he'll know that she ran away from him.
"-Ladies and Gentlemen! Before we start the auction, Mr. Cedric Ford will be announcing very important news so take your seats and grab a glass of champagne while he shares the most memorable event of his life to us, his engagement."
The crowd went wild as soon as his announcement finished.
"Cedric Ford is engaged?!"
"When did this happen?"
"Who's the lucky girl?'
"I told you to move fast. Now he's off the market too."
"Didn't he arrive alone tonight?"
The guests murmured among themselves all while the lights inside the hall slowly dimmed.
Before Veronica knew it, two spotlights coming from different directions shined on her and the man beside her, which made her eyes squint in response to the bright light.
Everyone simultaneously gasped and the hand holding hers became even tighter.
The lights inside the hall adjusted once again and everything was back to normal except that right now, everybody was looking at her.
Veronica's eyes came into contact with the guy's face once more but he was looking at the guy on stage who by the way has the biggest smile on his lips. She observed the man next to her once again waiting for his reaction to the situation and he surprisingly returned her stare.
His mouth was moving and Veronica tried to read his lips as the noise around them was making it hard for her to hear him well.
Unexpectedly, his arm moved to wrap around her waist as if in a hug before pulling her closer to him, "You know what to do, right?" he whispered in her ear.
Veronica's mouth went dry as his warm breath touched her skin while everything happened so fast from there that she didn't even notice how he had already slipped a ring on her finger.
Her breathing hitched when she spotted the extravagant jewelry sitting on her hand before a series of clap and cheers surrounded the hall alongside the flashes of cameras that did not seem to end.
Feeling the panic surge inside her, Veronica frantically looks at her finger and then to the crowd before April caught her sight.
Veronica was torn between calling her friend and keeping up with the act. After moments of confusion, she finally understood what Theresa's acting job is. And while she knew that she'll be acting and playing pretend for a rich client, Veronica had no idea how high profile the person is. If only she knew then she wouldn't have gotten herself into this mess.
Not wanting to get her friend's company into trouble, Veronica decided to keep looking at April in hopes that she'd make eye contact. Unfortunately, the woman was suddenly on her phone for a second before disappearing once again.
She's sure that April saw her though so why did she leave?
April's mouth hung open as the scene unfolds in front of her. Just a few moments ago, her phone received an SOS message from Veronica while she's mingling with potential clients at the dessert table and waiting for Mr. Hill's signal to start his plan.
Sending an SOS text message is a protocol she set up for employees who get into trouble or failed to do their job especially those who are assigned for undercover or acting projects like this one.
So, as soon as she got the message, April immediately went to check on the two but to her surprise, Tess nor Veronica wasn't there. What's more suspicious is when she found Veronica's phone unattended. April inspected the room more and the only ones that were there are the company make-up case, the box sent by Mr. Hill, and Veronica's bag.
And while there were no signs of force entry inside the room, a sinking feeling consumed her especially after finding that Theresa's belongings weren't there either.
April wanted to deny the ideas of what might have happened to draw up in her head as she runs back to the event hall. But when she saw Veronica at the center of the crowd wearing the dress that Theresa's supposed to be in while in the arms of the billionaire Cedric Ford, she immediately knew that she both failed as a friend and a boss.
Fucking Theresa. I'm going to kill that bitch, was April's only thoughts as she dials someone's number on her phone before exiting the hall in haste to get to her car.
_to be continued_