Now what?
Do I supposed to say something? I shivered and hoped they couldn't see it.
My father looked like the cat that got the cream. My eyes sought Fu Shao and his piercing stare rendered me motionless.
I held my breath. He put down a glass with a dark liquid with an audible clank.
All men laughter rang out behind it, my father and the Fu men.
Now the room filled with the most powerful and dangerous men in the country and I was supposed to go in.
A lamb alone with wolves den, supposedly. I shook my head. I needed to stop thinking like that. I'd made them wait too long already.
I gripped the handle and pressed down. I slipped in, not yet looking at anyone as I closed the door as I gathering my courage, I faced the room.
Instantly, the laughter and noise died.
If no one going to said something soon, I'd flee the room. I quickly scanned the faces of the gathered men.
From there were Fu Shao, Fu Heng and the master Fu and two bodyguards, Feng and a young man that I didn't know.
From the other side, there were my Father, 2nd Uncle Su, and his son. And, also Martial Zhen and my cousin Gengxin who I hated with the fiery passion of a thousand pit. And off to the side stood my little brother, Su Liang who had to wear a black suit like everyone else.
Thought, I could see that he wanted to run toward me to seek solace, but he knew what Father would say to that.
Father finally moved toward me, put a hand on my back and led me toward the gathered men like a lamb toward slaughter.
The only man who looked positively bored out of his mind was 3rd Uncle Su, he had only eyes for his glass.
Our family had attended the funeral of his wife two months ago. A widower man in his thirties. I would have felt pity for him if he didn't scare me senseless, almost as much as Fu Shao scared me.
Of course, Father steered me straight toward my future husband with a challenging expression as if he expected Fu Shao to fall on his knees from awesomeness.
Going from his expression, he might as well have been staring at a rock. His blacken eyes were hard and cold as they focused on my father.
"This is my daughter, Su Shen Mi."
Apparently, Fu Shao hadn't mentioned our embarrassing encounter.
2nd Uncle Su spoke up.
"I didn't promise too much, did I?"
I wished the ground would open and swallow me whole. I had never been submitted to so much attention.
The way Gengxin looked at me made my skin crawl. He'd been initiated only recently and had turned 18 year old two weeks ago.
Since then he'd been even more obnoxious than before.
"You didn't," Fu Shao said simply.
Father looked obviously put off.
Without anyone noticing Su Liang had snuck up behind me and slipped his hand into mine.