Elegance, is the only word that can describe this lady Jean Mary Felix.
Long straight waist -length hair, sharp chin, straight nose, chocolate skin a little tanned but still healthy due to excessive exposure to the sun. Height of about 176cm and the famous petite figure considering her past military profession it was just right.
The way she stepped into the hall, her steady gait and confident aura attracted all the attention.
Her head raised a bit, she maintained the same pace towards the stage which seemed a little arrogant but it appeared as if she was born to be arrogant and proud. Surprising enough, her behavior was not repulsive at all.
On the contrary, it made it seem like there was a warm but invisible wall around her pulling those who looked at her closer. Nodding their heads reflexively, the audience didn't even realize their actions at all. Not even her step-mother Madam Valery, whose face darkened a little after realizing her actions but she composed herself immediately to a noble smile.
It was her homecoming ceremony and it was said that she has been in the military since eighteen years and now she has retired at twenty four with a title of the youngest female general in the whole of Phoenix country.
"Can I help you pick your jaws?" Faces full of confusion were witnessed across the hall as people tried to understand what the somewhat fiery sister is saying but unfortunately the beauty was well endowed with a spicy tongue.
A lowly string of magnetic laughter was heard across the hall as it finally pulled back people's senses. Jaden Grey, the youngest promising heir of the great Grey's family.
He is the owner of the magnetic laughter, thanks to his IQ. Receiving the questioning gazes from the crowd, he just raised his eyebrow leisurely as if nothing happened. Luckily, Jean opened her mouth again, "Tsk! Meant no harm to your humble brains, it was joke."
It finally didn't take long for people to connect the dots, though it was somewhat embarrassing but it wasn't much harmful. Chuckles and murmurs could be heard coming from several positions as people discussed the action harmlessly.
Jean felt a piercing gaze from the crowd, her intuition is sensitive thanks to her military occupation.
Sweeping her glance intentionally or unintentionally across the room she spots a handsome laid back guy, who she doesn't even recognize. He seemed to be smiling yet not, 'interesting'. There some sleeping lions in this city, all these happened in ten seconds, spoting the owner of the gaze, analyzing him and bookmarking him.
Actually the guy is Jaden Grey, but Jean who has not been very conversant with Jade City upper class for more than five years of course doesn't even have a clue about who he maybe.
His eyes lowered on the ground, someone may assume that he was sleeping but his lips curl up a little before vanishing in seconds making it seem like an illusion.
Any normal person wouldn't have noticed this action, but who said Jean is a normal person? In fact anything that spells danger seemed to have a different and alluring effect on her.
If someone observed closely, they could see her head raised a little higher and her nose flaring as if ready to spit fire. This is her competitive and curious nature aroused, " In fact I was little bored, got something to do tonight."
She thought to herself before continuing with her speech and basic etiquette. That small action of fiery attitude directed towards Jaden was noticed, by the same laid back guy. "Boss, why do i feel like this young lady is sending you that gaze of you being a programming project or code that she has to crack?" Carlos, his assistant whispered.
Grey's lips curled again before disappearing, at least his assistant didn't disappoint him.
"Come on, make yourselves comfortable." This were her closing words. Most people come to this balls just to create connections, so Jean didn't dare make a long boring speech.
Of course as the host she had to toast to several people as basic courtesy.
Actually drinking to her is not an issue, the issue has always been making small talk but she has learned throughout the years managing to do it despite her negative attitude towards it. Today she had armed herself mentally to pass through this event just for the sake of her father's face and the whole family status.
She can't spoil their reputation when her sister and step-sister are still waiting to get married in the elite families of Jade City, who knew she will come across an interesting guy who will become her focus.
Toasting to people as she moved around, she was also gathering information about her current society, it just happened that she came across two socialites discussing a man.
"He has always been ruthless although his eyes seem to be smiling all the time. Do you see the cat he is holding, I heard that the last one was skinned alive because it stepped on his bed!"
Another lady chimed in, not even giving Jean time to digest this, "Do you remember the socialite who used to pester him two years ago? They found her not long ago but she is a mute and has her five toes cut.
It is rumored that he cut and fed them to his cat!" Jeez! Rumors are scary, if Jean was not the one who cut a certain socialites when executing punishment of her taking part in Phoenix military supply deception she would have believed. Curious about who is the person who took the blame for them is, she approached them and put on her most elegant indeed she was elegant.
"Hello ladies, hope you are comfortable?" Nodding their heads, they smiled back before one replied, "Miss Jean, we are happy to be able to attend this banquet. It is definitely honorable." Waving her hand, Jean opens her fiery red lips again but this time her natural womanly gossipy talent is activated," Hey, I'm curious who is the person that deserves so much effort and courage to describe?"
Though the two ladies felt there was something wrong with that sentence they didn't dwell on it for long because they had found someone to listen to their juicy gossip.
They totally failed to notice the mockery from the seemingly harmless question but this was what activated their full mode gossip ability. Finally, Jean found this guy's name Jaden Grey. Seemed familiar but not really.
Excusing herself, she had to welcome the so called Mr Grey before calling it a day as he seemed to be the most important guest of the day.
Someone called her name, of course it was her father as he saw her finally approaching the main person and he couldn't wait to come with her.
Of course its understandable, as the young master of the Grey family as described by normal people he is simply a devil.
This moment gave her an opportunity to disguise her curiosity well, or else this so called man will notice. Sorry to her, he already noticed but who knows maybe he didn't. "Dad, this is the last person then I will take a break." " No problem at all, you have tried compared to your petty and childish sisters who only know how to fight each other."
Her family situation is quite complicated, but Jean always wades through it. She has one sister Tina Felix, from the same deceased mother, Mrs Martha Felix and a step-sister, Phina Felix daughter of Madam Valery Felix.
Approaching the group of men who were elites dressed in business suits, Jean put on an elegant smile and held her father's arm.
Many people were just trying to fawn on this young master but he didn't even glance at them and his assistant was the only one dealing with all the mess. "Why is he even here?"Jean thought, as she could see he seemed to be above the world of mortals. "Crazy lunatic!" Jean cursed him just naturally she didn't even realize she was cursing someone. "Hello gentlemen, may I have a word with Mr Grey please."
Although people were displeased by being driven away, as the host they still gave her way but they didn't go far away lest the chance to talk to Mr Grey flies away.
Jean felt the hostility but what could she do about it? In this world people will always have opinions, so she just have to do what she is supposed to do and leave the rest.
"What!"A faint gasp could be heard to escape the crowd as young master Grey finally raised his head and looked at Jean not even Mr Felix, before then fleeting to Mr Felix and then back to Jean. It had to be said that Mr Grey has a habit of not giving people face unless you are important but of course Jean didn't care nor was she aware.
She was just creating a chance for her dad. Meeting that smiley yet chilly eyes, Jean felt like laughing out loud." Why does this guy look like the cat he is holding!"She was surprised by her analysis, as there is no where she felt scared by meeting his gaze anyway.
Recalling the act of him skinning a cat from the rumors, to be honest Jean felt like laughing for real but the situation was not proper. She could only try to suppress her laughter which only caused her to start vibrating as if she had a mortar in her muscles.
She could fool the audience but her dad who was holding her arm felt it clearly, his daughter was laughing and she seemed to be laughing at young master Grey. Alarm bells were ringing in his head as he tried to think of a solution.
He is a bit quick witted, thanks to him his daughters are very bright. "Young Master Grey, my daughter has condition that comes and goes called Pseudobulbar affect . "
People who were close couldn't help but start preparing paper money for Jean's burial but," Hmmm" Was all the reply, as they held their breath waiting for the next action.
Finally Jean burst laughing when she saw his eyebrow raised, exactly just like the cat he was holding, but it was an elegant not the shrewish laugh that people expected to. "OMG!! I thought I had one mature daughter, never knew she is a big child."