That evening, when Charlotte was facing Stone, she felt her breath stop in her throat. This was her time, her chance to come closer and see what was hidden behind the mask, what was the truth to be told. Gathering all her courage and extra ounce to face the enigmatic billionaire, she takes a deep breath and provokes him.
Greeting them, the young woman tensed; but she would not allow herself to show it. She would not allow herself to show fear. She got up and stepped towards Alexander Stone. When she was finally standing opposite him, she offered him her hand in a graceful and determinate manner and said, "Hello Mister Stone, Charlotte Bennett from The Herald."
"Thank you very much for accepting me for this short interview." She continued,
This she could feel slamming against her chest, but she was not going to allow the nervousness to overpower her. This was the opportunity she had to explain to him that she should not be taken lightly in his life. This was the first time she met his gaze; her facial expression did not betray her confusion.
Even that small amount of time had the ability to create tension as if energy surrounded them and the fact that they have found themselves in each other's company. It is an important fact that cannot go unnoticed. Undoubtedly, every word and gesture that is said and made during an encounter determines the result of the conversation that's about to happen between them. This powerful woman, the so frightening one, found her position and called the courage which she never thought that was inside her.
The response that Stone could make to such an offer would most certainly expose the motives that he had in the affair. But Charlotte was prepared for whatever would come. Stone's eyes met her gaze and for a moment he said nothing. His face was set like an actual stone. He attempted to take her hand, and after she accepted, he responded by squeezing her hand a bit aggressively, thereby letting her know that he was not scared, but rather determined.
"Well, how do you do, Miss Bennett?" "The pleasure is all mine," he replied.
"Recently, you have been a subject of discussion on different platforms regarding" She paused.
"I have never," Stone interrupted.
The interruption sent Charlotte trembling from her head down the spine as Stone excused himself for a little while. As she stood in confusion, her phone buzzed. She tried to make some excuse and escaped the crowd, looking at the screen. The message was short, cryptic, and chilling: "stop digging, stop probing or else. "
She looked around, feeling the beat of her heart thump with anxiety and curiosity as she tried to figure out who could have sent it. The gala went on, alive and merry, completely blind to the storm that was brewing inside her at the moment. Dimmed crystal chandeliers were hanging above her head, and she could hear the people laughing and singing, felt a rather heavy weight of cold fear in her chest.
Charlotte's mind raced with several questions: Who could have sent the message? Was she being watched? This made her feel the chill down her spine. She had to look around for the faces of people in the room to ensure that none of them had the slightest clue of what was going on. All of them looked like they were lost in their own thoughts and none of them seemed to understand that tempest churning inside her.
Back in the ballroom her gaze met Stone's from across a crowded room. His face was a mask of confusion, but for a split second she was quite sure that he did know something he was not telling her. Did he partake in the delivery of the message? Or was he just another player in this dangerous game? Despite this, she did not want to be discouraged and she endeavored to go on with her probe. She stood tall, inhaled deeply, and disappeared back among the multitudes. Her determination growing stronger.