'What the heck?!' Ava criticized herself internally. She had no idea where this unknown corrage crept out from. She had heard lots of stories about this man, some of the stories which made the hair on her skin to rise. And she wasn't meant to behave this way if she needed his help, she facepalmed herself internally as well.
She stared at Ethan, waiting for him to at least say something. But instead, he just kept on staring at her as well, with his one eyebrow raised, as if he questioning her if she was referring to him or someone else. Well, they were the only people in the balcony, so duh, she was referring to him. However, there's absolutely no way she'd voice out her thoughts.
He chuckled, bringing her out of her chaotic mind. 'He knew how to laugh?' She thought, this is the first time she has seen him laughing and God! He looked so handsome. She hasn't seen him laughing once on TV or any of the magazines about him.
"I didn't even light the cigarette or take a puff.....yet. How amusing," he chuckled again. 'Amusing? What does he mean by that?' She thought.
"But you were planning on smoking, right? If my guess is right, that was the reason why you came to the balcony – To smoke, and to get away from everyone in the hall, isn't it?" She retorted while tilting her head to the side a little, putting on a lopsided grin.
He gave her the same look as he did when she talked about his cigarette. Except this time, he didn't raise any of his brows. Instead, he just kept staring at her, like he was reading her or something.
The way Ethan kept on staring at Ava made her really unsettled.
*Cough.
*Cough.
She coughed, in an attempt to break the tension in the air
"What do you want from me?" He asked, changing the topic while putting back the cigarette and lighter in his pant's pocket. He found her amusing because he was expecting her to sweet-talk him like those women out there in the hall. But instead, she was lecturing him about his lungs? Even if she didn't sweet-talk him, she had no right to tell him what and what not to do.
Ethan rarely smoked, only doing so when stressed or trying to distract himself. He hadn't smoked in weeks, but the stress of the gala was getting to him
Even though he hates to admit it, her guess was kind of right. He wanted some alone time and stay away from those actors and actresses out there. Yes, that is how he viewed them. It's either they approach him, putting on their fakest smile in an attempt to seduce him or to form a business alliance with him or with other people in the hall.
No one out there displayed their true expression or behavior, they were just faking it, acting like there was some award for the best actor among everyone in the hall.
But she, she decided to lecture him in their first meeting. And she was able to read him perfectly, which he loathed a lot. Why bother putting on his stoic face if there's someone who could see through him, he felt uncomfortable in her presence and he wanted to stay far away from her as possible.
However, he couldn't bring himself to stop staring at her. Her eyes, a deep, piercing green, almond-shaped and fringed with thick lashes. Her hair, rich, honey-blonde color that cascades down her back in loose, flowing waves. She looked stunning, elegant and simple. He wondered how she was able to look elegant in a simple way. But he seriously needs to stay away from her.
What does she want from him? Is she another 'actor' who came for the 'award'? How is he going to know the answer if she wouldn't say what wanted from him. Not even her name as well.
"My name is Ava Hamilton. I–"
"Hamilton?" He cutted her off, and chuckled after. 'Again. He laughed again?' She said to herself.
"Oh, I get it now, you're here on behalf of your father – Richert Hamilton. Well, tell him that, even if he should send his daughter to convince me, I still won't form any business alliance with him whatsoever and he shouldn't bother wasting his time and resources on this project, because I won't work with him. I thought my assistant made my stance clear in their previous meeting?" He said in a single breathe, while giving her the same cold and piercing stare he gave to her in the ballroom before he turned around to leave the balcony.
"Wait!" She yelled while holding onto his wrist in order to stop him from leaving.
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Have a nice day dear readers
.....Purplenim......