As Emily spoke to Ethan with a smile, a unique sensation washed over him. He had never felt like this way before; his heart was beating faster.
'Why is my heart beating so fast? This has never happened before.' [He thought, his hands trembling slightly as he adjusted his collar, feeling out of place amidst the elegantly dressed guest.]
As Ethan and Emily walked towards the entrance of the hotel, his gaze suddenly fell on a massive six – story building in front of him. He gaped in awe at the sight of the building. 'WINGS HOTEL' was truly enormous and was a five – star hotel in that area. Only celebrities and billionaires could afford the expenses.
Clara's father was a multi-billionaire who owned that hotel, which was just a small part of his properties. He owned around ten more five – star hotels, and his business helped him accumulate even more wealth.
Ethan's eyes widened at the marvellous appearance of the hotel. He had never been to a place like this before. His mouth hung open for a moment until his gaze shifted back to Emily. He saw that she felt the same way he did; her eyes were also wide with amazement at the sight of the 'WINGS HOTEL'.
[Seeing her expression, Ethan's eyes sparkled as he turned to Emily] "It's beautiful. Isn't it?" [He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with awe.]
[Emily replied with a nod] "Indeed!"
The hotel, crafted from gleaming white marble, shimmered under the moonlight, casting a magical glow over the entrance. It was a magnificent view. The exterior design was fully of modern, but the art sculpted on it was old and looked majestic, giving it a royal presence.
Ethan and Emily entered the hotel together, where a party was ongoing. The interior of the hotel looked beautiful, with a large chandelier hanging in the centre of the hall. The hall was adorned with numerous beautiful paintings, and the artifacts were displayed, giving the hotel a perfect look. Foods and drinks were served in a special area, and Ethan caught a glimpse as people came out from the room.
People were enjoying the party; the grand ball room buzzed with laughter and music, a swirl of colourful dresses and sharp suits moving rhythmically with the music. You can see a silver chandelier inside the great ballroom, which was gleaming with lights.
Many attendees wore beautiful suits and dresses. Ethan Felt anxious since he had never been to such a party before. He gazed at the other guests, who were all wealthy and some quite famous. Some beautiful woman enjoyed their wine while gossiping, while men engaged in conversation with laughter.
Ethan was surprised to see Roman Schitzwit, the author of the novel 'THE MONSTER', there. He wanted to meet him, but many people already surrounded him. The most surprising moment for Ethan was when he spotted "Ava Stanford", the famous young celebrity, among the women. Many girls and women were jealous of her beauty and success, that she achieved in a young age.
Many young men tried to talked to her, but she ignored them all. She was only three and a half years older than Ethan, yet she was already a successful person.
Ethan reached his hand towards Emily in shock to let her know about Ava Stanford, but when he looked at her, he realised that she was staring in other direction with sparkles in her eyes. When Ethan followed her gaze, he noticed the famous Hollywood actor "Rocky Lewin". He was forty years old, but despite his age, many women, girls and ladies were smitten by him.
Ethan's jaw dropped in disbelief as he watched Rocky, approached Ava. Not only Ethan, but Emily and other partygoers were captivated as well. Rocky approached and said:
"Hello, miss, it's a pleasure to meet you here." [He had a smirk on his face.]
"Umm…Well, hello, and excuse me, please. I need to attend some calls... [She said, immediately left, leaving him speechless.]
Ethan laughed hard at this; It seemed Rocky had been rejected by Ava. After scanning all over the place, Ethan spotted Lily and Sara. He gestured for Emily to follow him.
They reached Lily and Sara
"What took you both so long to get here?" [Lily asked, curiosity piqued on her face.]
"Well…"
[Before Emily could respond, Ethan interrupted]
"We were shocked for a while by the appearance of this hotel. This place is amazing. Isn't it, Emily?" [He said, looking at her.]
"Yes" [She replied.]
"Okay..." [Lily responded with a nod. After some moments she asked generally, scanning the room] "Well, where is our birthday princess Clara?"
As they discussed Clara, Sara noticed her. The birthday girl stood out in the crowd with her beautiful western dress, which was eye – catching and elegant. One could guess it cost a fortune, the fabric shimmering like the stars above.
Her green jade necklace perfectly matched her dress, catching the light with every movement. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her grey eyes sparkled with joy. She appeared flawless; her attire was perfect. She truly looked like a princess, exuding grace and charm. Clara noticed the presence of Sara, Lili, Emily and Ethan and moved towards them with a gentle smile, her face glowing with happiness.
"What took the four of you so long" [A small pout appeared on her face as she said this, but her eyes twinkled with mischief.]
"Ahh, sorry Clara. You know my house is far; It takes an hour to get here." [Sara explained, Disappointment evident in her voice]
Seeing the disappointment on Sara's face, Clara felt a pang of guilt.
[She placed her hand on Sara's shoulder and said] "Hey, don't be disappointed. I was just joking."
Sara was left speechless, her mouth slightly agape in surprise.
"Hey, don't be speechless now. It's my birthday today, so put on a happy face. And most important, I'm expecting great gifts from my three best friends." [Clara said with a pout, but it quickly turned into a genuine smile that lit up her face.]
"Yeah, don't worry. Your gift is truly wonderful." [Lily assured her, a playful glint in her eye.]
"Yes, yes, I really need best gifts from you. If not, you'll see me the next day in college." [Clara tease them, her laughter infectious]
All four of them started laughing until Clara's gaze shifted towards Ethan. As Ethan noticed her gaze, he wished her a 'Happy birthday'
"Thank you, Ethan!" [Clara replied, her smile brightening the room.]
As Ethan finished wishing her, he saw Ava again approaching their direction. His heart skipped a beat as she came closer, each step feeling like an eternity. When she reached the group, she gently smiled and said,
"Happy birthday, Clara." [Her voice was soft and gentle, wrapping around them like a warm embrace.]
All of them looked at her with wide eyes as she approached, the atmosphere thick with anticipation. Clara smiled back and said,
"Thank you, Ava. Did you find this party enjoyable?"
"Yes, it's really fascinating and I had a great time, but sometime some men annoyed me because they want my autograph or a selfie." [Ava answered, rolling her eyes playfully, a hint of exasperation in her tone.]
While Ava and Clara talked, Sara, Emily and Lily stood there in silence, wide – eyed and starstruck. Ethan also found himself shocked, but then he realised that Clara's father was a businessman with many connections, and it make sense that Ava was here.
[Noticing those three standing there in silence, Ava turned her gaze back to Clara and said] "Are those your friends? Don't you want to introduced them to me?"
"Oh, sure…" [Clara said with a smile, her excitement palpable.]
Clara introduced Sara, Emily and Lily to Ava and they all realized that Ava was Clara's childhood friend. They used to play together, but Ava had found a good opportunity one day and left for acting. As they all chatted, Ava's gaze fell on Ethan, who stood silently listening to Clara, his heart pounding.
"And who is this young man?" [Ava asked directly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.]
As her words reached Ethan's ear, a strange sensation washed over him, but he controlled his emotions, gathering his thoughts and picking up words carefully…
"I'm Ethan, Sara's younger brother." [He said softly, a smile breaking across his face, trying to appear confident despite the fluttering in his stomach.]
"Oh, I see… It's nice to meet you, Ethan." [Ava said, extending her hand for a handshake, her smile warm and inviting.]
The moment felt surreal; Ethan could hardly believe that a celebrity he admired was standing just steps away, offering her hand to him
Ethan stood there silently for a moment, staring at her hand. His heart raced because not many people get the chance to shake hands with a celebrity, and here was the goddess of beauty (as people called her) offering him the opportunity.
"The pleasure's mine." [Ethan finally said with a smile, accepting her handshake, his palm tingling at the contact.]
As Ethan shook her hand, a strange sensation washed over Emily. Watching them shake hands, Emily felt a pang of jealousy towards Ava, a feeling she quickly brushed aside. Sara and Lily stood there; mouth slightly agape, shocked that the famous celebrity had offered a handshake to Ethan.
Ethan's heart pounded faster with each passing moment, as if the simple touch of her hand had ignited something inside him. Ava, too, seemed drawn to him, her curiosity evident, though she kept her thoughts to herself. As Ethan slowly withdrew his hand, he felt the lingering warmth of the handshake, an electric buzz that seemed to hum through his skin. He kept his composure, making sure not a trace of his emotions slipped through.
As Ava gently pulled her arm back, an unexpected sensation washed over her—something she couldn't quite explain. She looked at Ethan, standing there with a calm, warm smile. There was something different about him. Unlike the other men who often grew animated when they held her arm—either trying to impress her with exaggerated gestures or cracking jokes—Ethan stood there in complete silence.
Ethan found his gaze lingering on his hand, still warm from the handshake. The touch of her hand had been so soft, so unexpected in its gentleness, that he couldn't shake the feeling of it lingering in his skin. A flutter of nervous energy stirred in his stomach, a sensation that hadn't quite faded. He couldn't forget the sweetness of her scent, lingering in the air long after their hands had parted. It had been delicate, like something he could almost taste.
Ava watched him for a moment before turning her gaze back to Clara. She absentmindedly slipped the hand she had shaken Ethan's with into her pocket, her fingers brushing against the fabric as if to shake off the lingering sensation. Then, with a casual air, she began chatting with Clara. Ethan noticed the subtle gesture and, for a brief moment, wondered if it signalled discomfort. He chose not to say anything, assuming she was bothered—and, despite himself, a pang of disappointment crept in.
Ava cast a fleeting glance at him, her disappointment mirrored in his downcast expression. His reaction stung, and guilt coiled tightly in her chest. With a quiet sigh, she removed her hand from her pocket, an unspoken apology in the gesture. It wasn't that she meant to offend him—far from it. Years of dealing with unwanted handshakes from strangers had left her instinctively guarded.
As the conversation between her and Clara began to flow, a sharp vibration from her phone shattered the moment. Ava's attention snapped to the screen, the world around her momentarily fading into the background.
[Ava slipped her phone from her pocket, her expression softening as she glanced at the screen. Turning to Clara, she offered an apologetic smile.] "Looks like mom's calling" [She said with a light chuckle.] "I'd better take this – it's probably important let's catch up soon., okay?" [With a quick wave, she strode off.]
As Ava disappeared from view, everyone's eyes seemed to follow her for a moment. Sara turned to Ethan, a mischievous grin playing on her lips, and nudged his arm lightly.
"So, Mr. Lucky," [She said, with a smirk on her face, teasing him] "how does it feel to shake hands with a celebrity?"
[Ethan's face flushed with redness; he averted his gaze.] "Shut up, Sara" [he mumbled,]
[But his reaction only fueled Sara's teasing. She laughed and leaned in closer.] "Oh my God, you're blushing!" [She exclaimed; her mockery now fully playful.] "Don't tell me you're starstruck!"
Ethan groaned, shaking his head as the she began to tease him more and more.
Sara's continuous teasing only deepened Ethan's embarrassment, his cheeks flushing a brighter shade of red with every passing moment. He tried to stammer out a defence, but Sara's grin only widened. Meanwhile, Emily observed quietly, her eyes fixed on Ethan. A pang of jealousy grew within her as she watched his flustered reaction.
[Clara, stepped forward with a light-hearted laugh, and said.] "Alright, everyone, let's not forget we're here to have fun! I'm off to mingle with other guests, but you all better keep the party alive."
With a playful wave and a radiant smile, Clara excused herself, leaving the group to refocus.