Chapter 51 — The Trap Behind the Silk Gown
Chapter 51 — The Trap Behind the Silk Gown
The next morning's sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, yet it did not bring even the slightest warmth to Emeli. Throughout the night, she had remained seated at the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the large box containing a dark blue evening gown that was still laid open on the dressing table. Beside the box, her phone rested with its screen occasionally lighting up, displaying a short message from Ken that felt like a death sentence.
“What am I supposed to do?” Emeli whispered, her voice catching in her throat. Both of her hands gripped the bedsheet until her knuckles turned white.
An overwhelming sense of fear crawled through her entire body. If her speculation was correct and Alexander Senior’s birthday party was the meeting point for Ken, Aric, and Victor, then stepping into that ballroom would be the same as delivering her neck to the butcher’s knife. The secret she had been desperately hiding would shatter into countless pieces.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The firm sound of knocking shattered the silence in the room. Emeli’s heart jumped violently. Before she could respond, the bedroom door swung open. Ken stepped inside wearing a dark gray suit that fit perfectly on his tall frame. His dominant and intimidating aura instantly filled the room.
“Why haven’t you touched your gown yet?” Ken asked coldly. His eyes briefly glanced at the box on the dressing table before shifting to Emeli with a demanding stare.
Emeli stood up from the bed, trying to gather what little courage she had left.
“I don’t want to go, Ken. You said I was grounded, didn’t you? Then let me stay here!”
Ken walked closer, his footsteps heavy and rhythmic against the wooden floor. He stopped right in front of Emeli and lowered his head slightly to lock eyes with her.
“Yesterday, I grounded you. But today, I need you to fulfill your duty as my woman. Our contract is still valid, Emeli. Don’t forget that.”
“Duty?” Emeli let out a bitter laugh, her eyes flashing with anger. “To be a display piece in front of your business associates? Or a shield to keep Liona away? I’m not a doll you can drag in and out of a cage whenever you want!”
Ken gripped her jaw with one hand, not painfully hard, but firmly enough to stop her protest.
“Listen, Emeli. This is not a choice. Tonight, you will stand beside me, wear that gown, and smile in front of my father. If you ruin it, I’ll make sure your internship at Alexander Group turns into a real nightmare.”
Emeli flinched. The ache in her jaw was nothing compared to the pain in her chest. She could only stare at Ken with deep hatred while panic continued to spread inside her. Ken had no idea that the greatest danger tonight was not Liona or his father, but the presence of two other men who could destroy everything.
“Put on the gown. The stylist will arrive in thirty minutes,” Ken said flatly before releasing her jaw and turning around, leaving Emeli standing there with trembling fists.
Elsewhere, London’s traffic congestion did nothing to dampen Victor Valdes’s excitement. The man drove his black sports car with one hand while the other tapped the steering wheel to the rhythm of a soft jazz tune playing through the speakers. In the passenger seat, Aric Anderson adjusted the bow tie around the collar of his white shirt.
“You seem unusually excited, Vic,” Aric teased while glancing at his friend, who had been smiling ever since they left the apartment.
Victor chuckled softly as he steered into Mayfair, where the five-star hotel hosting the event was located.
“Of course. Tonight is an important night for Alexander Group. Besides, I heard that Ken is bringing a big surprise.”
Aric raised an eyebrow.
“A surprise? You mean Liona?”
“No.” Victor shook his head. “I heard from an insider that Ken completely rejected the arranged marriage with Liona and insists on bringing a woman of his own choosing tonight.”
Victor’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“I’m curious what kind of woman could make a man as cold as Alexa Ken fall for her. All these years, he’s always treated women like business tools.”
Aric smiled faintly as his thoughts drifted to Emeli.
“Even the coldest man can melt when he meets the right woman, Vic. I just hope Ken’s woman can survive his dictator personality.”
“You’re right.” Victor nodded before stopping the car in front of the hotel lobby, which was already lined with luxury vehicles. A valet immediately approached them.
“Come on. Let’s see for ourselves how grand old Mr. Alexander’s birthday celebration really is.”
The two handsome men stepped out of the car and entered the building side by side, radiating the charm of London’s elite and attracting the attention of several women nearby. However, neither Aric nor Victor realized they were walking directly into the center of the same storm.
The ballroom of the five-star hotel had been transformed into an extraordinary venue. A massive crystal chandelier cast golden light across the room, reflecting off sturdy marble pillars. Hundreds of guests from the circles of billionaires, high-ranking officials, and top celebrities mingled while holding glasses of champagne.
In a quieter corner of the ballroom, Ken stepped inside with steady strides. His presence immediately attracted attention. Yet what caused the surrounding conversations to die down was not Ken himself, but the woman walking beside him with her hand looped through his strong arm.
Emeli walked with her head held high, trying to hide how weak her knees felt beneath the flowing dark blue evening gown she wore. The off-shoulder dress fit her perfectly, accentuating her graceful figure and exposing her porcelain-white shoulders. The makeup artist had been forced to use a thick layer of concealer to cover the faint marks on her neck. Her long hair had been styled into an elegant updo, leaving a few soft strands framing her naturally beautiful face.
“Keep smiling, Emeli. Everyone is watching us,” Ken whispered in a low voice while tightening his hold on her arm.
“I’m trying, Mr. Ken,” Emeli replied sharply behind a forced smile.
Her eyes moved anxiously across the ballroom, her heart pounding like a war drum. Every time she spotted a tall man in the distance, her breathing nearly stopped.
Suddenly, their path was blocked by a silver-haired middle-aged man in a distinguished tuxedo, accompanied by a young woman in a striking red gown who stared at Emeli with a piercing gaze.
Alexander Senior and Liona Valdes.
“You finally came, Ken,” Alexander Senior said in a deep, commanding voice. His eyes shifted to Emeli, examining her from head to toe with a cold and assessing stare.
“And... who is this unfamiliar woman?”
Liona stepped forward, crossing her arms over her chest with a contemptuous snort.
“So this is why you rejected me, Ken? To bring a cheap girl who doesn’t even have a name among London’s elite to your father’s birthday party?”
The moment the word “cheap” left her mouth, Ken’s jaw tightened. He stepped forward, instinctively positioning himself in front of Emeli.
“Watch your mouth, Liona. Her name is Emeli. She is under my protection. And she is here as my partner, which is none of your business.”
Behind Ken’s back, Emeli clenched the fabric of her gown. The tension within the Alexander family felt suffocating, but it was nothing compared to what happened next.
As Emeli turned her head away to avoid Alexander Senior’s sharp gaze, her eyes accidentally landed on two familiar figures who had just entered through the ballroom entrance, only about ten meters away.
Aric and Victor were walking together, laughing lightly while looking around the ballroom.
Deg.
The blood drained from Emeli’s face instantly. Her complexion turned deathly pale as if every drop of blood had vanished from her body. Her world felt as though it were collapsing completely.
The distance between them kept shrinking as the two men began walking toward the Alexander family gathering.
“No... this can’t happen,” Emeli whispered, her lips trembling violently.
The worst-case scenario she had feared all night was now unfolding right before her eyes.
To be continued.