Chapter 100 She Can Only Dance with Me

Ciara noticed his reaction and thought he was interested, her voice tinged with excitement. "Mr. Warren, let me tell you, Quinn can't design a thing. She's greener than green. The only reason she's here..."

Ciara leaned in, lowering her voice. "She cozied up to some guy who got her an invite. She's a total fraud, don't let her fool you."

Christian's eyes widened in disbelief. How could someone so clueless be at this prestigious conference?

At such a rare chance to connect and learn from top-notch professionals, she chose to badmouth others.

Seeing Christian's expression, Ciara felt she had proven her worth by exposing Quinn's true nature and continued with a smile. "Mr. Warren, I hate to break it to you, but appearances can be deceiving. You can't judge a woman by her looks alone. Who knows what she's really like on the inside?"

"What's your name?" Christian swirled his glass, his gaze now fixed on Ciara.

Ciara's heart skipped a beat, thinking Christian's question signaled his interest in her.

She answered, "My name is Ciara Grace. I just won a design competition last month."

"You're very beautiful!" Christian ignored the latter part of her statement.

Ciara didn't mind; instead, she happily responded, "Thank you! You have a great eye."

Christian chuckled, his voice low. "You just said it yourself, you can't judge a woman by her looks alone. I can see your true nature too."

Ciara was momentarily stunned, her smile stiffening as she met Christian's gaze, unsure of his meaning.

Christian walked past, and Ciara instinctively stepped back, watching Sienna wave at Quinn before leaving. Quinn's bright smile suggested they were old friends, but Ciara was stunned—they'd just added each other on Facebook.

How did their relationship become so close in such a short time?

Before she could process her shock, she saw Christian stop in front of Quinn and raise his glass to toast her.

She was dumbfounded!

Why was Quinn so lucky? Why did the design masters keep favoring her?

First, Carlster and Rex caught her framing attempt. Then, Sienna, who usually ignored her, started a conversation with Quinn. Now, even Christian, the most influential person at the event, was toasting Quinn.

Who was she? Even marrying Carlster might not earn Ciara a toast from Christian.

Carl was busy, constantly approached by people wanting to toast and get acquainted.

Unnoticed, night had fallen, and the villa, brightly lit like a glowing palace, resonated with musicians playing popular dance tunes. As the mood lifted, the gentlemen began to find their dance partners.

Ciara's gaze fell on Carl, tall and imposing, exuding an unchallengeable aura. His excellence was unmistakable; every young woman in the room was captivated.

"Carlster! Would you dance with me?" Seeing this, Ciara approached Carl and sweetly invited him.

Without even sparing her a glance, Carl's eyes scanned the room for Quinn. When he saw Christian inviting Quinn to dance, he turned and walked away.

"Carlster..." Ciara turned around, displeased, about to complain about his lack of manners and gentlemanly conduct, only to see Carl heading towards Christian and Quinn.

Ciara was puzzled. Christian made a perfect invitation, left hand behind his back, right hand extended, slightly bowing. "May I have this dance? You won't refuse, will you?"

Christian's eyes were clear, showing no improper intentions.

But Quinn knew she was married, and Carl was a jealous man. Dancing with someone else would be inappropriate.

Christian waited for her response, his eyes full of anticipation.

At that moment, she saw Carl approaching.

"Mr. Ward!"

Christian stood up at the sound, retracting his hand from in front of Quinn, turning around.

Carl said, "Mr. Warren, sorry, Miss Sullivan is my dance partner tonight. I reserved her in advance. She can only dance with me; we have an agreement."

Christian's eyes widened, and Quinn didn't expect Carl to lie.

"Are you two close?" Christian asked with a smile.

"Yes, very close!" Carl nodded, extending his hand to Quinn. "Do you know this dance, Miss Sullivan?"

Quinn was half confused, half puzzled.

Before she could answer, Carl continued, "It's okay if you don't. I can teach you. I'm very familiar with this dance. You just need to give me your hand."

This statement shocked everyone around. His tone seemed patient and a bit ambiguous.

Christian interpreted it differently, seeing it as Carl conveying his admiration for Quinn, suggesting they were well-matched.

Since Carl came to the rescue, she naturally cooperated.

She raised her hand and placed it in his palm. "Then I'll trouble you to teach me, Mr. Ward!"

She nodded apologetically to Christian, and Carl led her to the ballroom.

Soon, they were dancing in perfect harmony, better than those around them. "Didn't you say you needed me to teach you?" Carl whispered in her ear as Quinn turned.

Quinn's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I picked up a bit, so I won't trouble you, Mr. Ward!"

Quinn's graceful dancing surprised Ciara and Carl. Despite her small-town upbringing and hardships, she moved with elegance. Carl found her increasingly enigmatic, curious about the secrets she might still hold.

Under the soft lights, with music flowing, many couples began to dance, discussing their design ideas and market insights even while dancing.

"Who's the girl dancing with Mr. Ward? She's so beautiful!"

"I heard her name is Quinn. She's a newbie, not here by merit but by connections."

"Who told you that? Mr. Ward isn't a fool. He has plenty of women trying to latch onto him. He wouldn't fall for that. If she were like that, he wouldn't dance with her."

"Two women over there said it. They also said Quinn's dress was obtained by deceiving men."

Others had different opinions.

"Even heroes can't resist beauty. Maybe Mr. Ward likes this type."

"Mr. Ward doesn't judge by looks alone. He likes people with either outstanding talent or unique souls."

"It's just a dance. Do you need to debate whether he likes her or not?"

Ciara felt disheartened. She came here with two goals: to meet Christian and to approach Carl. Yet, Carl never gave her a second glance and chose to dance with Quinn, whom she disliked. 

Had Quinn possessed more talent or charm, Ciara might have been more accepting, but she viewed Quinn as lacking in both areas. Carl's favoritism towards the newcomer dealt a significant blow, leaving Ciara feeling resentful.

She was so angry that her nostrils flared, and at that moment, her phone rang.