Mixer

SHIRLEY and Lucian are having dinner together at the Royal Ascent. He tries his best to calm himself and remain professional throughout their dinner. When suddenly he catches a glimpse of someone familiar.

"Xavier Vaughn," he mumbled to himself.

Then he excuses himself to go to the restroom.

He followed Xavier into the third-floor VVIP area and at the door, he saw the signage. 'The Royal Mixer: Group dating'

He is about to leave when he sees Xavier enter the room. When, suddenly, he bumps into a lady. Due to the force, the lady stumbles on the floor.

"I'm sorry," he uttered while extending his hand.

The lady did not speak and slowly held his hand and stood up. She kept her head low and Lucian noticed she was avoiding his gaze.

He lowered his head and tilted to the side.

"Latton?" He mumbles in surprise. His heart was pounding loudly. "What did you do to your hair?" He inquired.

Head still lowered, "Got a haircut and hair color." She stated uncomfortably. Her hair is cut short into a bob cut with curtain bangs and her hair color is red. Making her appear younger than her real age.

She glanced at her watch, "I need to go. The event is about to start." She explains while pointing at the signage.

He frowned and felt his chest being stomped, "Oh! You're part of the mixer?" He uttered. His voice expresses sorrow.

She nods.

He gasped, then crossed his arms. The atmosphere became awkward instantly. He wants to say a lot of things but is unsure where to begin.

"Why is it when I want to explain, words seem to evade me?" He thought to himself.

Suddenly, his phone starts ringing, interrupting the silence between them. Latton saw in the corner of her eye that it was Shirley.

She smiled bitterly, "Of all the places they chose to have a date here." She uttered to herself.

He opened his mouth and was about to say something, but she had already left.

His head started hurting and felt a heavy object pressing his chest, giving him a hard time breathing. He was about to follow her inside, but the guard stopped him. "Invitation please" the guard commented while extending his hand.

He smiles faintly, “I’ll talk to her later.” He uttered to himself and went back to Shirley to give her an ultimatum and end everything with her. When he got to his seat, he was physically present, but his mind was somewhere else and Shirley could feel it.

"Are you okay, Lucian? You did not eat much, and you seem absent-minded." She asks nervously.

He nods. "I've been having headaches again." He explains.

"Do you want to go home? I could drive and stay at your place to take care of you." She offered while seductively holding the tips of his fingers.

He moved his hand away from her, "No, let’s get to the point of this dinner.” He declared in a cold tone.

She exhaled with agitation, "You've been out of the hospital for almost a month and not even once have you taken advantage of my advances, and I’m sure none of them was subtle. What's happening to you?" She inquired. "Have you lost your sex drive?" She then gasped, "Are you having an Erectile Dysfunction? Due to the accident?"

She reached for his hand again, "We could go to the doctor to get you checked."

He smirked, "I know what you are doing. Challenging my virility, forcing me to fornicate with you to prove that I don't have an Erectile Dysfunction. Well, that's not going to happen."

She giggles anxiously, "I don't know what you are talking about, Lucian." She denies it and with a trembling hand grabbed the glass of water to drink, but Lucian stopped her and put the glass back on the table. Establishing his control in their discussion.

He clasped his hand on the table and leaned closer, "Now you listen to me and follow everything I say. You will break our collaboration contract, you will leave this country, and, most importantly, you will leave me alone." He declared in a deep threatening voice. His gaze was malevolent, and she felt he was strangling her with his sight.

She swallowed slowly, "Wh...why.. What are you saying?" she muttered stutteringly. The fear in her voice was obvious.

"I know what you did..." He paused then laughed devilishly. "Do you think that I wouldn't know? You faked my signature and filed a restraining order against Latton." He commented.

She clenched her hands into a fist and she breathed rapidly. "I did that because I love you, and she's too much. I've seen the flowers she sent, and it annoyed you." She explains as her face turns scarlet red in shame and annoyance.

He chuckled, "And who are you to decide that?" He inquired while looking at her like she was dirt.

She smiles uneasily, "I know you won't. Despite that aggression and coldness in you. You care about people's feelings, that's why I did it for you." She remarks.

He sneered, "I'm aggressive and cold, and I do care..." She smiled while hearing his words, thinking that once again she was off the hook.

"... But I stopped caring about you long ago." He declared with certainty. "As I mentioned earlier, here's what you are going to do. You will break the collaboration contract with Caldwell Incorporated and you will leave the country, never to return." He demanded. His voice was so commanding that it sent shivers to her.

She could only lower her head, nervously she uttered, "What if I don't agree?"

He tilted his head and grinned viciously, "You will be imprisoned for forgery, and I'll make sure you'll have the experience of a lifetime." He mumbled sarcastically.

She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out.

He then gestured for the waiter to bill them out. "This conversation is over," he declared.

Her whole body trembled in fear, agitation, and rage, "This is not over yet." She mumbled while staring at his receding figure.

Concurrently, Latton entered the VVIP room and immediately searched for Xavier.

"Where is he? He knew I was not familiar with this type of event. How could he leave me?" She mumbles to herself.

"Hey, pretty lady. You seem lost." Xavier exclaimed playfully.

She sneered, "I told you, don't leave me."

"I need to. This is a mixer. We need to talk to people. Other people. Why don't you sit with the other girls over there and let the men come to you." He states while gesturing at the opposite side of the room.

She followed his suggestion and soon men started lining up to speak to her. Different people, with various traits, characteristics, and features.

~Too tall.

Too short.

Too young.

Too old. "I thought this mixer was for young adults?" She thought to herself.

Too handsome.

Too common.

Too loud.

Too shy.~

She got very overwhelmed and discreetly went out of the room and walked to the fire exit to go to the rooftop.

She breathed slowly and stared at the stars. Thinking if there will be a time when she can enjoy such a peaceful night with Lucian.

She felt serene and a tinge of longing. "Finally silence." She mumbled under her breath.

"Overwhelmed with the crowd?" A male voice responded to her.

Startled, she almost stumbled to the ground.

"Oh sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Theodore Wilson. You can call me Theo." He smiled and then extended his hand.

She stared at him for a while and blushed instantly, "Wow you look like a model." She blurted out.

He laughs.

Her whole face turned red in shame, "Latton Ripley." She mumbled, then held his hand, but she didn't let go.

He smiled, showing his pearly white teeth, "You can let go of my hand now."

"I'm really sorry." She uttered in shame.

"For what?" He asks.

"For being weird." She remarks. The humiliation travels to her whole being. "It's your eyes. I got lost in them. Are you wearing contacts or are your eyes really that blue?" She asks nicely.

"They have always been this blue. Is your hair that red," he asks jokingly.

She lowered her head and held her hair, "No," she replied sadly.

"I... I didn't mean to offend you." He said stammeringly.

She chuckled, "It's fine. My natural hair color is dark brown, it's my first time to change my hair color." She explains.

He nods, "Let me guess new haircut too?"

She nods.

"You're moving on from someone?" He remarks.

Her eyes dilated in surprise.

"You just got a divorce several weeks ago. It's normal to try something new." He added while lighting a cigar, then offered some to her. "Do you smoke?" He asked nicely.

"Occasionally," She uttered.

He smiled, "This is an occasion." He muttered, then gestured for her to get one.

She took one and lit it up. "So what do you do for a living, Mr. Theodore Wilson."

He laughs, "Please don't call me that. Theo would be fine and, to answer your question, I'm a divorce attorney." He stated, then handed her his business card.

She puffs her cigar and then says playfully, "On my next divorce I'll try to hire you." She giggles at the end of the sentence.

"Looking forward to that," he replied.

She laughs, "By the way, are you at the mixer party too?" She asks curiously.

He shook his head, "It's only for young adults. I'm already in my late 40s." He huffs his cigar. "My client is part of the mixer and asked me to tag along. How about you?"

"My mother told me to go out and meet people. I came here with my cousin." She replied.

They continued talking to each other and the rooftop was filled with laughter. Unbeknownst to them, Lucian stood in the corner listening to their gleeful conversation.

The sound of her laughter is music to his ear. It makes him feel elated and dejected at the same time. The scene of her smiling and giggling with someone else gave him a painful sight.