Chapter 167: The Affair

ALICE

We arrived at the hotel at around eleven to drop off the order and set everything up.

Because we were bringing our own display stands and platters, there was no chance that someone else would be able to do it for us. We knew exactly where to place everything, and couldn't afford to have anything mishandled when this was our first big event.

Rory and I worked alongside each other, and we had two assistants from the bakery. The rest of the staff were back at the bakery, making sure that the place was running in our absence.

We worked closely alongside the organizers of the event. It was a pretty big deal, apparently, so I had to make sure everything was perfect.

By the time we had the dessert table assembled, my feet were killing me, my patience had run thin, and I desperately needed a cup of coffee.

I wasn't sure why I'd suddenly become so sensitive to smells. Though the ensemble of flowers was truly stunning, the smell tickled my nose and made me want to sneeze every second. Oh, I wouldn't even mention how nauseous it made me.

This had to be the pregnancy's doing. There was no way around it.

That, or it could be the fact that I was highly anxious about what was going to happen today. Theo told me that he'd call as soon as they were arrested, and I was watching the time like a hawk. It would be a massive weight off my shoulders, that was certain.

I just wanted this entire situation done and over with.

Either way, it was safe to say that I was ready to leave this hotel.

The head organizer showed up to do a last-minute check-up and she seemed pretty pleased. Clapping her hands together, she mentioned, "Oh, but look how stunning these macarons are! They match the decor so well, don't they? Thank you for bearing with us. Francesca was the one who recommended you and I have to make a mental note to give her a call afterward to thank her personally!"

I smiled, pleased with her kind words. I thanked her profusely for the opportunity, and then helped with the packing of our stuff so we could head out. I bumped my shoulder against Rory's and told him, "See? People are really happy."

"Yeah," he confirmed with a smile of his own before looking around. "I like this place."

"Yeah? What do you like about it?"

"The flowers."

"Oh."

"They look pretty."

"Yeah. We should get some flowers in the bakery, too. Maybe just to decorate the tables."

"Hm."

As much as I tried to ignore the nausea, it caught up to me. I turned to Rory and told him, "I'll be back, okay? I just need to rush to the bathroom for a bit. Finish up. I'll probably meet you and the others in the car."

My brother nodded and I asked the head organizer, who was still giving polite orders to some of the workers, where the restrooms were. "Oh, you can use the ones the guests do. That's no problem at all. It's just around the corner, close to the lounge."

"Thank you."

I hurried there—it wasn't too far from the reception—and managed to throw up in the toilet, not the floor, so I considered myself lucky for that. Afterward, I leaned against the wall of the cubicle and waited for the feeling to pass before venturing out there.

God Almighty.

I'd never felt this sick before. The worst part was that I couldn't shake off the sickly flowery smell. Once I got home, I'd have to shower to wash it off. I'd probably head straight there after this. I couldn't risk getting sick in the bakery.

I washed my hands and my face, rinsed my mouth out with water, and then headed outside. My guess was that seven minutes had passed since I left Rory's side. I left the short corridor that led to the bathrooms and was about to step into the lobby when two familiar faces caught my attention.

I backtracked quickly, heart skipping a beat.

Madeline and Felix?

What were they doing here?

At first, I assumed they were heading straight toward me, but they had walked right past. I immediately worried that they were looking for me to harm me or something, so I followed them. What if they found Rory and decided to... No, I couldn't think about that. The thought alone was making me sick to my stomach.

I wouldn't let them hurt my brother. Not a chance in hell.

They walked right past the venue, though, and I slowed to a stop, confused. If they weren't here for me, then why the hell were they here? They were supposed to be arrested today.

Were they meeting someone? Did Theo know about this?

I reached for my phone in the back pocket of my pants, but I found it empty. Crap, I must have forgotten it in the venue. Walking away was the best course of action, but I was tempted. I had to figure out what they were doing here so I could alert Theo as soon as possible.

What if they somehow found out about the whole plot and were trying to escape or something?

Leaving to fetch my phone now would make me lose sight of them, so I decided to follow them and see what would happen from there. They hadn't seen me or looked back once, so I considered it safe. The two of them were heading in the direction of the elevators, which was ideal because I'd be able to see which floor they were going to.

I stopped several feet away from them, watching from a distance. Madeline pressed the button and then stepped back. Felix was standing directly behind her, and he leaned forward to whisper something in her ear that made her giggle. My brow shot up because I was finding their proximity super weird for two people who were technically aunt and nephew, even though Felix had been related to her late husband and had no blood relations with her.

And then, just as they were stepping into the elevator, Felix slapped her ass.

I must've made a sound because he whipped his head in my direction. Backing away, I immediately started running, but Felix was hot on my heels, and before I knew it, he'd caught up to me.

"I'll fucking scream!" I warned him as his fingers gripped my forearm painfully. I tried to free myself. He reached for his phone quickly, typing a message, and told me, "Go ahead. Scream all you want. Give me a reason to ask my guys to go into that bakery of yours and shoot that retarded brother of yours right in the face."

My hand shot up and I slapped him before I could stop myself. Felix smiled instead of being mad about it, then said, "Just wait until we're in private. Unless you wanna scream, of course."

Rory wasn't in the bakery, but I couldn't take any chances. Madeline appeared behind us and stared at me with wide eyes. I shook my head at her. "You disgusting bitch. This is why you sided against your own son? Because he's fucking you!"

Felix twisted my arm painfully. "It's none of your business. Walk."

He gave me a shove forward that nearly made me fall. Shit, what was I going to do now? I didn't want to put my brother's life at risk in any way, but at the same time, could I allow myself to go anywhere with Felix?

But they'd be getting arrested soon, right? So, maybe, I had nothing to worry about.

We were walking right past the venue, and just then, Rory stepped out. My heart sank to my feet, especially when I saw his alarmed expression. I shook my head at him once, hoping and praying that Felix wouldn't see him. I didn't trust this maniac.

Rory kept watching, but I couldn't look back or Felix would get suspicious. We headed outside and the sun nearly blinded me.

I didn't know what to expect.

I had no idea how this would end.