As the night descended, Natalie found herself restlessly tossing and turning in her bed, a sense of unease gnawing at her. Adrian's tenderness, his profound affection, all were directed at her, yet she was not the one he desired. For she was Natalie...
That same night, the news of Adrian's extravagant purchase of a hundred million dollar pink diamond quickly spread like wildfire across the internet, dominating headlines. It wasn't until the following morning that Natalie stumbled upon the news, her phone's screen plastered with the story in the entertainment section.
The photograph accompanying the news showed a handsome man, his arms wrapped around a woman, whispering something into her ear. His gaze was tender, a soft smile playing on his lips.
The woman's back was to the camera, but the man's expression was unmistakably one of warmth and affection. The image painted a picture of a deeply in love couple, the accompanying text lauding Adrian's extravagant gesture of love. He had spent a hundred million dollars in a single night just to bring a smile to his fiancée's face.
Natalie's grip on her phone tightened, her fingers turning white. As she looked at the tender gaze in the photo, tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over and trickling down her cheeks.
Days later, the twentieth-anniversary celebration of Ardentia University was in full swing. The event attracted a host of VIPs, including Ardentia University's School of Performing Arts graduates like Best Actress Aria Moore and Wendy Lewis, Best Actor Charlie Bates, and leading figures from various industries and rising stars in the business world. The celebration was nothing short of grand.
The day was filled with song and dance performances, with each department presenting three pieces. The afternoon was graced by performances from popular movie stars, renowned cellist Karen Clark, and pianist Laura Hill, among others. As the day gave way to the evening, a masquerade ball took center stage.
Natalie, donning a feathered mask and a long blue gown, entered the banquet hall with Bella. No sooner had they entered than Bella disappeared into the crowd. Natalie scanned the room and her gaze froze. She recognized the man in the dark green suit on the dance floor.
It was Adrian. His mask couldn't hide the regal aura he exuded.
The woman he was dancing with was dressed in a high-fashion, starry blue gown. She was the well-known youngest daughter of the Clark family, the distinguished and elegant cellist, Karen.
Natalie's heart skipped a beat as she watched the scene unfold. As Adrian's gaze turned towards her, she quickly lowered her head and disappeared into the crowd. It took her a moment to regain her composure, a self-deprecating chuckle escaping her lips. "Why do I feel guilty? In his eyes, I'm just a servant from the Cullen family, his student…"
Meanwhile, on the dance floor, Adrian squinted slightly. He had caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. By the time he tried to get a closer look, she had vanished. He wondered if his eyes had deceived him.
"Adrian," Karen said softly, noticing his distraction. "I have a performance next week, would you come…"
"I have a business trip next week," he cut her off with a formal rejection, his tone icy. "I can ask my fiancée if she wants to go."
Karen's smile froze on her face. Her performances were always sold out, yet Adrian seemed indifferent, even suggesting his fiancée attend in his stead. His sudden engagement had taken Karen by surprise. She had no idea of any connection between Adrian and this woman named Alice. She couldn't fathom how they had gotten engaged so suddenly.
Adrian placed his hand on Karen's waist with restrained politeness. As the music ended, he immediately withdrew his hand and said indifferently, "I must attend to something, please excuse me." Karen watched his retreating back, a touch of disappointment in her eyes.
In Vachilit, countless men pursued Karen, but none caught her fancy.
"Karen," Megan Turner, Karen's close friend, approached. She looked in the direction Adrian had left, disbelief etched on her face. "You don't still have feelings for Adrian, do you?"
Karen was a bit infatuated. "There's no one in the world more perfect than him."
"Karen, do you want my help?" Megan's lips curled into a slight smile as a plan formed in her mind.
"What can you do? He's engaged."
Megan swirled her wine glass. "He's engaged, but so what? An engagement isn't a marriage. There's nothing a glass of wine can't solve. I have something good here… Just slip it into his drink…"