Chapter 2: The party

Ethan stepped out of the car, extending his arms for a hug. "Hey, Maggie, how have you been?"

“Great,“ she replied. “ça fait longtemps que je t’ai vu.“

“Ouais, tu m’as manqué?“ he asked with a smile.

"Ah, oui, bien sûr, " she responded, returning the smile.

"When did you return from France? " Margret inquired.

"Last week, " Ethan replied.

"I hope you'll stay back this time, "Margret said playfully.

“Bien sûr,“ he assured her.

Sandra interrupted, "Enough of the French. Let's go and have fun. "

***

As they arrived at The HILTON, Margaret couldn't believe her eyes. The once-familiar sight had transformed. It looked like something straight out of a movie—stunning. As their car stopped, a dapper gentleman in a black suit approached and opened the door gracefully.

"This way, " he said, guiding them toward the entrance.

At the doorway, they gave their invite to the door attendant, who handed them each a mask in return. Margret was puzzled. "Why are we being given masks? "

The door attendant responded, "The mask will grant you a new primal freedom." Margaret soon realized everyone was putting on one.

"Okay, thanks, " Margaret muttered as she walked away.

As they stepped inside the venue, they were even more stunned by its beauty—the architecture and the elegance of everyone around. Margaret stood on the stairs while the crowd had already pulled Sandra away. Right before she was Beyoncé performing live on stage, she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she had just seen Beyoncé's live performance.

Suddenly, Mrs. Vanderbilt took the stage, her presence commanding attention with the clink of her champagne glass. "I am Arabella Vanderbilt ".

She's the daughter of Billionaire Vanderbilt, the owner of the HM cosmetic brand.

"Tonight, " she continued, her voice carrying a hint of excitement, "these masks will grant you a newfound freedom, just as God has created other gods before at the beginning of time. Tonight, these masks will grant you the freedom to find your love and guide you to forge connections."

Mrs. Vanderbilt's words hung in the air, her gaze sweeping across the room, ensuring her message resonated with each present. "Feel free to explore your hearts, discover each other's charms and inner beauty, and fall in love. Ensure your heart leaves with the right person today. " She concluded, her voice soft yet commanding, "Now I would like to welcome you all to the hunt for love. "

Almost immediately, the ambiance changed. Music played, conversations buzzed, laughter filled the air, and everyone scouted for potential panthers to dance with.

In the corner, three men gathered, their eyes scanning the room. Suddenly, one of them broke the silence and pointed towards Margaret, a blonde beacon in the crowd.

"Do you see the blonde lady? I want to talk with her, " he remarked eagerly.

"Hey, sexy, " he greeted Margaret.

Margret's response was a glance at him, her eyes flickering towards the whisper and giggles from his companions across the room. They were murmuring something and pointing towards her.

Margaret's silence spoke volumes. She looked at him without uttering a word, conveying her disinterest. Seeing she wasn't responding, he apologized before retreating.

With a sigh, he took a dance of shame back to his friends, who teased him, "Come back, it's not that easy. You need to be more gentle next time, " they egged him on, playfully pushing him forward.

They urged another to step up to the challenge, "You go try, " pushing him towards Margret.

He responded confidently, signaling for his friends to watch and learn. With a mixture of nerves and determination, he approached Margaret, his heart pounding.

"Would you like to dance with me? " he asked, his tone hopeful.

"Next time, " she responded as she turned her back on him.

"Would you like to dance with me? " he asked, this time more persistently.

Just as he reached out to gasp her hand, another figure intervened, gently restraining him. "She's with me. Is there a problem? " he calmly asked.

"My bad, I didn't realize you were together, " he admitted, acknowledging his mistake as he walked away.

Margret turned to thank him, but her attention was captured by the figure standing in front of her, which resembled a god in her eyes.

"Hey, I'm Alexandra, " he introduced himself, extending his hand for a handshake.

"it seems like you are a lonely hunter. " she observed.

"I've only ever hunted online, so this is quite the reality check for me, "he confessed.

Margret responded confidently, "I can help you out. "

Their eyes locked as she pulled him towards the dance floor with assurance.

As they stepped onto the dance floor, Margaret touched his chest, guiding their movement naturally. She circled him, her fingers lingering near his lips, capturing his full attention.

Amidst the crowd's cheers, Margret seized the moment, taking the spotlight. With a deliberate and seductive gesture, she intentionally dropped her earring, bending provocatively to pick it up.

In a heartbeat of suspense, she leaned in for a kiss, but instead, she gently pushed him off the stage with a subtle yet decisive gesture.

A concerned voice interrupted Alexandra. "Are you alright? " the woman asked, her worry evident.

Meanwhile, Margaret returned to the stage, commanding attention as she resumed her dance. However, the other woman joined in, trying to compete with Margaret. She soon realized she couldn't outshine Margaret's impeccable skill, so she stepped down from the stage.

With all eyes now fixed on her, Margret gracefully exited the stage; she headed towards the bathroom to touch up her makeup, leaving those around her captivated and intrigued.

Margaret approached the pool table, where laughter and chatter filled the air. She picked up a cue stick and joined the game as Alexandra pointed out a short.

"Did you see that? Good luck. " he said, gesturing towards the table.

Margret sat on the rail. The slit exposed her soft, feminine legs and expensive shoes as she sat. With precision, she executed her shot, earning applause from the onlookers.

"Nice one! " they cheered.

Alexandra offered her a high five, impressed. "Nice shot. I didn't expect you to be so good at this. You're full of surprises.

You are much more than just a good dancer. Are you in the industry or..."

Margret cut him off with a coy smile. "I'm not in that line of work. "

"What do you do, then?" he pressed.

"We should go; it's getting relatively warm here," Margaret suggested, leading the way to a quieter corner away from the crowd.

"I think it's cool enough right here," Alexandra countered playfully, but one of the servers interrupted them before Margaret could respond.

"Apologies for the interruption, but Mrs. Vanderbilt is back on stage, "the server informed them.

Mrs. Vanderbilt's voice carried across the room as she addressed everyone. "Did everyone have a good time? "she asked, met with a chorus of agreement.

"I'm happy to hear that," she continued warmly. "And did anyone catch your eyes tonight? "

A collective murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. "I can only imagine how dreadfully uncomfortable that mask must feel," Mrs. Vanderbilt sympathized. "Now, we will proceed with the final event tonight. When I call your name, please remove your mask and reveal your face. "

The room erupted into applause as excitement filled the air. "And remember, "Mrs. Vanderbilt added, "feel free to seek out the person who caught your interest and continue your conversation. "

As names were called and masks removed, Margaret rose from her seat, slipping away unnoticed. Alexandra followed suit, her steps determined. "Where are you going?" He asked, trailing after her.

"That's none of your business," Margret retorted, her tone unwavering.

"I want to get to know you better," he persisted.

Margaret fixed him with a steady gaze. "Can't you see I'm not interested? If I were, I wouldn't be leaving now. So, if you don't mind, please excuse me," she stated firmly before turning and walking away.