Natalie wore a mask of tranquility, her gaze carefully averted from Daniel's piercing stare. In that moment, Adrian shifted subtly, presenting her to the woman beside him with a courteous bow. "Alice, allow me to introduce my aunt."
Natalie responded with a voice that was slightly hoarse, a simple, "Auntie." She deliberately softened her voice, and although it wasn't an exact match for Alice's, the bustling atmosphere of the room allowed her to blend in seamlessly.
She had heard Curtis mention Melissa in passing. Melissa's husband was unwell and convalescing, leaving the company's reins entirely in her capable hands. Melissa was a woman of efficiency and sharp perception.
Natalie's cautious demeanor led Melissa to perceive 'Alice' as a woman of exceptional politeness and decorum. Melissa nodded approvingly. "Adrian, now that you two are engaged, you must take good care of Alice."
"I will, Auntie." Adrian's arm encircled 'Alice's' waist. He took a sip of his drink, then shifted his gaze to Daniel, introducing him to Natalie. "This is my cousin Daniel. You've met before."
At the mention of the name, Natalie's heart fluttered anxiously. She took a slow, steadying breath, one hand gripping her glass, the other clenched tightly at her side.
She remained silent, and Adrian, assuming their previous unpleasant dinner was still fresh in her mind, chose not to press the matter. Daniel, however, with a hint of mischief, raised his glass in a toast. "Congratulations, Mrs.... Howard."
He drew out the last word deliberately, causing Natalie to startle and spill her wine. "Sorry!" Her face paled as she hastily set down her glass. "I need to excuse myself for a moment."
Without another word, she practically sprinted back to the sanctuary of the dressing room.
Adrian's brow furrowed with concern, his stern gaze landing on Daniel, who merely shrugged innocently. "Adrian, I didn't do anything, huh? Mrs. Howard sure is acting strange today, though!"
"Auntie, I think Alice might have had too much to drink; I'll go check on her." Adrian offered.
"Just go, we're fine here. Take care of her," Melissa responded, nonchalantly.
With a nod, Adrian made his way towards the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Natalie's nerves were still frayed, even in the relative safety of the dressing room. She had nearly convinced herself that Daniel had recognized her! She couldn't stay here any longer. She needed to change out of her dress and leave before her absence was noted.
But as she was slipping out of her gown, the dressing room door swung open, revealing Adrian. "Alice..."
In her haste, she had forgotten to lock the door! Instinctively, Natalie glanced back to see Adrian standing in the doorway, his tall figure imposing, his brow furrowed as he stared at her.
Clutching her gown to her body, Natalie's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "What are you doing here?"
Adrian took in her visible panic and asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"
"My dress got dirty. I wanted to change into a clean one before heading back down," she replied, struggling to maintain her composure. Despite her efforts, her nervousness didn't escape his notice.
Adrian's gaze darkened slightly. Upon entering, he had immediately noticed the smooth, flawless skin on 'Alice's' back. But he remembered a noticeable scar on Alice's back from that morning...
Yet now, that scar seemed to have vanished...
With this realization, Adrian reached out, his hand closing around her shoulder, his voice low. "Turn around; I'll help you change."