Chapter 118: Deadlier Surprise
"Who is he?" Vincent asked with a frown, his voice startling the duo who hadn’t noticed his approach. Annabelle had always been glued to his side, so seeing her being so familiar and intimate with another man stirred up an unpleasant feeling in him. If only he could understand how Evelyn had felt each time he got close to Annabelle when they were still engaged, he might have handled things differently now.
Annabelle quickly stepped away from Ronan and moved to Vincent’s side, her grip tight on his arm as she explained, "He’s one of Evelyn’s clients. We just happened to meet a few months ago, purely coincidental."
Vincent’s gaze narrowed as he looked Ronan up and down, his eyes lingering on the man’s dark, intense stare that made him flinch. The man seemed vaguely familiar as if he had crossed paths with him before, but his name remained elusive.
"Mr. Igor! What a surprise to see you here!" A guest approached them with eager steps, clearly thrilled at the chance to speak to the Italian prince, especially without his usual entourage. They didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity. "For you to travel all the way from Italy, Ms. Cartwell must be a close friend, indeed!"
Vincent’s eyes widened at the man’s words, realization striking him like lightning. The face that had been plastered across magazines and billboards suddenly clicked into place. How could he not have recognized it sooner? Mr. Igor was just as powerful as Zevian was in his own country. And to think that Annabelle had already met him once? It felt like Vincent had stumbled upon a golden opportunity.
"Forgive me for not recognizing you earlier, Mr. Igor," Vincent quickly joined the conversation, though Ronan’s disinterest was clear as the guest rambled on. "I’m Vincent Blake, CEO of Blake Corporations," he introduced himself, extending his hand with a bright smile.
Ronan raised an eyebrow, glancing from the extended hand to Annabelle, who was standing beside Vincent. His name sounded familiar, and in moments, Ronan realized who he was—Grace’s ex-fiancé, the one who had treated her just as poorly as the others when she was declared a fraud and cast aside.
After a pause, Ronan slowly pulled his hand from his pocket and shook Vincent’s hand, his grip so tight that Vincent’s smile wavered, his face paling as he struggled not to wince in pain.
"Hello. I’m a close friend of Grace’s," Ronan introduced himself with a serious tone, causing the man in front of him to squirm uncomfortably. While Vincent might be a useful tool in getting back at Laila, Ronan had no desire to befriend anyone who had wronged Evelyn. All her enemies were automatically his as well by default. Of course, except for Annabelle, who occupied a strange space in his mind.