Chapter 42: Game On: Adrien’s Woman
I walked carefully through the hotel’s shiny hallways, the marble reflecting my footsteps. My fingers gripped the strap of my bag, the golden VIP ticket resting inside like a well-kept secret. I could hear faint whispers of far-off discussion, interrupted only by the faint sound of a piano from somewhere behind a closed door. Everything about this place screamed wealth and calm control—everything except my racing heart.
Auction. Cameras. Adrien and his curt instructions. The weight of it all began to feel a bit much but I forced myself to breathe normally and keep my steps firm and steady looking for the ballroom.
Then—bam.
Someone bumped into me, knocking the air from my lungs and my phone flew from my hand, falling carelessly down to the floor.
It felt like an eternity in the air, only to hit the ground with an horrifying crunch.
My chest tightened as I heard it— the sound of my phone cracking.
The woman I’d collided with gasped sharply, clutching her pearls while her purse hit the ground beside me. Her eyes blazed with fury.
"My purse! You b**ch! Do you have any idea how much that cost? Watch where you’re going!" Her voice sliced through the quiet hallway.
I swallowed hard, my heart racing. "I’m so sorry." I quickly bent down to grab her purse and my phone, already dreading how bad it was. Please be okay... please. I handed her the purse, then glanced at my phone’s cracked screen. A heavy feeling settled in my stomach.
She looked at the damage, her eyes narrowing. "Looks like they let anyone in these days."
I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"