Across the room, Felicia kept her eyes on their target. Their conversation flowed easily, but she sensed the man's attention drifting toward the noise. Now.
With a motion quick yet smooth, Felicia slipped her hand into his jacket pocket and lifted the invitation, tucking it into the strap along her thigh. She remained unfazed, continuing her role without a single crack.
"I just want someone who treats me gently…" Felicia whispered, rolling up her sleeve to reveal faded scars. Her gaze carried sorrow wrapped in quiet allure.
The man fell deeper under her spell. "Your perfume… your face… you're stunning," he murmured, his hand wandering.
Felicia shifted away gracefully, teasing, "It's not just my face. The rest of me is smooth and pretty too, no hair anywhere." She lifted her arm slightly, revealing spotless skin. The hint of allure made the man lose all composure.
He cornered her by a banquet table. But Felicia reacted fast, she pushed hard against the edge, knocking plates and food to the floor.
"Ahhh!" she cried, sending chaos rippling through the hall.
In the confusion, Kaivan moved. Silent and swift, he slipped between guests and lifted two invitations from the pockets of careless men. Livia and Ethan seized their chance, vanishing past the distracted guards into the ballroom.
Felicia, "rescued" by the guards, was escorted inside without suspicion.
Zinnia, still acting her part, clutched her chest. "Sir, my invitation… it was just in my hand. Maybe it fell… or someone snatched it during the commotion…" she said in a panic-stricken voice.
The guards, overwhelmed by the chaos, spread out in confusion.
At that moment, Kaivan approached quietly and slipped an invitation into Zinnia's hand. "Hey," he whispered with a soft smile. "Yours ended up with me."
Zinnia looked at him with visible relief. They stepped inside together. That night, their mission flowed without a hitch. Beneath all the tension and deception, a quiet warmth began to grow, soft, subtle, yet undeniably real.
The grand ballroom glittered under crystal lights, but the atmosphere was anything but graceful. Important guests sat rigidly at round tables, unable to move freely, watched closely by men in black suits guarding every corner. Behind the elegant conversations, a faint, creeping tension filled the air.
Ethan sat calmly beside Livia, though his eyes never stopped scanning the room. When Livia pointed toward a pillar, she whispered, "Kak Ethan, those are my parents."
Two middle-aged figures sat upright, unaware their daughter was only a few meters away. Livia quickly scribbled a short note and handed it to Ethan. She understood the risk, but she had no other choice.
Before Ethan could make a move, he noticed staff members beginning to check invitations. His heartbeat quickened. They had no official passes. With a subtle glance, he signaled Livia, it was time to leave.
They rose slowly, careful not to draw attention. As they passed near the exit, Ethan slipped the note into Kaivan's hand. Kaivan, seated close by, read it swiftly and followed Livia's gaze. His mind was already piecing together their next steps.
Kaivan and Zinnia sat at a table with two unfamiliar men. It was uncomfortable, but still manageable. "Excuse me, sir, what's this event about?" Kaivan asked lightly.
"An infrastructure investors' meeting. Funding from major businessmen," the man replied casually.
"Are you an investor too?" Kaivan probed.
The man's smile thinned. "You're not supposed to be here, are you?" His gaze sharpened.
Kaivan remained calm. In a hidden motion, his hand slipped into Zinnia's dress. The touch made Zinnia flinch instinctively.
"K-Kaivan..." she whispered, barely audible.
Their eyes met for an instant. Without words, she understood. She shifted slightly, giving him space to retrieve what he needed from her thigh, a small karambit she had hidden.
The conversation continued. Zinnia kept her expression composed despite the faint tremor running through her body. "I'm invited too, sir. Gold business," she said softly yet firmly.
Kaivan managed to grasp the karambit and slip it into the pocket of his suit. Their eyes met for a brief moment, relief flickering between them, yet both understood that nothing was truly over.
Across the grand ballroom, Felicia caught sight of someone who made her breath freeze, Rapi. Memories of their brutal duel at Radio Malabar surged through her. Her gaze sharpened, trying to signal Kaivan, but he was too deep in his role to notice.
Crystal lights shimmered overhead, scattering soft reflections across the tables where guests sat in elegant rows. Polite conversations floated through the air, but beneath the surface, tension pressed down like an unseen weight. Men in black suits stood guard at the corners, watching every movement with hawk-like eyes.
Kaivan sat with Zinnia and two unfamiliar men. Meanwhile, Livia, sitting beside Ethan, passed him a folded note, a message meant for her parents seated not far away. With calm, calculated steps, Kaivan approached the couple and slipped the note onto the father's lap.
But the small act drew attention.
"Sir, please return to your designated seat," one of the staff said, polite yet firm.
Kaivan offered a gentle smile. "If I go to the restroom, I'll be allowed back in, right?"
The staff nodded. "Of course."
Back at his table, Kaivan exchanged a look with Zinnia. Their eyes aligned, time to move. They prepared themselves.
Livia's father read the short message, and panic surged across his face. He rose abruptly, trying to chase after Kaivan. Felicia, observing closely, moved as well.