Under the glazed crystal lamps, the clothes were scented, and people were mingling. Tonight, a banquet was organized at the school.
When Sherry appeared with Charlotte, there was a moment of stunned silence in the banquet hall. Almost everyone looked over, dumbstruck, with awe in their eyes.
Charlotte was wearing a simple white dress with hand-embroidered patterns at the neckline and waistline. The dress was understated but elegant, with a subtle glitter when the light hit it. The waist-cinching design highlighted her slender figure, and the satin material of the hemline gave the dress an ethereal quality. As she walked, the train of the dress created a rippling effect in the light.
She wore minimal accessories, just a simple silver necklace with a delicate pendant that echoed the dress's pattern. The overall effect was not overly flashy but sophisticated and well-designed.
Her face was extraordinarily beautiful, with exquisite features and bright eyes that seemed to hold a thousand emotions, like mist and clouds after the rain, making it hard for anyone to look away.
Almost everyone was mesmerized.
"Sherry, I'm going to sit over there," Charlotte said, pointing to a quiet seat nearby.
Sherry glanced over and nodded. "Feel free to call me if you need anything."
Charlotte took a glass of juice from a tray and walked over to a couch in the corner. She was bored and scanned the surroundings until her eyes landed on two figures not far away. She stared slightly, recognizing them as Ben and Zelda.
Why did those two look so close, as if they were discussing something serious?
Charlotte wondered. She was very attuned to people's emotions and could sense an aura of resentment and unwillingness around them. Their grim expressions and occasional flashes of ruthlessness made her uneasy.
Remembering the vague premonition she had felt before coming to the banquet, Charlotte's heart sank slightly. She took out her cell phone and dialed Kingsley directly. After all, there was some old animosity between these two and her and Kingsley.
The phone rang for a while, but no one answered.
Charlotte's heart lifted slightly as she found Carl's contact information and dialed again. This time, the call connected.
"Charlotte, we're on our way to where you are. We expect to be there in about twenty minutes. Kingsley is taking care of work and can't answer at the moment."
"Twenty minutes to get to me?" Charlotte was a little surprised. "Why are you guys suddenly coming over again?"
She had messaged Kingsley when she arrived at the party. At that time, Kingsley's reply was to enjoy herself, as he had work to do and couldn't come over.
Why the sudden change of heart?
Carl didn't explain much, only saying, "It's fine. Kingsley just wants to be with you in person."
"Okay, I'll wait for you guys." Charlotte hung up, feeling a bit disoriented.
On the other end, Carl put away his phone and looked at Kingsley in the backseat with a serious expression. "Kingsley, have you explained to Charlotte? The people we arranged for should have arrived by now and should be able to ensure her safety."
"Not should, but must," Kingsley said coldly, his eyes hard.
His gaze never left the computer in his hands, his fingers tapping frantically on the keyboard, a stormy tension suppressed in the quiet car.
"Did you really find out the man's whereabouts in the neighborhood where Charlotte is?" Carl asked gruffly. "Is it necessary to report to Ms. Livingston?"
Kingsley's fingers didn't stop. Watching the screen constantly flashing red dots, he pursed his thin lips and said, "Do it."
Carl was relieved and immediately dialed the number to contact the Livingston family's current power holder, Kingsley's sister, Freya.
Soon, the call was answered.
After hanging up, the car sped towards the banquet location.
Meanwhile, after Charlotte and Kingsley finished their call, she looked up and saw that the place where Zelda and Ben had been standing was now empty.
Charlotte's face fell slightly. She put down her drink and walked purposefully towards that area.
The place was near a small door that led to the main hall and doorway. If they were walking out of the main entrance, they would have passed by her. Since she hadn't seen them, there was only one possibility: they had gone through the small door.
What were those two trying to do, avoiding the crowd and using the small door?
Charlotte pursed her lips, her pretty face cold.
Behind the small door was a long corridor adjacent to the garden. Around the corner, a small heath could be seen. Charlotte looked over and vaguely saw several figures there. She didn't rush forward but hid in the shadows and observed their movements.
As she stood in the shadows, the figures at the pavilion appeared blurred, but she thought there was someone else there besides Zelda and Ben. From a distance, the silhouette seemed to be a man. She bit her lip, a sharpness crossing her eyes. It had come to this—she had to see clearly what was behind the plot against them.
She took out her cell phone and turned on the camera, tapping and zooming in on the screen. The blurred outlines in the distance gradually became clearer. There were indeed three people standing in the pavilion. The two beside the man stood respectfully, and judging by their blurred features, it was indeed Zelda and Ben. In front of them stood a man with his hands folded, staring off into the distance.
Charlotte focused her camera to get a closer look at the man in the center. The moment she saw his profile, her eyes widened in shock, and she nearly screamed.
How could this be...
She quickly took two photos before putting away her cell phone. Standing in place, she covered her heart, which was beating so fast it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
She didn't dare peek again; people from big families like them had undergone countless training since childhood and were extra sensitive to being watched. She originally hid in place, waiting for Kingsley to arrive, but the people in the pavilion suddenly made a movement.
The person in the lead raised his hand and waved, and several more bodyguards emerged from the shadows, heading towards Charlotte.
Unlike the previous bodyguards who walked straight through the promenade into the banquet hall, these stopped directly at the promenade. In hoarse tones, they spoke into the garden, "Ms. Scott, our boss wants to see you."