Chapter 6 : A Dance With The seduction

Evelyn As I scanned the bustling dance floor, my eyes followed the spirited movements of everyone, each finding their groove with partners and friends. But it was my dad and Clara who truly caught my attention, twirling and swaying at the heart of the floor. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. They looked absolutely adorable, and more importantly, my dad looked genuinely happy. Since my mom left, my dad had endured countless hardships, yet he never wavered in his role as the perfect father. He was the epitome of what it meant to be a dedicated parent. I yearned for his happiness, and it was evident that Clara would be the one to ensure that infectious smile never faded from his face. "Hey, Evelyn." A deep, melodious voice shattered my trance, pulling me back to reality. I turned towards Jacob, who walked over and perched on the neighbouring stool, his eyes locking with mine, momentarily suspending time in its enchanting grasp. Oh... hi!" It took me a second to notice his attire, momentarily captivated by the way his red shirt accentuated his features. As always a few strategically undone buttons revealed a glimpse of the tattoo on his chest, and this sexy tattoo of his drew not only my attention but also the admiring gazes of numerous ladies. Curving his lips into a small smile, Jacob inquired, "May I know what's bringing such joy to your face?" I shifted my gaze to my dad and Clara, the smile on my face remained unyielding, "Nothing much. It's just that my dad has finally found someone who brings out the best in him. It makes me happy to see him genuinely joyful and loved." "You love your dad a lot." It was not a question, instead, it was a remark that showed more admiration than anything else. "He's all I have," I began, "But now, thankfully, I'm gaining Clara as a family too. And that means the world to me." Curiosity tinged Jacob's voice as he probed, "You never talk about your mom. Why is that?" The mention of my mother veered my mood in a different direction, causing the smile on my face to fade away. Beneath the surface, the old grudges and anger stirred, threatening to break free. Yet, as always, I suppressed them, bearing the weight of those emotions within me. "She's not my mother," I retorted, my words laced with bitterness. "Sure, she gave birth to me, but she was never there for me. My dad, on the other hand, has been the one taking care of me since I was five. If there is anyone who's always been by my side, that's my dad and I know he always will be." The sharpness in my tone conveyed that my harsh words were not directed at Jacob, who was well aware of it. "I prefer not to dwell on those who left me long ago," I continued, my voice betraying a slight tremor. "Sometimes, it's better to cut certain people out of your life." A heavy silence hung between us for a few moments, as I absentmindedly stared at the dance floor, at the shadows of the people dancing the evening away. However, Jacob decided to break the silence soon. "Red wine," he offered, extending a glass toward me. "Your favourite." I blinked in surprise, my gaze shifting to the wine glass he presented. "How did you know?" I asked, stunned by his keen observation. A barely noticeable smirk played at the corners of his beautiful lips. "Just like how you knew Negroni is my favourite," he replied, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. Memories of the time I rescued him from the clutches of the insidious Gloria flooded back. "So, you used to stalk me too?" The words slipped from my mouth impulsively, regret instantly washing over me. His captivating dark green eyes met mine, a flicker passing through them. Damn! It was too late to retract my words. Stupid Evelyn! Why couldn't you keep your mouth shut, for God's sake? "Not really," Jacob dismissed it with a chuckle, opting to brush it off. "But I have caught you sneaking away with bottles of wine late at night, more than a couple of times." The mention of my late-night wine escapades coloured my cheeks with a rosy hue. After our picnics, there were nights when I would stay awake, stealing away to the cabinets, indulging in stolen sips of wine. And sometimes, in those hazy moments, my mind would wander to fantasies involving Jacob Adriano, though I desperately hoped he hadn't heard any of the embarrassing sounds I made... Before I could dwell further on my wandering thoughts, an annoying voice shattered the tranquillity. "Hey, handsome." I turned my attention to the approaching figure—a woman encased in pink plastic rather than a dress, none other than Gloria, the nastiest bitch of all time. She stood far too close to Jacob, invading his personal space. Discomfort etched across Jacob's face and in his body language as he instinctively moved away from her intrusion. "Hi, Miss Gloria," he awkwardly replied. "I must say, you look extremely... delicious today," she purred, trailing one of her overly long nails along the side of Jacob's face, a gesture that made my skin crawl. The nail continued its unwelcome journey, descending down to his neck. This fucking bitch! Agitation wrote itself across Jacob's face, mirroring my own rising anger as I witnessed this woman shamelessly pursuing him, seemingly determined to get into his pants. "You're a fucking married woman, Gloria," I seethed, my teeth grinding together in frustration. She had the audacity to speak back, "Well... can my husband be seen anywhere near?" The effects of alcohol must have erased any semblance of shame she possessed. Although I highly doubted that she possessed any. "No, but that ring on your finger certainly can be," I retorted, my desire to slap her intensifying, though I had to settle for verbal retaliation. "So, I suggest you stop acting like a trashy woman already." "Listen, little girl, what we grown-ups do is none of your business. Okay?" she slurred, clearly intoxicated to the point where she might end up getting herself beaten; By me of course. "And if you have such a problem with this ring," she sneered, removing the ring from her finger and carelessly tossing it into her purse, "There you go, it can no longer be seen." Her brazen display of defiance only fueled my anger further, but I fought to maintain my composure, refusing to stoop to her level. The amount of insanity, arghh! Rage surged through my veins as that wretched woman just shamelessly removed her wedding ring, hoping to seize her chance with Jacob. Bloody hell, I was dangerously close to pummeling her to a pulp. Just as I was about to unleash all the curse words in my vocabulary upon her, Jacob gently took hold of my hand, offering me a small smile. Beneath that smile, I sensed his plea—to avoid creating a scene. "Let's find another place to sit, Evelyn," he suggested, standing up and guiding me away from the toxic presence. "Wait, let's have a dance," She brazenly reached out, attempting to grab Jacob's hand. That was the final straw for me. Swiftly, I positioned myself between them, blocking her path. "Don't you fucking understand that he is not interested in you?" I spat, "Now, before I toss you out of this party for causing a scene, just get lost." Her arms crossed defiantly over her chest. "He didn't say that yet." "If hearing it from my mouth will put an end to this, then yes," Jacob interjected, his tone harsh and annoyance etched across his face. "I am not interested in you, and I have better things to do. Now, please leave." As the weight of my insult sank in, I couldn't help but notice the shock that flickered across her face. It seemed she couldn't fathom being rejected so blatantly. "Now, did you hear him?" I taunted, it was just oddly satisfying to watch her face turn different shades, "And as for the dance, he has already promised it to me. Better luck next time." With that, I firmly grasped Jacob's hand and led him to the dance floor, deliberately ignoring the presence of that despicable woman. My anger had yet to subside; if anything, it continued to simmer within me. Every time I laid eyes on her, my blood boiled, raising the temperature of my indignation by a hundred degrees. From this moment on, I had another reason to despise her. "Fucking bitch!" I muttered under my breath, as I absentmindedly placed Jacob's hands on my waist, my own finding their place on his chest. God damn my anger! I couldn't even realize what I was doing. Getting those enticing hands on me? A big no for the last few drops of my dignity! My gaze shifted to Jacob after a few moments, and to my surprise, his face was adorned with an amused expression. "What's so funny?" "You get angry very easily," he chuckled. "You're a grown-up man, Jacob. It's high time you learned how to protect yourself from the clutches of such women," I remarked, a touch of frustration exuding from my words, "This is the second time I've had to save you!" "Well... I am thankful for that," He pulled me closer by my waist, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. It was at this moment that I became acutely aware of our proximity. Though we were surrounded by a sea of people on the crowded dance floor, an inexplicable sensation began to crawl beneath my skin. It wasn't nervousness; it was something entirely different, something I couldn't quite put into words. I knew none was going to notice us, then why this strange feeling and goosebumps? "The colour red suits you, Evelyn," he whispered and slowly he started to move our bodies in sync with the rhythm. "But I'm wearing black today," I replied, perplexed by his compliment. After all, the dress I had chosen for the evening was black. "I'm talking about the colour on your cheeks. They turned quite the shade of red when you were angry." A furious blush threatened to overtake my face, but I decided to dismiss it, determined to maintain my composure. "Haha! Nice joke!" I replied sarcastically, earning a laugh from him. "Well then, tell me, what compelled you to come to my rescue not once, but twice?" he asked after a while. "You should know, considering you seem to be aware of all my secrets," I retorted. This time I didn't regret my decision of allowing the words to slip out without reservation. "You do like to keep a lot of secrets, don't you?" His voice deepened. "Or maybe it's you who overlooks the signs." His challenging green eyes pierced through mine. There was an unspoken intensity that caused a shiver to travel up and down my body, jolting my senses and alerting me. And then, in the blink of an eye, he uttered words that shifted the atmosphere entirely. "Sometimes, things are better that way." Fuck his philosophy! "You know what? I should have left you with that Gloria," I snapped, frustration coursing through my veins. "At least then I wouldn't have to endure these cryptic philosophies of yours." He seemed to sense the intensity of my anger, but he remained silent, leaving me to decipher the meaning behind his expression, but I had the least amount of interest to read him right now because he'd already made me pissed off enough. "Go back to that bitch and dance with her," I exclaimed, my exasperation palpable. "I'm done." With that, I turned on my heel and stormed away from him, my footsteps resolute as I made my way off the dance floor, refusing to spare him another glance.