Chapter 4 Stirring Up Trouble at The Party

Under the soft, dim glow of the bar lights, Philip's faint smile held a playful, almost devilish charm that seemed to capture the attention of the women seated nearby. Standing beside him, Zena picked up on the subtle undertones that lingered in their conversation. A brief flicker of irritation crossed her gaze before she gently took his arm, tilting her head and pouting playfully. "Phil, you have to keep me company tonight until I'm completely satisfied," she murmured, her words clearly aimed at Xena as a subtle display of her claim over him. Philip responded with a lighthearted chuckle, affectionately ruffling Zena's hair. "Just worried you might regret it tomorrow." Zena grinned, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Not a chance," she quipped, her expression defiant yet sweet. They looked, for all the world, like the perfect pair captivated by each other in a seamless display of affection. Xena appeared calm and composed, sipping her drink one measured sip at a time. But the faint tremble in her hand as she held her glass hinted at the inner turmoil she was working hard to mask. "Miss Wheeler, would you like to join us?" Zena extended a friendly invitation. Xena gave a polite, measured smile and shook her head. "Thank you for the invitation, but I'm here waiting for someone," she replied, gracefully declining. "I can only wish Mr. Barnum and Miss Dunne a wonderful evening." "Well, alright then…" Zena responded. Her expression was a mix of disappointment and satisfaction that was hard to decipher. Her eyes sparkled with what might have been feigned regret as she looped her arm through Philip's and led him toward another group where Samson and the others were gathered. Once they had left, Xena checked the time on her phone. Not only had her client not yet arrived, but Samantha, who had gone to the restroom ages ago, was nowhere to be seen. Ten more minutes slipped by before Samantha finally hurried back, looking apologetic as she approached the table. "Sorry, I got caught up on a call and lost track of time… Wait, has Mr. Keller still not arrived?" she asked, her expression shifting as she scanned the room. Returning to the booth and finding the client still absent, she felt her patience wearing thin. With a sigh of frustration, she picked up her glass and took a long, deliberate sip of her black tea spiked with extra old Cognac. "I'll call and check in with him," she muttered, already rising from the table. Holding her phone, she headed for a quieter corner to make the call. Upon seeing this, Xena shook her head, a touch of exasperation in her expression. It was really no wonder that all the social obligations at the Arts Center were typically handled by Samantha. Xena had only waited a short while and was already feeling her patience wearing thin. After all, her strengths lay more in teaching, not in the art of schmoozing and entertaining. When it came to mingling and networking, she knew she couldn't hold a candle to Samantha's finesse. Adding to her discomfort was the sight that made her uneasy. Just a glance to her right, and there they were, in the neighboring booth: Philip and Zena, a pair that seemed to draw attention with their every move. She tried her best not to pay too much attention to them. Feeling the irritation settle deeper, her gaze drifted over to the stage a short distance away, where she noticed a familiar figure moving freely to the pulsing beat of the music. When she finally managed to get a clear look at the person's face, she gasped, instinctively sucking in a sharp breath. The familiar figure on stage was being touched all over by a young guy with a buzz cut, who had a cocky air about him. The people around them were watching and laughing at the scene. Xena marched toward the stage, pushing through the crowd of bodies dancing wildly, and pulled the person being harassed out of the crowd. "Xander!" she nearly shouted, her voice sharp with anger as she faced her half-brother. "What on earth do you think you're doing here?" "Uh… Xe… Na? Why are you here?" Xander reeked of alcohol, the strong smell making her frown instinctively. Coupled with his dazed expression, she knew immediately he had been secretly taking drugs again. No wonder he doesn't even realize he was being targeted by that gay man, she thought angrily. This only made her even more furious. "Who the hell are you? Why are you dragging my friend around like that?" A girl, no older than Xander, maybe in her early twenties, stormed down from the stage. She had clearly been taking drugs, too, though she seemed slightly more coherent than Xander. Xena's grandfather didn't want to discuss Xander's relationship with her in front of outsiders. The young woman suddenly stepped forward. Her gaze fixed intently on Xena's face as she studied her features with exaggerated focus. Then, as if a lightbulb went off, her expression shifted to one of gleeful realization. "Oh! I remember now. You're the sister Xander mentioned, the one who would rather see her own father go to jail than sell off the family property!" She dragged out the word "sister," emphasizing it with a mocking sweetness. Smirking, she added, "Even if you have different moms, I guess you and Xander do look pretty similar, thanks to sharing the same dad." By now, people nearby had started to notice the commotion. They gathered around them to watch the scene unfold. Just then, Xander, who was visibly tipsy, called out, his voice slurring but his mind still sharp enough to remember the bill. "Oh, Xena, you're here just in time! Help me pay for my drinks!" Xena's tone was icy as she replied, "I won't pay for you. Just don't disgrace the Wheeler Family any further." Her words set him off, and he burst out in loud, indignant protest. "How am I disgracing anyone? Look at you—acting all high and mighty just because you've been some big shot's mistress for a few years!" The words were louder than the music pumping through the club, catching the attention of everyone around. A buzz of whispers and gasps rippled through the crowd, all eyes now on Xena. They began to point and whisper, their eyes drifting over Xena in her simple dress, with her long black hair flowing down her back. "Who would've thought? She looks so innocent, but she's someone's mistress." "Guess those rich old men love the pure-looking ones." "In that case, I'll pay five thousand if you let me have a feel." Another rich kid, equally drunk, swaggered up to Xena, his face painted with a smug grin as he placed a hand on her shoulder frivolously. In one fierce motion, she wrenched his hand off, her eyes blazing with defiance. Laughter erupted from his friends, mocking his failed advance. Humiliated and drunk, the young man spat at her face. "Oh, so you're pretending to be pure now? Pathetic," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. The insults and the gossip from the crowd were enough to sting, but they couldn't break Xena's spirit. In the midst of the noise and chaos, her gaze met Philip's deep, penetrating eyes, and she caught the faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He quietly watched her endure the humiliation, unmoved and unflinching. The cool indifference in his gaze made it seem as though their three years together had been nothing but a dream to her. This made Xena feel a chill seep into her bones as if she were standing bare and vulnerable in an ice cellar. Across the room, Zena nestled comfortably in Philip's arms, watching everything unfold from a place of safety and warmth. Of course, Xena thought bitterly, how could Philip ever reach out to me in Zena's presence? Wiping the disgusting spit from her cheek, Xena turned and delivered a stinging slap to the rich man standing before her. His face twisted in shock, then anger, as he lunged forward and grabbed her collar. His rough tugging nearly exposed her breasts, and his intentions grew even more menacing, as though he planned to go further with his aggression. "Hey, hey, hasn't the spoiled brat from the Knight Family gone a bit too far?" Even Fenwick, who typically looked down on Xena, found himself uncomfortable with the scene. Simon Knight was notoriously shameless, leaning on his family's modest wealth from their construction business. Whenever he got drunk on cheap liquor, he would go on a rampage, causing trouble wherever he went. Yet Philip remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on the unfolding chaos as though he were merely watching an amusing spectacle. Perhaps he was waiting for her to break down and beg him for help. Because if Philip just took one step, the entire room would go silent. Simon, stripped of his bravado, would likely collapse to his knees, begging for forgiveness. After all, the people who came to this high-end entertainment venue were either rich or noble, and no one would not recognize the famous CEO of Barnum Group. But his cold detachment, his refusal to intervene, left Xena's heart sinking like a stone. At that moment, the manager of the venue, Jason, received word of the disturbance and hurried to the scene. Although Simon was nothing more than a notorious parasite, he was still a paying customer and one who Jason couldn't afford to alienate. "Mr. Simon, please, let's calm down," he began, plastering on a servile smile as he bowed to Simon. "How about this—we'll waive your table's entire bill tonight, and we'll throw in a bottle of Armand de Brignac on the house. Just leave this matter to us. You can relax and enjoy your evening—" "Not enough! Either she pays me 75,000 dollars in medical expenses, or I get to pay her back myself!" He started to act up.