Chapter 89 Edwin

I was still riding high on my victory over that little**t, Max, as settled back at my seat at the bar. Carefully adjusting my mask on my face, I dusted the last remnants of a scuffle in the courtyard off of the sleeves of my jacket and ordered another scotch-to celebrate, of course.

Charles, finally finding me after my little disappearing act, settled onto the seat next to me.

"Where did you go?" he whispered, keeping his voice low so only I could hear. "Was that you who taught that little s** a

lesson?

I sneered slightly, remembering the pathetic sight of Max cowering on the ground in front of me. Sipping my freshly refilled scotch, I said, "I didn't harm him, if it's any consolation. Not physically, at least." Charles quirked an eyebrow. "He looked pretty beat up when he came running back in here. Security escorted him out, accusing him of doing drugs in the bathroom."

"Good. Let them think that," I replied with a curt nod as I adjusted my tie clip. "And let's just say that he won't be bothering Audrey anymore, at least not for a good, long while

"I suppose you're not going to elaborate, Charles retorted with a chuckle.

I shook my head and quickly wiped a bit of marker off of the tip of my finger.

"Not here, I won't, I replied. "But I'll say this: I gave him a good scare. And the best part? He has no idea who I am. As far as he knows, I'm just some random masked man who caught him in the act and wrecked his expensive suit."

Charles chuckled. "Well, whatever you did, it seems to have worked. Look." He nodded his head toward a table toward the back of the gathering, where Audrey and her friends were currently grinning and laughing. Ms. Morrie was in the midst of calling out the winner's of tonight's rattle, and it seemed that Audrey's night had been a success.

I suppressed a shudder as I considered what might have happened if I hadn't removed that broom from the bathroom door. Audrey and her friend might have even been in the hospital by now. Despite my restraint, a small growl rumbled somewhere in my chest. "Maybe now he'll think twice before-"

"And the male winner is.. Number 491"

Ms. Morrie's voice rang through the speakers, echoing across the large reception hall. There was a brief moment of murmuring and shifting as male attendees checked their cards, only for the fated number 49 to be nowhere to be found.

"I'm number 48, Charles muttered, turning his card over between his fingers before glancing at me. "You don't suppose..."

1 froze, my hand instinctively going to the card I had stuffed in my pocket. Pulling it out, I stared in disbelief at the number printed there: 49,

Yeals, right. Like I was going to accept a reward for a date with a student.

"499" Ms. Morrie called out again, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Does anyone have the number 49 on their card?"

would just assume that the winner wasn't

me, who had apparently

Chapter 89

she called out excitedly.

on me. I

Ms. Morrie called out, beckoning me forward. She didn't recognize me

the room and reluctantly stood up and

amusement in his voice. "Your reward

shot him a withering glare over my shoulder before slowly making my way up to the podium. As I walked, I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on Audrey. To my relief, she showed no sign of recognition. The colored contacts and mask were doing their job,

at the podium with a beaming smile from behind her cat mask. The mask covered her upper lip, making

contact with anyone-especially Audrey who, thankfully, had her head bent at her table to look

the female raffle box, building the suspense as she dug deeply into the slips of paper. "Drumroll please. Number

to stand up from her table. She

This couldn't be happening. I couldn't go on a date with her to the planetarium. It was too romantic, too intimate. We shouldn't be romantic with each other. And she

in an empty planetarium, observing the stars with Audrey, sounded like a dream. I could almost picture it-the two of us all alone, surrounded by the vastness of the cosmos, a bottle of champagne between us, those big blue eyes of hers wide with wonder as she gazed up at the stars... No, I told myself firmly. Pull yourself together, Edwin. I would have to give away my winnings to someone else, perhaps one of Audrey's friends. It was the right thing to do-the responsible

Thankfully, as she stepped up onto the stage, she

of the

the stage steps back to the floor, hoping to just grab my coat and get the hell out of here before it was too late.

"Hold

from the crowd. I froze, my shoulders stiffening, as she said cheerfully. "It's now time for the

orchestra began to play a soft, romantic song. And meanwhile, there was

Da**it.

2/4

C

Mon, Sep

Chapter 89

recognized. She took it, and I led her to the dance floor, my heart pounding harder in my chest than

that Audrey seemed blissfully distracted, her eyes darting around the room. For

I was

moments before Audrey, ever the polite one, tried to strike up a conversation

jaw as I looked away;

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