Tangled in His Obsession (Seraphina)

Chapter 4

After the main part of the engagement ceremony, the dance party was up next. After Peterson and Edith finished their first dance, more youngsters joined in the fun on the dance floor, having a whale of a time.

Upstairs in the lounge, the Whitmans and the Millers were sitting together, their faces grave after a heated. argument. Ike Whitman, the second son of the Whitman family, was nonchalantly leaning against the window, intrigued by the scene on the dance floor.-

Among the sea of soft, muted colors, a lady in a red dress stood out, her skirt swirling with her dance moves, oozing artistic flair.

The party had been going on for just twenty minutes, and Seraphina had already had five dance partners. Yet, there were still plenty of dudes lurking around, hoping for a chance to dance with her.

The door was pushed open, and Peterson and Edith came in. Edith’s dad immediately picked up a glass of water and threw it at Peterson’s feet.

Ike turned around when he heard the noise.

The parents started arguing again, but Edith and Peterson remained silent, one with a stiff face, the other puffing away on his cigarette, frowning.

The lounge door was pushed open again, and the bridesmaid Amelia appeared, panting.

Edith looked at her with a poker face. “Where have you been?”

“I… I was locked in the toilet. I just managed to get out.” Amelia was startled by the tense atmosphere in the room. “What happened?”

Edith sneered, then turned to look at Ike.

Ike smiled and said, “Come on, it’s a day of celebration. Don’t frown all the time. As for Seraphina… I’ll take care

of it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Peterson looked up at him, his face dark.

Ike had already turned his head, his gaze returning to the banquet hall.

The dance floor was still buzzing.

Apart from the boisterous atmosphere, the open garden at the end of the corridor seemed serene and tranquil.

Seraphina was leaning at the entrance of the garden, holding a slim ladies‘ cigarette in her hand, but it wasn’t

lit.

was in no hurry,

tall, impeccably dressed man

he turned around, she raised the

me a light?”

the garden. Standing in the breeze in her red dress with the skirt

man stood there for a while before

and thin, dressed in a well–fitted black suit. He was wearing black–rimmed glasses, and he had long, gentle eyebrows and

Lawson,” she said with a smile,

surprised that she recognized him. He

there was hardly anyone

on his lighter, the blue flame flickering between his fingers.

slowly rise, then

Balch said calmly, put away his lighter, and turned to

sleeve, then draped her arm around his, looking at him with a sweet smile. Balch seemed somewhat surprised, looking

however, was fixed behind

and at the end of the hallway, Ike was

the smile on his face remained. “Mr. Lawson, I couldn’t find you in the banquet hall. You came out for some

answered politely, “What can I

glanced at Seraphina standing behind him and said with a smile, “I

was already clinging to him, cooing, “Mr. Lawson

at her, seemingly understanding something, and nodded in agreement.

Balch said goodbye to Ike, arm in arm with Seraphina,

since his wife passed away, he’s been avoiding women,

behind Ike said.

smile still on his face,

Balch, headed towards the hotel entrance, casually glancing back a

the dance isn’t over yet, Ms. Bennett, are you

softly and looked down

slight movement, her heels would ache.

wearing a pair of shoes that don’t fit, and I can’t dance

fit, you should throw them away

a moment of silence, “Oh no, I can’t do that. After all, I paid for these shoes. The more uncomfortable they make me feel, the more I

anything for a moment.

her head to look at him, “A nice guy like Mr. Lawson may not

Balch smiled

in the car, Balch whispered something to the driver. Soon, the driver took out a