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

tall, impeccably dressed man emerged from the nearby restroom.

turned around, she raised the cigarette in her

me a light?”

night wind swept through the garden. Standing in the breeze in her red dress with the skirt fluttering, she was stunning.

for a while

in a well–fitted black suit. He was wearing black–rimmed glasses,

she said with a smile, her

surprised that she recognized him. He just smiled

hardly

flicked the switch on his lighter, the blue

smoke slowly rise, then looked up at the

put away his

him with a sweet smile. Balch seemed somewhat

gaze, however, was fixed behind him.

look, and at the end of the hallway, Ike was coming this way with

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

answered politely, “What can I

standing behind him and said with a smile, “I was hoping to have a few drinks

“Mr. Lawson promised to

understanding something, and nodded in

in arm with Seraphina, they

I heard that ever since his wife passed away, he’s been avoiding women, hasn’t he?” one

behind Ike said.

the retreating figures of the two, a smile still on his face, but his eyes deepened, “That depends on the ability of the woman

with Balch, headed towards the hotel entrance,

ahead, and said softly, “It’s still early, the dance isn’t over yet, Ms. Bennett,

softly and

just a slight movement,

I couldn’t help it. I’m wearing a pair of shoes

her gaze and said slowly, “If the shoes don’t fit, you should throw them away sooner. There’s no need to torture

all, I paid for these shoes. The more uncomfortable they make me feel, the more I want to step on them, for as long as

say anything

at him, “A nice guy like Mr. Lawson may not understand this

that, Balch

they got in the car, Balch whispered something to the driver. Soon, the