CHAPTER 80: BORED

Stepping out of the car in her lovely velvet gown, slitted at the thigh and adorned with petals, Patricia shut the door behind her and turned to face the venue. It was a small building, decorated with balloons and a "Welcome to the Party" sign hanging above the entrance. She had expected something more extravagant, but it wasn’t unusual for wealthy people to prefer less flamboyant gatherings.

"My lady?!" Roman’s voice jolted her from her thoughts as he stretched out his arms for her to reach.

Raising her head, Patricia couldn’t help but feel conflicted about this new side of him. This was exactly how he had behaved on the yacht, before reverting to his usual self once they left. But helping Eve was the priority now, and setting aside her insecurities felt like the right thing to do.

She slipped her arm into his, and he led them toward the entrance, halting just before they stepped inside.

"I might not be with you the whole time, but if you need me, just look at me," he said. She nodded, adding a small smile.

When he didn’t move, she glanced at him, and found his gaze fixed on her revealing cleavage. She nudged him, pulling his attention away.

"What do we do? I don’t think I can handle seeing other eyes stare at Sarah and Lisa," he said, making Patricia frown in confusion. Sarah and Lisa? Were they part of the reason they were here tonight?

"Who are they?" She asked, completely oblivious.

Smirking, his eyes dropped to her chest before he raised an eyebrow. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She quickly looked around to ensure no one was watching and sighed in relief when she found no prying eyes. This shameless man was going to get her in trouble if she didn’t keep him in check.

"What are you doing? We are outside," she scolded, glaring at him but it encouraged him to tease her further.

"Right. I can’t wait to get home," he replied, and they walked into the hall. Their attention shifted to the guests seated in what appeared to be a dining arrangement. There was no loud music, no hosts, and no one lingering about, a far cry from the lively parties she was used to.

"That’s him, Eve’s fiancé," Roman pointed out. Patricia followed his gaze, her brows furrowing at the sight of the man. He was nothing like she expected. This was a middle-aged man! How could they choose someone like him for Eve? A fragile, young girl? And why would Eve agree to marry such a man?

"Oh, look who’s here!" Before Patricia could speak, a beautiful woman exclaimed, drawing everyone’s attention toward them and making Patricia tense slightly. Judging by her tone and poise, she was the day’s celebrant.

Patricia had prepared herself for today, but the sudden focus unsettled her. Everything she had envisioned for the evening seemed to be unraveling, but she reminded herself this was for Eve, and she had to hold her composure.

"Oh my, is this our wife?" The woman asked, directing her gaze toward Patricia as she moved away from the dining table and approached them.

"Meet my wife, Patricia Blackthorn. Patricia, this is Silver, the celebrant of the day," Roman introduced.

Silver pulled Patricia into an unexpected hug, catching her off guard. She didn’t let it show and returned the embrace. Fortunately, it lasted only a few seconds before Silver stepped back, resuming her steady gaze.

"You are so beautiful, but of course, not as beautiful as the celebrant of the day," Silver joked. Laughter rippled through the room, but Patricia found the comment more belittling than humorous. It felt as though Silver was subtly putting her in her place, not that Patricia minded, since she had no interest in stealing the spotlight.

"Come, have your seats." Moving to Roman’s side, Silver took his hand and entwined her fingers with his, beginning to lead him away. Roman stopped her, however, and reached for Patricia’s hand instead, the gesture making the room tense.

For a brief moment, Silver’s expression soured before she masked it with a practiced smile.

"Come on," she said lightly, tugging at him again until he allowed her to lead the way.

When they reached the seating area, Patricia noticed there were only two seats left. Silver, unwilling to yield, turned to the person beside her. "Sorry, can you please move to my seat?" She asked, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.

All eyes shifted to her husband, waiting to see if he would intervene. Yet, with the rumors about their unhappy marriage hanging in the air, no one dared to speak.

"Yeah, it’s fine," the person replied, standing and moving to sit beside her husband instead.

Once everyone was seated, Silver’s husband, Nathan, spoke up. "I really didn’t expect you to come, what a pleasant surprise."

"I was bored and decided to show up," Roman replied flatly. Many present were his former schoolmates and were already familiar with his cold, cutting responses.

"He hasn’t changed a bit," a young man remarked, shaking his head before sipping his drink.

"Of course, if he did, it would be scary," Nathan teased, earning a round of laughter.

"Would you care to introduce me to this star of the day?" Paul, Eve’s fiancé, interjected suddenly, stilling the atmosphere.

"Ahh! He..." Nathan began, but Roman cut him off. "It’s disappointing that the man my sister is marrying has no knowledge of his fiancée’s family," he said, feigning hurt. Those who truly knew him recognized the mockery beneath his words.

"You are... Eve’s eldest brother?" Paul asked, eyes widening in genuine shock.

"Unfortunately," Roman replied.

"Your sister is getting married? And you didn’t tell us?" Nathan said, equally surprised, echoed by the murmurs around the table.

"Well, I assumed the fiancé would be the one to announce it," Roman said, fixing his gaze on Paul, which prompted everyone else to look at him as well.

"Ah! I was going to, it just slipped my mind. My wife prefers to keep things private, so I didn’t think it necessary to publicize it," Paul said with a nervous laugh, further irritating Roman. So Vendetta planned to marry her off in secret, on top of choosing a middle-aged man for her?

"Fiancée. Not wife, there’s no certificate yet," Roman corrected, his tone sharpening. The tension in the room deepened, everyone picking up on his deliberate choice of words.

"Yes, yes, my fiancée," Paul quickly amended.