CHAPTER 176: GALA (5)

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to share that as of this moment, the Everett Gala has raised just over 8.7 million dollars."

The crowd broke into applause after the announcement. Everyone looked happy and their smiles looked heartfelt..

In front, Selina clapped softly, and beside her, Gray found himself smiling too. The auction ran for an hour and though he was weirded out by some items that were sold, he couldn’t help but be impressed at how much they raised.

"Eight point seven million," he echoed quietly in disbelief.

"Yup, and that’s still increasing," Selina said with a huge smile on her face. "There are always post-event pledges. The real players move after the spotlight fades. Usually, those people give more. One time, a kind and generous person gave a million dollars."

Gray shook his head. His jaw slightly parting ways from one another.

"This is insane."

"I know. But that is also what we call legacy," Selina corrected gently. "My grandfather didn’t throw parties just for fun. He knows how to orchestrate memories for the people.

"You think he’s watching all this?" Gray looked at her.

Selina turned to him, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then she smiled.

"Knowing him? Yes. He’s friends with the owner of this hotel. He was probably watching us right now from the cameras scattered all around the place."

"Damn..." Gray couldn’t speak well after that. He just shook his head and nodded.

He felt as if this gala was opening a lot of ideas for him. He’s seeing how the rich work in a different view, and somehow, he was curious on what more that he should learn.

As the final lights dimmed slightly, and the music swelled back into a slow jazz tempo, the guests returned to their tables. The interactions might look the same, however, as Gray looked at it further, he noticed that a small thing had changed.

The auction was over, and for some reason, people stood up more. Quier envelopes were given. Pledges and promises to one another were exchanged. And, hands were shaken, not just in deals, but for commitment.

Selina chuckled at the side as he watched Gay get amused over the small things.

"You’ll get used to it soon. Don’t worry."

"Well, I hope so." Gray smiled slightly beside her.

After that, the silence came almost naturally.

A brief pause fell over the ballroom. However, it was just long enough for the waiters to slip away and the guests to glance up from their wine glasses. Then, the stage curtains to the left of the hall began to draw back.

There, an orchestra in full formal dress, stepped out.

People were mesmerized as they looked at it.

The lead violinist gave a gentle nod, and a soft swell of strings began to rise, followed by a mellow piano melody that settled over the room like a warm evening breeze. Conversation lowered to a hush as the crowd recognized the cue from the maestro.

It was time for music. That means, it was also time to dance.

Gray blinked, almost missing the transition. One moment it was quiet. The next thing, he knew and couples were already beginning to stand and move toward the center of the floor.

They looked confident and not scared like they’d done this a thousand times before.

And maybe they had.

Selina remained seated beside him for a moment longer, her hands folded neatly on her lap. Her gaze wandered to the dancers assembling, then back to him.

"You see it, don’t you?" she said softly.

Gray nodded slowly. "Yeah."

It looked like a normal dance at first with gentle sway, smiles, hands extended, heels brushing against polished marble. But under that look of elegance was something else.

There was a different kind of movement.

The subtle exchange of nods between CEOs.

The way someone paused mid-spin to whisper briefly into a partner’s ear, their eyes scanning the floor as if every pair of dancers was a potential ally or rival.

"This is when the real negotiations start," Selina said. "The music helps them forget the tension, and the rhythm gives them just enough time to test the waters."

Gray exhaled quietly, watching an older gentleman step onto the floor with a woman half his age. They were both smiling.

"It’s weird," he muttered.

"Yup" Selina laughed gently at it.

"Some of it is. But most of it? It’s strategy. A well-placed compliment. A dance with the right heir or heiress. Half the room is sealing partnerships while pretending they’re just having fun."

"Have you done it before?" Gray asked, his voice softer now.

She tilted her head and gave him a half-smile.

"I have, but only for a really important reason."

Gray raised a brow.

"And did it work?"

"Of course it did." Her eyes sparkled.

He huffed out a laugh, sitting back against the velvet-cushioned chair.

"So... if I don’t dance, am I missing out on anything important?"

Selina gave him a long look.

"That depends. Do you want to make connections tonight?"

Gray hesitated.

The idea of dancing in front of all these people was already enough to make him shift uncomfortably in his seat. But to do it with the purpose of striking business ties or building influence? That was a different kind of pressure. One he hadn’t trained for.

Then again... maybe this was part of it. Part of stepping into the world his new life was pushing him toward.

He looked at the couples gliding across the ballroom, the way small ripples of laughter echoed in tune with the strings. Somewhere near the edge of the floor, a man placed a hand on another’s shoulder and nodded.

He knew b y then that a quiet agreement sealed with nothing more than a turn and a dip.

He turned back to Selina.

"Do I need a dance partner?"

She smiled. "You already have one."

She stood, offering her hand.

Gray blinked once, then chuckled quietly and took it. Her fingers were warm unlike the his hand that was starting to become cold and sweaty.

He haven’t danced before, but he hoped he could do it.

[Ding!]

[System Offer Incoming.]

A sudden notification chimed on his ring. Gray looked confused for a moment, but he didn’t let it show in front of the mass.

[Do you want to buy the dance starter pack for $10,000?]

’The fuck? The system can offer those now? And I have to buy it?’

[Don’t be shameless, host. There is no such thing as free anymore.]

Gray’s eye twitched slightly. The words lit up inside his mind as the sleek black interface hovered just behind his vision, invisible to everyone else in the room.

[Besides,] the system added, its tone neutral but somehow smug, [You’re already earning. Ten thousand is nothing compared to what you’re becoming.]

’Damn...’ He couldn’t help but shake his head at that. The worst part wasn’t the price. It was that the system wasn’t wrong.

He was really earning.

’Okay, fine. You win.’ He shook his head in his mind again.

It wasn’t that bad too. He didn’t know if he had the talent in dancing, especially since he never tried it before.

He wanted to make connection and deal with others, and that would be impossible when the people around him would think that he is weird.

But ten grand for a dance pack?

Gray sighed inwardly.

’Right...’

He shook his head with a short laugh, lips pressed together in disbelief as he mentally tapped [ACCEPT.]

[Transaction Complete. $10,000 deducted from your wealth.]

[Dance protocols initializing.]

[Just breathe in, Host and follow the music.]

Almost instantly, he felt it.

Like the memory of something he’d never lived, sliding seamlessly into his muscles. His heartbeat synced subtly with the tempo of the orchestra. His spine straightened without him thinking about it.

And his feet? They didn’t feel clumsy anymore. It was as if once he wanted to dance, it would move automatically in rhythm.

’Damn. This is great.’

That was the only words he could think of as he turned to Selina again.

Her hand was still in front of him. They looked graceful and patient.

Gray reached for it, curling his fingers gently around hers. Then he gave her a slow, confident smile.

"Let’s go," he said.

"I’m ready now."

Selina raised an eyebrow, amused.

"You sound very sure of yourself all of a sudden."

Gray gave a small shrug as they walked toward the dance floor. "Let’s just say I got some last-minute help."

As they stepped into the golden light, the orchestra swelled, and the floor made room for them. All eyes turned to them a of a sudden. Even with the attention, Gray didn’t flinch. The system kept feeding his mind some cues in the background like subtle posture adjustments, balance control, and how to dance.

Selina placed one hand lightly on his shoulder. He took her waist gently with his left hand, and their fingers clasped with the right.

Then they began to move.

Gray wasn’t perfect. But he was smooth. He looked as if he had years of experience in dancing.

Their steps swept across the marble floor, weaving into the rhythm of the room. Around them, the other people noticed. They people to show greater interest at Gray as they watched how the two danced in sync.