CHAPTER 25: LOOK FOR HER

Andrew tried to look for Elara again near the Stewarts’ demo section, but couldn’t find her, no matter how hard he looked around.

Even the bodyguard who always stayed with her was nowhere to be found, and his brows furrowed.

Did she really leave just like that? That couldn’t be true. Many government officials were yet to arrive, and from what he had gathered about the mishap involving Stewart’s engineer, maybe she would give a demo before everyone—but where?

"Who are you looking for?" Sean asked his friend when he found him looking around.

Andrew didn’t answer.

"Has something caught your eye? Tell me, was it Beatrice’s display of that rifle? I think it was pretty good. You can give it to the major security guards of your house," Sean said, unaware of his friend’s side business.

Andrew still didn’t say anything, and his silence was taken as an agreement by Beatrice, who smiled shyly, tucking her hair behind her ears.

As they talked among themselves, a loud commotion was heard at the entrance.

A swarm of reporters entered the exhibition venue with world-class weapons, not to capture the outstanding guns, but because of the person who entered the venue.

Around ten bodyguards walked around him, all armed with the best rifles, dressed in black from head to toe, their sharp eyes landing on any man who could harm their boss.

Though they were wearing black-tinted sunglasses, anyone could feel their deadly stare.

This aura and dominance in the field were unmatched.

"Who is it?" Beatrice asked, stepping closer to Andrew, pretending to be scared and wary.

"A Macros," Andrew said.

He remembered the badge on the bodyguards’ uniform from the last time he met them at the horse riding arena.

"Not just any Macros. It’s Daniel Macros," One of the businessmen said from behind, and Andrew raised his brows.

Of course. It has to be him. Everyone was well aware of his underworld connections and how he ruled the market with a steel grip.

Daniel looked at the trio briefly, stopping in his tracks.

The reporters immediately focused on the three, wondering if the man would interact with them.

Beatrice stood straight, but the man just started walking ahead.

He casually passed through all the display sections, looking at the rifles he had already seen in the portfolio the manager had presented to him.

These didn’t impress him much. He already had enough of them. What he was interested in was the machine guns and the grenades.

He heard the ones presented this time had a few metres larger radius than the best one from the last time.

As he walked through the machine gun sections, he suddenly stopped when he read the information on one.

"What’s the recoil rate and pressure?" He asked the company’s owner, who cleared his throat.

The engineer, representing, explained all the details, and he nodded before walking ahead.

"Note it down," Daniel said, and the company’s owner smiled in appreciation. It wasn’t an everyday thing when a prototype caught Daniel’s attention since his company produced one of the best weapons in the world.

As he walked ahead, his sharp gaze followed the person who walked and stood behind another prototype.

He read the name from a distance, and a smirk appeared on his face.

He skipped the rest of the weapons and walked straight to the Stewarts’ section.

"This looks interesting," Daniel said, his gaze shifting to the man, whose face was covered behind a mask, looking a bit too feminine for his own good.

When the man before him didn’t say anything, Alen cleared his throat.

"Please explain the details, gentleman," he said.

Mr. Stewart stepped forward before clearing his throat.

"He is one of the major engineers behind the operational team. For security reasons and due to tough competition, his identity is kept hidden. He is here to give the demo. Arnold can explain," Mr Stewart nodded at one of the men who quickly stepped forward to explain.

Before the man could open his mouth, Daniel raised his hand.

"Let’s see the demo then," Daniel said.

Mr. Stewart looked at Elara behind the facade of the man, and when she nodded, the man quickly smiled.

"Sure. We can do it," Mr. Stewart said as he signaled for them to follow to the clear area behind the venue, where the real machines of all companies were.

Daniel walked ahead, a bit too fast, so that he could catch up to that so-called hidden engineer.

"For the best in the operational team, your hands look quite soft," Daniel said, and Elara gulped before she quickly put on the gloves, making Daniel smirk even more.

Elara was about to go ahead and sit behind the machine gun when Daniel stopped her.

"I want to try it. Teach me?" He asked.

Alen raised his brows at his boss.

What has gotten into him? Was there really a weapon in the world that he didn’t know how to operate?

Then again, this may have new technology. With this thought, Alen looked at his boss in understanding.

The engineer nodded and turned to point at the things Daniel was supposed to start with.

However, what happened next shocked not only him but everyone present in the area.

Daniel grabbed the man’s hand, looking straight into his eyes, and sat behind the chair before pulling him onto his lap.

The reporters went crazy, all itching to take photos. After all, it was sensational news. The rumor that Daniel Macros, who had never been seen with a woman before and might like men, was probably true, and this was clear evidence before them.

However, no one dared to make a move, knowing all too well that one rumor about him could end their entire bloodline.

Alen - "!!!" What the hell are you doing, sir? At least give me a warning before giving me such a heart attack?

Andrew, who had an inkling that the person behind the mask was actually his wife, Elara, clenched his fists.

"He has quite some taste. But I don’t blame him; this man is quite feminine-looking. Do you think gays can recognize each other? Maybe he recognized that man as the bottom." Sean, always the humorous one, chuckled.

"Shut your trash!" Andrew glared at Sean, who raised his brows in surprise.

"Man, what the hell? You have been getting angry with me a hell of a lot these days. First, it was Elara, and now I can’t joke around about other people? What’s your issue?" Sean asked, irritated.

Beatrice looked at Andrew’s angry face, and a hint of doubt appeared in her heart.

No. She was overthinking it. There was no way Andrew was actually gay.

Andrew didn’t say anything to retort and just glared at the person.

Elara, on the other hand, struggled in Daniel’s grip. She couldn’t speak a word because she didn’t want to get exposed, but this was too much.

This man was really something. How dare he!

Mr. Stewart felt complicated. He wanted to sell his prototype to the province’s most powerful man, but at the same time, the girl’s safety was his responsibility.

With a sigh, he was about to object when Elara shook her head at him.

She would handle this matter herself.

She deliberately stomped on Daniel’s foot, hoping he would get angry and push her away, but to her surprise, his hand snuck around her waist behind the wheel, hidden from public view.

"If you don’t want me to kiss your neck before everyone, be a good girl," Daniel whispered in her ears, his lips threateningly close to her skin as his hot breath fanned her neck, making her hair stand.

"How do you—" Elara asked, wide-eyed.

"I can recognize you among billions of people, Miss Elara. You have been trying so hard to catch my eye. Let me congratulate you because you have successfully done it," Daniel said.

He took the goggles and helped her with them, unbothered by the people who thought he was helping the man and was probably gay.

Elara sat there, confused.

"When did I try to—"

"Shhh. We don’t speak before such beautiful things. Let it speak," Daniel said before he nearly engulfed her in his arms when he grabbed the machine gun, allowing her to use the steering wheel.

He pulled the trigger and started the machine gun, making everyone step back. The reporters, rather than focusing on him, now looked at the firing rate of the machine gun.

Once he emptied the entire coil, Daniel stepped out of it, helping Elara.

"If you knew it was me, why did you sit like this? Don’t you know how inappropriate it was?" Elara seethed when he looked at her.

Since they were pretty far away, no one could hear their conversation.

Daniel looked into her eyes before smiling.

"Blame it on your eyes; I can’t get you out of my mind. You shouldn’t have crossed me," he said before turning and walking towards everyone, leaving Elara speechless, unsure of what to think.