Steal the Party

Griselda didn't nod or fight his decision. She took a sleek-looking envelope from her clutch bag and placed it on the table. "Perhaps it's too early for me to stop you. You don't seem to be aware of how this world works from our perspective. 

"Here." She smiled. "If you want to know more about Faded Rose, you can find me again. Rhodes, don't be too hasty about opening your hotel. The spirits might not welcome everyone in their spaces."

The man didn't check the envelope. He got up, and the woman rose just the same. She left the waiting room, letting a maid show her out. Like earlier, her heels clicked against the floor and created a noise that could drive people mad.

"Am I supposed to know this place?" Rhodes flipped the calling card and stared at the three masks. "Why did she sound like I have been there before?"

The doctor gazed at the envelope on the center table. Its elegant design reminded him of his wedding invitations. Before Rhodes could check the envelope, the door opened again. This time, it was Deresita. She poked her head in first before hurriedly entering and closing the door behind her. She shuffled to the seat beside him and stared at him with worry and anticipation.

Her voice was soft, yet the tone was determined. "Rhodes, why did she come to find you? Did something happen earlier? Why didn't you tell me?"

Rhodes played with the black calling card before handing it to Deresita. "She came to see Giles first. I forgot her normal calling card in my wallet. It doesn't look interesting, though. She also heard about me buying Faded Rose. It prompted her to speak to me about the dangers of letting Faded Rose recover."

"…why would the Iveren family waste time on Faded Rose?" Deresita glanced at the envelope on the table. "Did she say if she's coming back?"

"She won't. I'm supposed to find her here if I change my mind." Rhodes picked up the envelope and handed it to Deresita again. She placed the black calling card on her lap and gently opened the invitation. "Do you know where that is?"

Deresita took out the invitation and flipped it to show Rhodes. "It's a birthday party for the Iveren family's patriarch. Strangely, it only has a date."

Rhodes stared at the elegant yet warm visage of the birthday invitation. Someone named Abraham van Iveren was set to celebrate his 90th birthday by the end of the month. Rhodes didn't know how that old man was related to Vanya, who presented himself as Lord van Iveren. Could they be the same person? Even if they weren't, could Rhodes meet Vanya at the party?

Didn't Vanya say something along the lines of 'I want your body to know me'? They would have to meet in the physical realm for that to happen, right?

Rhodes looked away and hid his face. His sudden blush was hard to explain. However, he could feel Deresita's gaze all over his head. His eyes moved to spy a glance at her through the crack of his fingers. The woman's brows frowned straight at him.

"Oh… you must have realized something." Deresita laughed and slipped the invitation back inside the envelope. She clapped her hands and fawned, mocking Rhodes. "This is going to be an event of the year! Vanya should be attending if he's the kind of man I think he is!

"Didn't you?" Deresita dropped the heart eyes. She relaxed her arms. "Rhodes, parties like this are important social and political events. If you want to come, you can't just be there for your next target."

The doctor chuckled and rubbed his neck. "But I just want to see him. I'm not really interested in anything else. He mentioned the Iveren family, so he might be affiliated with them. Do you think… I shouldn't go if my motivation is too shallow? The other guests might try to connect with me, too. Not everyone knew about my amnesia."

Deresita tapped on her chin. She looked at the calling card and saw Griselda's contact number. Her lips curved into a smile. She rapped at Rhodes's shoulder to get his attention.

"I doubt this is going to be held in the Iveren Mansion. What if… we steal this party from Ring Garden?" She moved the invitation. "There is no venue printed into the invitations yet. It only specified that it would be here in Menorosa. Say, Rhodes, can you do it? Can you help Giles refurbish Faded Rose days before the thirtieth? Let's ask them to hold the party in our hotel's dance hall!"

"You're so bold…" Rhodes laughed. The woman earlier wanted Faded Rose to be demolished. Why would they hold their patriarch's birthday in such a dangerous place?

Deresita hummed and shook the invitation again. "I should be! Ventures like this are hard to come by. We want to revive Faded Rose as the top-serving hotel it used to be. Announcing its pseudo-reopening with a big event is the way to go! You spoke to her twice already. You can do it again!"

Rhodes pulled on his lips. He couldn't help but pity Giles. No wonder the man was so worried about his wife. She was too adventurous for her own good. Then again, Deresita wasn't wrong. If Faded Rose were a normal hotel, he would clutch this party as well. That hotel just happened to be infested by vile entities. Someone even wanted to destroy it for good.

"I'll think about it. Reopening is too far down the list—"

"No, it should be on the top." Deresita huffed and gently handed the card and the invitation to Rhodes. "Rhodes, the medical field and the hospitality industry are two different worlds. You should always assume the best ending and work to get there."

She smiled like an excited little girl. "We will convince them to let us host the party. That's why you have to make a timeline tonight. Tomorrow, you will have your first board meeting… and a proposal of how to make Faded Rose the most beautiful. You have to satisfy them enough to support your goals. It's going to be a win-win situation. A fierce reopening for us… a way better sight than Ring Garden for them…!"

Rhodes could only laugh at Deresita's thoughts. This wife was the most supportive. Now, he didn't have a choice but ensure she would never lose heart.

…

In a distant mansion…

Griselda arrived at the main lobby after hours of staying out. A maid followed her to help her decompress for the day. However, she ran into the shadow of her elusive husband. He was still on the phone with someone, only to glance at her. He quickly ended the call.

He faced her, but his lips remained flat as if emotionless. "Griselda, welcome home. Did you secure the hotel from its caretaker?"

"Not at all. Rhodes reached an agreement with them in an instant." Griselda walked to his side and offered a greeting kiss. "Are you working on something again?"

"Not me." Her husband pocketed his phone. "He wanted to burn down a chop shop in the old district."