CHAPTER 6

Arabella smiled and didn't seem to care about the people around her, just looking intently at Ike. At first, Ike was somewhat cautious, but seeing Preston engrossed in conversation with Ira, he gradually relaxed and began to toast Arabella continuously.

Arabella, however, was a champion drinker. She matched Ike drink for drink, until his vision began to blur. Yet, she remained unperturbed.

Naturally, Ike was not about to let her drink hirn under the table without a fight. He signaled to those around them to toast Arabella. Suddenly, members of the Whitman family were coming up to toast, making the atmosphere lively. Arabella accepted all the toasts. Feeling she had drunk enough, she took out her phone and texted Balch: Can you send a driver to pick me up?

A few minutes later, Balach replied with a single word: OK.

Arabella, smiling at the message and rubbing her forehead, looked up to find Preston's deep, calm eyes on her.

Throughout the night, Preston had been chatting with Ira. Now that he seemed to be done, he lit a cigarette, silently watching her.

Taking a deep breath, Arabella rose, holding her glass aloft.

"Mr. Hunt, I never thought I'd have the chance to share a table with you. It's a real honor." Her words slurred slightly, her gaze slightly blurry. The earring on her ear shone, catching attention just like her gaze. "This one's for you."

Before Preston could react, Arabella had already downed her drink.

A hint of awkwardness flashed across her face as she turned to Ike, saying, "Mr. Hunt is still as cold as ever."

Hearing this, a slightly tipsy Ike laughed. Ira gave Arabella a longer look.

Preston, however, just puffed on his cigarette, his usual calm undisturbed.

"Mr. Hunt may be cold, but I'm not!" Ike slurred, slinging his arm around Arabella's shoulder, whispering in her ear with a smirk, "Whatever you give me, I'll drink. Even if it's poison."

Arabella laughed.

As the dinner ended, Arabella was the first to leave.

She knew she had reached her limit and needed to leave immediately to get home safely. Nevertheless, Ike was hot on her heels, insisting on taking her home. As she was halfway out, Ike pulled her back into his arms.

"Why are you running?" Ike asked, his eyes glassy. "Didn't you want to see how much I could drink?"

He began to laugh at his own words. Arabella joined him, "I said I have a second round to attend. If you really can handle it, come with me!"

With that, she broke free from Ike and continued to make her way out. Ike wanted to follow, but was stopped by Ira.

Walking side by side with Preston, Ira stopped Ike, whispering, "Cut it out!"

"Why?" Ike was visibly annoyed. "I'm definitely going to sleep with that woman tonight!"

Ira chuckled sarcastically, "How dare you touch a woman connected to Preston?"

Ike stiffened, his eyes widening.

As Arabella hurried to the exit of the "Enchanted Petals Club", she saw a black car – Balch's car.

Before Ike could catch up, Arabella quickly headed towards the car. She was at her limit, having been holding It together to avoid Ike. Now that she could finally escape, she felt herself relax. By the time she reached the car door, her head was spinning.

Using the last of her strength, she climbed into the car, managing to tell the driver "Wake me when we get there" before collapsing on the back seat.

When Preston appeared at the car, the black car calmly pulled up.

Kearney, the manager of the "Enchanted Petals Club", personally escorted Preston to the car, "Uh, Mr. Hunt, I think you arrived in a different car."

"Yes," Preston replied calmly, "I swapped it out."

As Kearney held the door open for him, he caught a glimpse of a dark green dress in the back seat but didn't give it a second thought.

Soon after, Ike and Ira emerged, the black car was already gone, swallowed by the night.

The car drove smoothly on the wide streets of Sunburst City, heading south.

In her sleep, Arabella seemed to smell something. It was the smell of tobacco mixed with minty, old and familiar, like someone's scent…

That man wasn't familiar to her.

In a deep sleep, Arabella suddenly laughed, then fell silent again….

Her dreams were long and repetitive. Arabella slept heavily, and when she finally woke up, she felt as though a lot of time had passed. She was in a soft bed, the room around her dim. She had no idea where she was. Sitting up, she fumbled for the light switch.

She found herself in a cold, grey bedroom. Even the bedding was dark grey. The room was large but without any extra decorations, giving no hint to the identity of its owner.

Arabella got out of bed, walked over to the closed curtain and pulled back the thick curtain.. At noon, the sun was shining, and outside was a private pool, its surface shimmering. It looked like a private villa.

Arabella came back to herself, her heart racing as the memory of last night flashed back to her.

In the bathroom, Arabella briefly straightened herself in the mirror, looked at her wrinkled dress and deliberately pulled the neckline down a bit before leaving the room.

The room she stayed in was on the second floor, a quiet haven, but she could hear some noise from downstairs. As she descended the stairs, she got a clearer view of the layout below.

In the spacious living room, a boy of about six was sitting cross–legged on the couch with a book on his lap that was bigger than his own body, flipping through it with deep concentration. The boy noticed Arabella's footsteps, and looked up at her with clear and calm eyes. Arabella silently pulled her neckline back up.

According to her intel, Balch and his late wife didn't have children. So, who was this boy? Why was he in Balch's house?

"Hello!" She walked over, sat next to the boy and smiled, "Whos are you?"

The boy glanced at her again, his eyes quite beautiful, but expressionless, and didn't answer her question.

He was such a cool child. Arabella crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "Are you scared of me because I'm too pretty?"

Not only did the boy not answer, he furrowed his brows. He seemed annoyed by Arabella's interruption, closed his book, hugged it and got up to head towards the dining table.

Seeing this, Arabella didn't bother him anymore and started surveying the house. The decor was pretty standard, devoid of any personal touches or interests, and void of any photos. As Arabella's gaze landed back on the boy, the kitchen door swung open and a voice came out, "You're awake?"

Arabella turned to see a familiar face.

Karan, the longtime housekeeper for the Hunt family, Preston's nanny, had a deep relationship with the Hunt.

"Karan?" Arabella was surprised.

Karan's face was expressionless as she set a bowl of soup on the dining table before looking at Arabella, "I thought it might be you when I saw Preston bring you home last night, but I didn't look closely. I didn't expect it to actually be you."

Arabella felt slightly dizzy.

She looked at Karan and then at the boy reading behind her, "Whose house is this?"

"This is Preston's." Karan replied, "Didn't you know this is his house when you came home with him last night?"

With that, Karan turned back to the kitchen.

Arabella felt a sudden headache, pressing her forehead. This was Preston's house, but she clearly went home with Balch last night, why was she at Preston's? And why was there a little boy at Preston's?

Arabella looked at the boy, her hungover brain unable to process all this.

Karan came out of the kitchen again with two more plates, not looking at Arabella, just saying, "Dinner's ready, let's eat."

Arabella paused a moment before unceremoniously getting up and sitting across from the boy at the table, resting her chin on her hand as she studied him.

The boy seemed to notice her gaze, his page–turning becoming a bit awkward, but he didn't look back at Arabella.

Karan came out with a bowl of soup and saw this scene, shooting Arabella an annoyed look, "What are you looking at? Don't scare him!"

Hearing this, Arabella pouted, "Karan, am I really that scary?"

Karan stared at her for a moment, then shot her a glare and turned back to the kitchen.

Arabella knew well that Karan didn't like her.

The women of the Hunt family disliked her and, in their words, her looks were a nuisance. Besides, after what happened later…

Arabella quickly put a stop to those thoughts as Karan was bringing out three bowls of soup, telling the boy, "Valerio, stop reading, it's time to eat."

Arabella took the bowl Karan passed her, casually asking, "Karan, whose kid is this?"

"Whose kid could it be?" Karan answered with a flat expression, "In Preston's house, of course it's Preston's kid."

Arabella's hand slipped, and the bowl in her hand fell, flipping over on the dining table.