Chapter 216: A successful event
Meanwhile, a man dressed in a staff uniform quietly slipped into the hotel’s electricity control room. His eyes scanned the meter boxes until he found the circuit connected to the hall where the event was happening. He had already loosened a wire inside the venue. A small adjustment here would trigger a short circuit and set the hall ablaze.
But before he could make his move, a heavy blow landed on the back of his head. Staggering, he tried to turn and see who had attacked him, but his vision swam and everything went dark as he crumpled to the floor, unconscious.
Ian stepped out of the shadows, glaring down at the man sprawled on the floor. Pulling out his phone, he dialed swiftly. "I’ve got him," he reported grimly. "I’ll take him out of here."
"Good. I’ll join you later," came the reply from the other end.
"Understood."
Ian ended the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket. Back in the hall, Nathaniel’s expression was taut. He had been looking for Jaxon for all those days, but that man had not come out of his den. This time, Jaxon had shown himself finally, and they had seized the chance to catch him, successfully dashing Jaxon’s plan to sabotage the event.
Meanwhile, the host stepped onto the stage and announced the official opening of the event. The hall immediately filled with applause. Nathaniel joined in, clapping with a proud smile on his face.
On the other end, Zara anxiously watched the electrician fixing the live wire.
"Madam," one of her team members hurried over, urgency written all over her face. "Madam Rachel has arrived and is asking for you."
"I get it." Zara turned to the event planner. "Please make sure the things here are fixed properly."
"I’ll keep my eye on everything here," the event planner assured her. "You go busy yourself."
Zara turned and walked away. With a nod, Zara hurried away. When she entered the green room, she found Rachel inspecting the models, who were already dressed and ready for the runway.
"Rachel," Zara greeted with a bright smile as she approached.
Rachel’s face lit up the moment she saw her. "Zara," she exclaimed, pulling her into a warm embrace. "Oh my God, these dresses are even more stunning than in the photos. I’m so proud of you."
Zara’s smile softened. "It’s all thanks to you—you kept guiding us and bringing out the best in the team."
And she meant it. Rachel’s advice and steady support had been invaluable in helping them complete the designs smoothly and on time.
"You are giving me too much credit," Rachel said with a playful wave of her hand. "You are the one who did all the hard work. I only suggested a few adjustments here and there. Anyway, I have news for you. I’ve already received a major order—a bridal boutique wants to carry our designs."
"That’s awesome," Zara chirped. "We haven’t even launched officially yet, and we are already getting orders."
Rachel nodded. "The boutique owner is a friend of mine. She has been buying my products for a while, but the high shipping costs made it difficult, so she could only place small orders. Now that I’m opening a branch office here, she won’t have those extra expenses. She jumped at the chance and placed a bulk order. It’s thrilling—but also a challenge. We’ll need to move quickly to meet the demand."
She grinned, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But I believe you can do this."
"We’ll meet the demands before the deadline," Zara assured her.
"I like your spirit." Rachel beamed enthusiastically. "Now, let’s focus on the event." Turning to the models, she encouraged everyone. "Alright, everyone—this is your night. Go out there and shine on the runway."
The host’s voice echoed once more across the stage as the next segment began, and the models strode out one after another onto the runway. Each design was unique, gaining appreciation from the guests.
But while the hall buzzed with excitement, Riya sat simmering with frustration. She wasn’t interested in the dresses or the applause. Her entire focus was elsewhere. She wondered why Jaxon was taking so long. The chaos should erupt right at the time the models were on the ramp. But somehow it wasn’t happening.
One by one, the models completed their walk and returned backstage, the show running smoothly. Riya clenched her jaw, muttering a curse under her breath. She couldn’t even call Jaxon to demand answers.
Rachel came up to the stage along with Zara. The audience erupted again, showering them with admiration. Zara’s face glowed with pride and accomplishment, standing tall beside Rachel.
The sight made Riya’s chest tighten with bitter rage. It was Zara who had cost her the contract with Shay. Now Zara was the one being celebrated.
How could she be able to see Zara happy and successful?
Riya stomped her foot and went out of the hall. It was a humiliation. She couldn’t keep watching Zara’s success. She stormed out of the hotel and came to the parking lot. Sliding into her car, she drove away.
Just as she took the turn, another car rolled over and stopped in front of hers. She stepped on the brake, the tires screeching against the asphalt. The sudden stop hurled her body forward before jerking her back into the seat, her pulse racing wildly. Her eyes moved forward and landed on the black Rolls-Royce.
Her expression froze, chills crawling down her spine as she recognized the car. It was Zachary’s car.
’He is back,’ his mind screamed.
The door opened, and a guard stepped out. He knocked on the window glass at the driver’s side.
Riya rolled the window down, looking up at him.
"Miss, please step out and get into that car," he said coldly. His tone left no room for argument. Riya unbuckled the seatbelt and stepped out of her car. Without a word, she slipped into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce. The car pulled out soon.
They arrived at Zachary’s penthouse in no time. Riya’s heart trembled as she stepped in. It had been a while since she had seen him. No phone calls, no messages. It was as if he had disappeared from her life. Now he suddenly appeared.
Riya had no idea how his mood was. As she entered the hall, she noticed him seated on the sofa, checking a file. Her legs felt heavy all of a sudden, as if they refused to move further.
Zachary glanced at her but said nothing. He continued what he was doing.
Riya wondered if he had already found out Liam had agreed to the marriage. But then she thought he had yet to know about it. Based on his temperament, he would have fired up already if he had learned she was getting married to another man while she was still tied to him with a contract.
She mustered a smile, swallowing the nervousness. "When did you come back from the business trip?" she asked, trying to sound cheerful. She strode over and sat down beside him. "If I had known you were returning, I might have waited for you here."
"Really?" Zachary quirked his lips into a sneer. "Do you still remember I exist?" He closed the file and looked at her.
Although she was nervous, she maintained her smile and hooked her arm with his. "I missed you always. I even dreamed about you.
It was a complete lie. She hadn’t missed him at all. His absence had given her freedom—freedom to live how she pleased.
"Missed me? You didn’t even bother to reach out once."
Riya’s skin pricked with chills under his glare. For a moment, she thought he had seen through her lies. "I-I..." She faltered. "You were on a business trip. I didn’t want to disturb you."
"Don’t play games with me," he growled. In one swift move, he seized her arm and yanked her against him.
Riya gasped at the sudden force, her whole body stumbling on his chest.
"Were you busy flirting with another man?"
Riya’s face lost color at the insinuation. She shook her head frantically. "I didn’t..."
"Still lying," he snapped, his fingers clamping hard around her chin.
Riya wince at the force, tears stinging her eyes.
"You dared to agree to marry that Lawson boy," he hissed, his grip tightening further as if he wanted to crush her bones. "Have you forgotten who you belong to? Huh?"
"I haven’t," she cried. "Please give me a chance to explain."
Before she could even finish her sentence, he smacked his lips against hers into a brutal kiss. Riya whimpered. She felt as though he would tear her lips apart.
He finally released her, pinching her chin. "Why? Why did you agree to this marriage?"
"I was forced," Riya gasped, trembling. "I didn’t have a choice. But the reassuring part is that Liam is not serious about me. He talked to me."
As she recalled her conversation with Liam, her insides burned with indignation. She hated the fact that Liam had rejected her because of Zara. But she had to say that to save herself from Zachary’s wrath.
"He said he had someone he loved," she continued. "This is nothing but a contract marriage. After a year, the contract will be terminated, and I will be free."
"But how could you be with another man?" Zachary growled. "You are already tied to a contract with me. Have you forgotten that? If you couldn’t say no to the marriage proposal, you could have called me. I would have found a way. But you...I know you so well. You are actually smitten with Liam."