Tangled in His Obsession (Seraphina)

Chapter 4

After the main part of the engagement ceremony, the dance party was up next. After Peterson and Edith finished their first dance, more youngsters joined in the fun on the dance floor, having a whale of a time.

Upstairs in the lounge, the Whitmans and the Millers were sitting together, their faces grave after a heated. argument. Ike Whitman, the second son of the Whitman family, was nonchalantly leaning against the window, intrigued by the scene on the dance floor.-

Among the sea of soft, muted colors, a lady in a red dress stood out, her skirt swirling with her dance moves, oozing artistic flair.

The party had been going on for just twenty minutes, and Seraphina had already had five dance partners. Yet, there were still plenty of dudes lurking around, hoping for a chance to dance with her.

The door was pushed open, and Peterson and Edith came in. Edith’s dad immediately picked up a glass of water and threw it at Peterson’s feet.

Ike turned around when he heard the noise.

The parents started arguing again, but Edith and Peterson remained silent, one with a stiff face, the other puffing away on his cigarette, frowning.

The lounge door was pushed open again, and the bridesmaid Amelia appeared, panting.

Edith looked at her with a poker face. “Where have you been?”

“I… I was locked in the toilet. I just managed to get out.” Amelia was startled by the tense atmosphere in the room. “What happened?”

Edith sneered, then turned to look at Ike.

Ike smiled and said, “Come on, it’s a day of celebration. Don’t frown all the time. As for Seraphina… I’ll take care

of it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Peterson looked up at him, his face dark.

Ike had already turned his head, his gaze returning to the banquet hall.

The dance floor was still buzzing.

Apart from the boisterous atmosphere, the open garden at the end of the corridor seemed serene and tranquil.

Seraphina was leaning at the entrance of the garden, holding a slim ladies‘ cigarette in her hand, but it wasn’t

lit.

no hurry, tiptoeing patiently.

tall, impeccably dressed man emerged from

around, she raised the cigarette in her hand. “Could you lend

me a light?”

through the garden. Standing in the breeze in her red dress with the skirt fluttering, she was

man stood there for a while before

him. He was about thirty–five or six, tall and thin, dressed in a well–fitted black suit. He was wearing black–rimmed glasses, and he

said with

she recognized him. He just

hardly anyone in Sunburst City who didn’t know

his lighter, the blue flame flickering

tilted her head slightly, lit the cigarette, took a deep drag, watched the smoke slowly rise, then looked up at the man in front of her and smiled slightly.

calmly, put away his lighter, and turned

suddenly grabbed his sleeve, then draped her arm around his, looking at him with a sweet smile. Balch seemed somewhat surprised, looking at her without

however, was

end of the hallway, Ike was coming this way with two

Ike seemed somewhat surprised, but the smile on his face remained. “Mr. Lawson, I couldn’t find you in the banquet hall. You came out for some fresh air,

politely, “What can I do for you, Mr.

glanced at Seraphina standing behind him and said with a smile, “I was hoping to have a few

cooing, “Mr.

looked at her, seemingly understanding something, and nodded in agreement.

Ike, arm in arm

away, he’s been avoiding women, hasn’t

behind Ike said.

cigarette, stared at the retreating figures of the two, a smile still on his face, but his eyes deepened, “That depends

the hotel entrance, casually glancing back

steadily, looking calmly ahead, and said softly, “It’s still early, the dance

and looked

a slight movement, her

didn’t want to, I couldn’t help it. I’m wearing a pair of

slowly, “If the shoes don’t fit, you should throw them away sooner. There’s no need to torture yourself.”

a moment of silence, “Oh no, I can’t do that. After all, I paid for these shoes. The more uncomfortable they make me feel, the more I want to step on them, for as long as I can.”

didn’t say anything

him, “A nice guy like Mr. Lawson may not understand this kind of stubbornness in

Balch smiled

the car, Balch whispered something to the driver. Soon, the driver took