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.

was in no hurry,

dressed man emerged from the

When he turned around, she raised the cigarette in

me a light?”

breeze in her red dress with the skirt

a while before

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 had long, gentle eyebrows and eyes, giving him a refined

said with a smile, her voice soft.

surprised that she recognized him. He just

hardly anyone

the switch on his lighter, the

the cigarette, took a deep drag, watched the smoke slowly rise, then

put away his

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

however, was fixed behind

and at the end of the hallway, Ike was coming this way with

to Seraphina, 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, I see.”

can I do

and said with a smile, “I was hoping to have a few drinks

cooing, “Mr. Lawson promised to take me home. He

understanding something, and nodded in agreement.

to Ike, arm in arm with Seraphina,

I heard that ever since his wife passed away, he’s been avoiding women, hasn’t

behind Ike said.

his face, but his eyes deepened, “That depends on the ability of the

arm with Balch, headed towards the hotel entrance, casually glancing back a few

steadily, looking calmly ahead, and said softly, “It’s still early, the dance isn’t over yet,

this, Seraphina sighed softly and looked down

movement, her heels would ache.

a pair of shoes that don’t fit, and I can’t dance

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

these shoes. The more uncomfortable they make me feel, the more I want to step on

anything

nice guy like Mr. Lawson may

Balch

got in the car, Balch whispered something to the driver. Soon, the driver