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

tall, impeccably dressed man

Seraphina gently called him. When he turned around, she raised the cigarette

me a light?”

in the breeze in her red dress with the

man stood there for a while before

thin, dressed in a well–fitted black suit. He

it’s Mr. Lawson,” she said with a smile, her

recognized him.

hardly anyone in Sunburst

the switch on his lighter, the blue flame flickering

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.

welcome,” Balch said 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

however, was fixed behind

the end of the hallway, Ike

face remained. “Mr. Lawson, I couldn’t find you in the banquet hall. You came out

can I do for you, Mr.

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

could answer, Seraphina was already clinging to him, cooing, “Mr. Lawson

her, seemingly understanding something, and nodded in

in arm with Seraphina, they

since his wife passed away, he’s been avoiding women, hasn’t he?” one

behind Ike said.

puffing on his cigarette, stared at the retreating figures of the two, a smile still on his face, but his eyes

headed towards the hotel entrance, casually glancing

still early, the dance isn’t over yet, Ms. Bennett, are you sure you want

softly and looked

just a slight movement, her heels would ache.

it. I’m wearing a pair of shoes that don’t fit, and

her gaze and said slowly, “If the shoes don’t fit, you should throw

of silence, “Oh no, I can’t do that. After all, I paid for these shoes. The more uncomfortable they

anything for

guy like Mr. Lawson may

Balch

something to the