Chapter 60 - Getting In The Moment

With a confident stride, Winter walks beside Marcellus as they enter the mansion.

She was taken aback to find the party not as formal as she expected it to be. There were still the posh ambiance, the sumptuous attires of the guests, the wine and alcohol, and the resplendent setting of the venue. But everyone is in their own little groups. It seemed to her that they closely knew one other.

'So, most of the guests are really from the Ratri clan. There are the members from the branch families as well as the main one. To think that I'd be surrounded by individuals with overwhelming power and influence - this is my chance to form more connections...!' she thought, feeling more than thrilled to be there. 

'But in the end, George Ratri is still the most powerful one among these people. He's the one I should strive to form a long-lasting connection with. That way, I don't have to go through the others one by one. He's the current head of the family, after all - he rules them all."

So far, Winter has been very fortunate - not only does she have the trust of the CEO of Lexington Empire, but she also shares a close relationship with the heiress of Miller Holdings. Things are going according to her plan. With her eighteenth birthday approaching closer and closer, she'll be more than prepared to take on the Middleton's. 

'Not that I'm only using Sir Lexington and Ms. Violet for that, though. Truthfully, I'm glad that they're good to me. Even though I approached them with a hidden agenda, they accepted me as I am...' was what she had to remind herself whenever she got too absorbed in her plan for the future.

'I also have to value them.'   

For that entire time, Winter has been watching Marcellus greet everyone who happens to recognize him there - and by everyone, it seems to be all the guests. Not knowing what to say, she only keeps looking down and lets herself get lost in her thoughts once more.

If it wasn't for her plan, she wouldn't want to be there. This isn't her type of thing even way back before. And yet, for some reason, she feels kind of relieved. Having such a reliable and trustworthy gentleman stay by her side makes her feel something strange.

Closing her eyes, she then took a whiff of his cologne. It's the same crispy cool scent that she'd gotten used to, but this time, it's somewhat alluring - kind of bewitching. She's still trying to figure out the difference when he suddenly leaned down to her and whispered something in her ear.

"Try not to attract attention too much, Ms. Agreste."

Confused, Winter turned to look at Marcellus.

She isn't doing anything that can cause attraction. But instead of arguing back, she only sighed and shook her head. She then looked down at her dress for tonight before she felt blood crawling all the way up to her ears again. Now that she thinks about it, she actually doesn't completely like what she's wearing.

It fits her pretty good, but it feels a little loose around her chest.

She sighed again.

That's when Winter spotted Violet and Ace talking with a group of guests. She smiles at them until she feels Marcellus nudging her in the arm all of the sudden. When she turned her attention back to him, she realized that they were about to go out of the mansion.

She followed him outside to the backyard where things were a little different. Some of the guests are dancing and drinking around while others seem to be making out in dim-lit corners.

Blushing, she tries hard not to stare.

"Oh, man..." Marcellus breathed out while scratching the back of his head - and for a moment there, Winter could see him acting kind of sheepish. 

"I really don't feel like being here. It's been a while since I've been to one of these things."

She only stares at him, finding that a bit hard to believe. But when he returned her skeptic look with a tender one, she ended up giving in. That's the kind of look he always gives whenever he's being earnest and sincere. 

"I brought a car with me. I didn't bring an attendant or bodyguard, though. Only Claude knows that I'm here. If you want to leave, just tell me and I'll be more than honored to take you home," he told her with a smile.

She knows that he is more than aware of the reason why they are there in the first place. So, that offer gives her the impression that he is only asking out of concern. He is not being oblivious of their goal nor is he trying to disregard their week-long preparation. If anything, he probably noticed how uncomfortable she has gotten, which was why he asked. 

This gentlemanly side of his makes her feel somewhat ashamed.

"It's alright, Sir Lexington..." she said to him, feeling a little bad for his mood.

"I'm fine. We can stay."

Winter doesn't want Marcellus to get bored or have a bad time because of her. She's the one who took him there, and though he could've done a lot of important things instead of tagging along, he still agreed to come.

Looking back down again, she then continued talking - speaking only softly enough for him to hear.

"This wasn't as nerve-wracking as I initially thought it would be. I think I can manage on my own. Please, don't worry about me. You can go ahead and have a good time-"

"Hell no. I'm not gonna leave you here all by yourself..." he then snapped at her out of nowhere, throwing her off guard.

"It may look calm right now, but once the drinking starts to get heavy, people start doing stupid things. Besides, I don't mind being here with you. That's the reason why I'm here, to begin with. Nothing makes me happier than staying by your side."

"Oh, really...?" she then found herself snorting before she crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze at him in suspicion.

"So, what were you doing in these kinds of parties before I appeared? I'm pretty sure you weren't just standing around like some guardian angel who kept watching everyone at the side."

Her words were surprising to him and to herself. But she felt the need to say them. It bothered her to hear him say all those nice things about her when they probably weren't even true.

"What I mean is that you shouldn't say things if you don't really mean them," Winter added at the last minute, feeling ashamed again since she did not really plan to be that boldly assertive.

"Damn. I hate it when you act like that. It gets on my nerves..." Marcellus hissed underneath his breath, smirking despite his frustration.

"You never believe anything I say. Why? Why is that?"

She can only keep quiet and bite her lip right then, feeling torn between taking what she said and not regretting it. Then again, that was kind of insensitive of her. Now, he is starting to get mad at her for claiming things even when she already knows that he is not really what he seems.

"I don't know... I don't know how I should take it..." she trailed off and lowered her head, bracing herself for what she was about to say.

"I just can't believe that anyone will want to be with someone like me."

His eyes widened at her confession.

Yet despite his surprise, he still smiled. He then reached out to her and cupped her cheek. She flinched a little as he started caressing her face ever so gently. When he leaned down to her, she looked away and tried to hide how flustered she was.

"What do I have to do to get you to believe me, then?" he asked her with the softest yet deepest of tones, holding her like she was a fragile piece of glass all the while.

At that moment, the music in the background went from wild and boisterous to mellow and calming. Everyone who'd been dancing had suddenly drawn closer to each other for some waltz.

Meanwhile, Winter doesn't know what to say to Marcellus. He is staring straight at her - his golden yellow orbs piercing down at her intensely. She can feel her heart racing as she feels him puts his other hand around her waist. Snapping her eyes shut, she tries her hardest not to push him away. 

She regrets bringing up that topic. She regrets not being able to do anything before it gets to this point.

"It's not just about you. It's about everyone in general..." Winter started again, hiding away from Marcellus again by casting down her gaze.

"Before I met you, I had no one to spend time with. I had no friends at school. I had no one to associate myself with. That's why there are times when it's hard for me to believe that all of this is happening to me. The truth is, I'm just a plain, boring girl. I have no looks, no social life, no outstanding abilities.. I have nothing anyone would be interested in other than my knowledge about the future."