Masked 🎭✔️

Chapter 7

"Don't smile that much, Edmond. You look creepy."

He reduced his smile just a tiny bit, "Better?"

"Much" she chuckled.

"Great" he replied as they walked over to meet everyone.

The great thing about these parties was that everyone was supposed to know everyone else. So the practice was to never take anyone's names while speaking to them. This worked perfectly for Jane and Edmond and it was one of the reasons Edmond knew that taking Jane wouldn't be risky at all.

Jane was thoroughly enjoying being on Edmond's arm. The music was so pleasant and the food so delicious. They enjoyed it to their fullest. They even talked to countless people who patted Edmond on the back for all the new changes he had made at the company and many still who complimented Jane's looks and her occational comments on things she understood. One of the seniors there even poked fun at Edmond about where a loner like him had found a charming girl like her.

As they moved through the crowd Jane spotted a tall, medium build young man making his way towards them. He was good looking in a very obvious way, but Jane didn't like the amount of gel he had put in his hair. There was also a certain cunning, untrustworthy appearance to him even when he smiled that made Jane dislike him even before he spoke.

"Ohhh heyy! My man!" He called out to Edmond and patted him on the back.

Edmond put on a strained smile. "How are you?"

So he didn't like him either then.

"Oh I've never been better. Just like daddy says, a party like this is the best way to meet the right kind of people." He put on a showy posh attitude.

Edmond nodded once.

That's when this man noticed Jane.

"My my! Where did you find this beauty!"

Jane smiled formally.

"Aren't there other people you need to meet?" Edmond bit out. Jane could tell he was holding back some choice words.

The man completely ignored Edmond's comment and continued talking.

"Tell me.." he addressed Edmond once more. "Did you go meet daddy yet?" He cooed condescendingly.

"Not yet. No" Edmond replied curtly.

"Oh my! I think you should." The man gasped dramatically. "You don't want to make him upset now do you?"

Edmond faked a smile again. "Ofcourse not. No one would."

"In the mean while, I'd be delighted to keep your woman company." he winked at her.

Jane struggled to keep her repulsion from showing on her face. She didn't appreciate how this man was speaking to Edmond. What she detested even more was that he thought he could steal her away with his pretentious charm and make Edmond look bad. He didn't even know how to talk respectfully to a woman. Either that or he didn't think he needed to.

Jane held back her comments because she knew that Edmond's reputation was at stake.

She glanced at Edmond but he simply shrugged.

She smirked. This was her ball game now. She had dealt with pricks like these long before Edmond came into the picture.

"Oh you're so sweet!" She exclaimed. "Isn't he adorable?" She spoke to Edmond who frowned at her. "He's trying so hard to be as wonderful as you!" She giggled like a dumb blonde that Edmond had teased her about once.