The Blackmail Bride

Chapter 26 Part 2

Prayers for the world.

Party

With the next knock, it was time to say goodbye to my entourage. The organizer peeked into the room. Her eyes quickly settled on me.

"Thirty minutes before the party starts. Please proceed to the front entrance, Miss Isla."

Lucy and Sydney helped me up. Adoring smiles and rubs on the back as they led me to the door. I turned to all of them and took Sydney's hand.

"I'd really appreciate if you all could attend the party and celebrate with me and Jace."

Sydney's eyes widened as she looked to the organizer. I turned to the organizer who seemed just as surprised. But she was quick to regain professional composure. The woman nodded at Sydney and the team, "That could easily be arranged."

I beamed, turning to Sydney. She laughed nervously, looking at the others, "We're not dressed for the event—"

"That's fine," I countered.

Sydney grinned, putting a hand over mine, "If the invitation is still open, we'd like to attend your wedding instead. But for today, it would be embarrassing to subject us in a room full of elites under-dressed like this."

I stared a few moments longer and then gave up. I turned to the organizer instead, "Please note that."

I was led out of the room. The organizer held a hand out as we took to the elevator. I hadn't even blinked an eyelash when the door opened to the lobby leading to Diamante Hall. My legs were slightly wobbly just as we reached the corner, one left turn, and I would be seeing the entrance.

And Jace.

Again. I reminded myself of that last part. It wasn't like he wasn't just inside my suite an hour ago.

Then this event would be over and I could sleep in peace.

But as we rounded the corner, the first thing I noticed was his absence. Four hotel staff were manning the double doors.

All the guests were to take the left, smaller entrance for our privacy. And both my and Jace's immediate families were already inside the hall, socializing with the guests. I reached the doors and could already hear the low murmurs inside.

Four hundred people, I reminded myself. How tiring.

Now we wait. Jace should be here right about now.

"What do you mean he's not there?"

My ears twitched at the harsh whisper. I whipped around to the organizer. We locked eyes as she still held the phone to her ear.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Twenty five minutes till the start of the program, find him." the woman ended the call. She eyed me, slipping her phone into her pocket, "Sir Jace isn't in his suite."

A prickly feeling coursed the back of my neck, "Which means exactly what?"

"The staff said he left the room an hour ago after changing clothes. No one knows where he went." The woman worried her bottom lip as she waited for my reaction.

Before I could reply, a man came over running. He was heaving. I recognized him, one of the organizers' team members. The woman swiftly turned to him, "Well? What happened?"

The man gave me a slight glance before turning to her, "We can't find him. He's not answering our calls either."

The woman's eyes were like saucers. But quickly, she straightened her back and turned to me. She opened her mouth and anxious giggles poured out, "I'm sure he's just a-around here... somewhere."