The Girl He Was Promised

Chapter 15 — When Six Worlds Collide

The gala was slowly returning to normal.

Guests were beginning to leave, security personnel were still checking the hotel, and the staff were doing their best to erase the chaos that had happened only minutes earlier.

Anastasia stood near the entrance with Vivian, Chloe, and Elena.

Alexander approached with Lorenzo, Daniel, and Tyler.

He looked at Anastasia.

"We should leave."

She nodded.

Then she looked at the three men beside him.

"And I suppose I should finally meet your friends properly."

Alexander paused.

"You've met them."

"Briefly."

Tyler smiled.

"Don't worry. We're much more charming when we're properly introduced."

Lorenzo immediately looked at him.

"Speak for yourself."

Daniel sighed.

"Here we go."

Anastasia laughed.

She turned toward her friends.

"All right. Since we're apparently going to be working together, we should stop pretending we're strangers."

She gestured toward the three men.

"Vivian, Chloe, Elena—this is Lorenzo Chen, Daniel Han, and Tyler Wang."

Vivian smiled.

"Nice to meet you."

Tyler extended his hand.

"Likewise."

Vivian shook his hand.

Then she looked at Anastasia.

"He's the talkative one, isn't he?"

Anastasia nodded.

"Very."

Tyler looked offended.

"I just met you."

"And you've already proven my point."

Lorenzo laughed.

Daniel shook his head.

"Don't encourage him."

Chloe stepped forward.

"Chloe."

"Lorenzo."

They shook hands.

Elena simply nodded at Daniel.

"Elena."

"Daniel."

Their handshake was brief.

Then Elena looked at him.

"You're the serious one."

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"And you're the quiet one."

Elena smiled.

"Exactly."

They both nodded.

"Good."

Anastasia looked between them.

"That's it?"

Vivian shrugged.

"Efficient."

Tyler pointed at Alexander.

"And he didn't introduce himself because apparently everyone already knows him."

Alexander gave him a cold look.

"Do you want me to introduce you properly?"

Tyler immediately stepped back.

"No, thank you."

Everyone laughed.

For the first time, the six friends stood together.

Two groups.

Three from the Go family circle.

Three from Anastasia's world.

Six people who had each been trained in their own way.

And none of them yet knew just how important this meeting would become.

Once the laughter settled, Alexander became serious.

"There's something we need to discuss."

The six friends immediately focused.

Anastasia nodded.

"Victor."

Daniel opened the folder he had brought from Go Corporation.

"Horizon International Holdings is connected to the organization we've been tracking."

Chloe looked at the file.

"The same company that was monitoring the Smith estate?"

"Yes."

Elena glanced at Alexander.

"Then the gala wasn't random."

"No," Alexander answered.

Anastasia continued.

"Victor wanted to confirm whether I still possessed something from six years ago."

Vivian looked at her.

"The information you took from the organization?"

Anastasia nodded.

Lorenzo looked between them.

"You took something from them?"

"Yes."

Tyler smiled.

"Now I'm curious."

Alexander immediately said,

"Don't."

Tyler raised both hands.

"Fine."

Anastasia smiled.

"I'll explain when the time is right."

Daniel studied the documents.

"There's another problem."

He turned the folder around.

"Blackwood Capital."

Anastasia's expression changed.

She recognized the name.

"You found it too."

Alexander nodded.

"It appears to be connected to Horizon."

Anastasia leaned over the table.

"Blackwood wasn't involved directly six years ago."

"But?"

"It was one of the companies I suspected was financing the organization."

Silence followed.

Lorenzo looked at Alexander.

"So we've found our connection."

Anastasia shook her head.

"Not yet."

Everyone looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because Blackwood is too obvious."

Alexander smiled slightly.

"I was thinking the same thing."

Anastasia looked at him.

"Then we're thinking alike."

"Apparently."

Vivian glanced between them.

"You two are going to be unbearable."

Chloe laughed.

"They already are."

The group eventually left the hotel.

Alexander's security team escorted everyone toward the parking area.

The two groups stopped beside their respective vehicles.

Tyler looked at Vivian.

"So..."

Vivian raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

"Are all three of you always this serious?"

Vivian smiled.

"No."

She glanced at Anastasia.

"We're worse."

Tyler laughed.

"I like her."

Anastasia immediately pointed at him.

"Don't encourage her."

Vivian grinned.

Lorenzo looked at Chloe.

"Do you always analyze everything?"

"Yes."

"Even people?"

"Especially people."

Lorenzo smiled.

"Noted."

Daniel looked at Elena.

"And you?"

Elena looked at him calmly.

"I observe."

"That's it?"

"Usually."

Daniel nodded.

"I think we'll get along."

Elena smiled.

"Maybe."

Alexander watched the interaction.

Then he looked at Anastasia.

"I think this was a mistake."

She laughed.

"Why?"

"They're already becoming friends."

"Isn't that what we wanted?"

"Yes."

"Then stop complaining."

He smiled.

"Fine."

Before they left, Anastasia suddenly stopped.

She looked toward the hotel.

"Wait."

Everyone turned.

"What is it?" Alexander asked.

Anastasia's eyes narrowed.

"The man Victor used as a distraction."

Daniel understood.

"The one security detained?"

"Yes."

"He's gone."

Anastasia looked at him.

"How?"

"We were told he was transferred to the hotel's security office."

"Then he was never transferred."

Lorenzo frowned.

"Someone helped him escape."

Anastasia nodded.

"And whoever helped him knew exactly how the hotel's security worked."

Alexander's expression became cold.

"So we have someone inside."

"Exactly."

Anastasia smiled.

"But now we know something they don't."

"What?" Chloe asked.

Anastasia looked at the group.

"They think we're investigating them."

She glanced at Alexander.

"They don't realize we're already investigating the people helping them."

Alexander smiled.

"Then tomorrow, we start there."

Anastasia nodded.

"Together."

For the first time, the six friends stood as one group.

Not because they trusted each other completely yet.

Not because they knew each other's secrets.

But because they had a common enemy.

And somewhere in the city, Victor still believed he was hunting Anastasia Smith.

He had no idea that tonight—

six people had quietly decided to hunt him back.