Next Part of Chapter 1
1078 Words
Andrew sprinted to his room, yanking open his wardrobe. He had planned to wake up early, get ready properly, but now—
“God, I’m so late.”
Throwing on a crisp suit, he barely spared a glance in the mirror before rushing out. He grabbed his car keys, slipping into his sleek, luxurious car. The engine roared to life as he sped toward the event.
The venue was extravagant, as expected. His parents never did anything small.
Andrew pulled up, handing his keys to the valet before adjusting his suit. He rushed inside, scanning the crowd until he spotted his parents near the entrance.
“Andrew,” his mother sighed, exasperated but relieved. “You were supposed to be here an hour ago.”
“Sorry, I overslept,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
His father gave him a knowing look. “Up late again?”
Andrew let out a sheepish chuckle. “Something like that.”
Before his mother could scold him further, he excused himself and spotted his sister—a woman with shoulder-length wavy brown hair and an effortlessly cool demeanor. She was standing by the bar, a glass in hand, her expression amused as she watched him approach.
“You’re late,” she teased.
“Yeah, yeah,” he waved her off. “Long night. Also, I may or may not have met someone yesterday.”
Her brows lifted in intrigue. “Oh?”
Andrew was about to explain when his eyes caught a familiar figure across the room.
Rose.
She looked stunning.
Her usual charm
Andrew felt his breath hitch for half a second before he turned to his sister and pointed in Rose’s direction.
“That’s her.”
His younger sister followed his gaze, taking a sip of her drink before nodding approvingly. “Damn. She’s gorgeous.”
Andrew smirked. “I know, right?”
“Think she’ll recognize you?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
With that, he excused himself and made his way toward Rose.
Taking a deep breath, he approached her, clearing his throat slightly.
“Hey,” he said smoothly.
Rose turned, her sharp eyes landing on him. A flicker of recognition crossed her face before she sighed.
“You again?”
Andrew grinned. “Missed me?”
She rolled her eyes, but he caught the hint of a smirk tugging at her lips.
And just like that, the conversation began.
The warm glow of chandeliers bathed the grand hall in a golden hue, reflecting off polished marble floors. Expensive floral arrangements adorned the tables, their soft fragrances mixing with the distant clinking of champagne glasses. The event was extravagant—lavish in a way that made it clear whoever planned it had deep pockets. And Rose noticed.
She stood beside Andrew, taking in the dazzling surroundings. Her dark eyes skimmed over the pristine white tablecloths, the crystal glassware, and the guests dressed in designer clothing. She let out a quiet whistle before muttering, “Wow… this place is beautiful.”
Andrew smirked, taking a sip from his drink. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Definitely expensive,” she added, her tone laced with playful skepticism. Then, with a small shake of her head, she chuckled, “I mean, whoever spends this much on an event that isn’t their wedding is really lucky.”
Andrew nearly choked on his drink, quickly composing himself before responding. “I guess some people just really love throwing big parties.”
He kept his expression neutral, resisting the urge to glance toward his parents, who were in deep conversation with some business executives across the room. Rose didn’t need to know that this was their event, or that Andrew had practically grown up in places like this. He wasn’t about to throw that information into the conversation.
She hummed in agreement, still looking around. “It’s definitely a different world.”
Andrew tilted his head. “Not your usual crowd?”
“Not exactly.” She shrugged. “I’m technically working, so I’m not here to enjoy all this luxury like everyone else. My boss brought in some paintings for the event, so I’m helping make sure everything runs smoothly.”
Andrew raised a brow. “So you’re an art person?”
Rose gave him a pointed look. “I work at a gallery. What do you think?”
He held up his hands in surrender, a lopsided grin spreading across his face. “Alright, alright. I’ll assume you know a thing or two about fine art.”
“More than a thing or two.”
Andrew chuckled. There was something sharp yet effortless about the way she spoke—like she had a natural confidence but wasn’t trying to prove anything.
Across the room, Emily, Andrew’s sister, had been watching their exchange with growing amusement. She leaned against a high-top table, sipping on her drink as she observed Andrew—her brother and partner in crime, who was normally so smooth—look slightly nervous in front of Rose. She smirked, raising an eyebrow as she made exaggerated, comedic faces at him. A dramatic wink. A silent but obvious “Ooooh” expression.
Andrew caught one of her faces out of the corner of his eye and had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. He shot her a subtle glare, but Emily just grinned before eventually deciding she had seen enough and wandered off to join some of her friends.
Turning his attention back to Rose, Andrew found himself unexpectedly interested—not just in her looks, but in how she carried herself. She wasn’t just beautiful; she was smart and ambitious too. There was a quiet self-assurance in the way she talked about her job, her role at the gallery, and the artwork at the event.
Just as he was about to ask more about her work, a voice interrupted them.
“Rose!”
She turned to see her boss waving her over, motioning toward one of the paintings. Immediately, her relaxed expression shifted into something more professional.
“Duty calls,” she said, looking back at Andrew. “Nice talking to you.”
Andrew nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “Likewise. See you around?”
She gave a small smile before disappearing into the crowd, leaving Andrew standing there with an amused expression on his face.
Yeah. He was definitely going to see her again.
- Writer
