“Be quiet and invisible,” was Marcel’s motto for the night as he intentionally got lost in the crowd; he couldn’t draw attention. It wasn’t hard to spot Reina and her daughter, Isabella, both of them were the center of attention and were receiving congratulations from the important guests that graced the occasion.
Her husband Niklaus was by her side and Marcel almost hid his face until he remembered that he was wearing a mask and to the outsiders, he was Nahid curator, the art curator.
“Nahid!”
Oh no.
Marcel almost jumped out of his skin when he heard that name, didn’t Winters say that he was Reina’s art curator? It didn’t hit Marcel that his services weren’t limited to Reina alone and there would be other of his clients in attendance of his clients. He should have avoided all of them, not Reina alone. It’s not like he had made a list or something!
Knowing that he couldn’t avoid this conversation without being suspicious, Marcel turned around with a charming smile, “Hello, beautiful Mrs.” Marcel decided to flatter her since he doesn’t know her name. Had he known, he would have asked Winters to filter the guest list and check the guest who knew Nahid.
“Nahid, is that you?” The woman squealed, coming closer to touch his arms, “Oh my God, did you get a steroid injection or something during your time away?” She inquired, feeling his arms.
Marcel didn’t know Nahid’s relationship with this woman, but he wasn’t comfortable with her touching him – at least she didn’t notice the fact he didn’t call her by her name. Thanks a lot, distracting arms.
“Yes, I decided to go for a lifestyle change,” Marcel laughed awkwardly while releasing her arm at the same time.
.....
“Now, if you don’t mind, I have a lot of things to do, my dear,” Marcel assumed that the real Nahid was polite with all of his clients. Nahid was a family man and probably didn’t fool around with his clients right? Marcel seriously hoped so.
Marcel barely made it five steps when in his haste to escape the woman, he bumped into another person and the drink nearly spilled on her dress. Thank God, it didn’t. He knew how sensitive women were to appearance.
“I’m so sorry,” He began to apologize to her.
“Were you blind or what?!” The woman retorted, glaring at him, “Can’t you see – Nahid?”
Oh no, kill him now.
“Is that you, Nahid?” The voluptuous woman gasped slightly when Marcel lifted his head to look at her with a nervous smile which turned out to be a lopsided grin that only made him hotter in her sight.
“Yes, it’s me, the one and only, Nahid,” Marcel announced, happily?
“God!” She exclaimed, looking at him so intensely that Marcel did not doubt that she had mentally undressed him.
Marcel recognized that look anytime and anywhere and perhaps in the past, the old him would have taken advantage of this opportunity to have all the fun he wanted, but he was no longer the same person. He has changed and he has Arianna now. No other woman could compare to her in his sight.
Moreover, Marcel was here to rescue his sister, not fuck around. However, one thing was for sure, Nahid does have extramarital affairs with his clients and if that were the case, it does sucks for Marcel.
No wonder all of his clients could recognize him and now Marcel couldn’t tell who he was supposed to be casual and polite to without being suspicious. He needed to find Chloe and get the hell out of here before all of this blew up in his face.
“I knew that you were delicious previously, but right now, you are just so tantalizing,” She licked her upper lips to emphasize her point.
Eww, Marcel almost gagged. And yep, Nahid definitely did this woman. He had to tread carefully here.
“I’m sorry Mrs...” He did not know her name.
“Felicity. Just felicity, ” She filled him in without hesitation, coming closer to touch his arm.
Marcel frowned at the gesture, what was with these women and his arms today? Thank God, he had not come with Arianna.
“I can’t believe that you forget me so soon,” She made effort to be seductive, but it did not affect Marcel at all.
“I’m sorry, Felicity, but I am a changed man and I have decided to concentrate on my family now,” Marcel didn’t even know why he was making efforts to save the man’s ruined dignity.
“Oh come on, I know you, Nahid and you don’t -”
“What’s going on here?” A man stepped between them making Marcel’s heart race. The situation was spiraling out of control.
“Hi, honey,” The woman felicity said, releasing Marcel’s arms and going to lean on her husband’s side.
And yep, she was married, great! Marcel didn’t know what to feel. The next time he was taking up someone’s identity, he would make sure to check their personal life as well.
“I was just talking about how Nahid changed so much,” She said to her husband and the man with a drink in his hand, glanced up at Marcel.
“This is Nahid?” He had a look of disbelief, “Wonders shall never end.”
Yes, wonders shall never end indeed. HE NEEDED TO GET OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION!
“How did you change so easily? The last time I checked, you were so lanky I thought the wind would carry you away whenever you moved,” He laughed and for some reason, something told Marcel that Nahid wasn’t exactly on good terms with this man. By chance, did the man know Nahid and his wife had an affair?
“Stop being sarcastic, Joe,” Felicity rolled her eyes toward heaven.
Thank you Felicity for giving him her husband’s name, Marcel was eternally grateful.
He said to both husband and wife with a smile that didn’t touch his eyes, “Well, thank you Joe and Felicity for your hospitality,” Marcel excused himself, the smile vanishing from his face as he moved with determination.
He pulled out his phone and called Winters right away, he wanted to get the hell out of here with his sister right now!