Bought For A Baby, Kept For A Lifetime-Chapter 105: Attracted The Wrong Man

The hallway the man led her through was the definition of luxury. Soft carpets muffled their footsteps, the space was illuminated by soft lighting coming from the sconces creating a warm sophisticated vibe.

The scent in the air gave off a kind of fragrance one would only describe as refined and elite.

At first as they walked, they came across some friendly looking discreet staff in impeccable uniforms who greeted Anne with a respectful smile to which Anne replied with one of her own. However a while later the path they turned to seemed completely deserted without a soul in sight.

Anne looked at the man leading her to wherever Andrew was, a bit warily.

Had Andrew gone this far?

Why was he asking to see her at a place so far away from the main event ballroom?

"Is Mr Sterling waiting somewhere far away?" She spoke up to ask the man but he continued to walk quietly, if he’d heard her, he made no indication that he had.

This hallway was so quiet that one could hear their own breathing if they listened, did he really not hear her.

"Excuse me." Anne called for his attention and the man came to a sudden stop, he turned to her at once with an exaggeratedly kind smile on his face.

"Apologies madam, we will be there soon." Was the only thing he said to her before he resumed walking.

Anne hesitated a while before she continued to follow him.

The only thought that allowed her to continue forward was the fact that she wanted to ask Andrew if she could go home now.

She began to feel increasingly uncertain as the man took her through another turn.

Was he really taking her to Andrew?

This part was quite dark, much more so than the previous places they’d been.

The air smelled somewhat of fish and something sweet she couldn’t exactly describe.

It looked like a back entrance to a place people wouldn’t go frequently. It wasn’t a place Andrew Sterling would come.

"Mr Sterling is waiting for you in that room madam." The man pointed to a door Anne hadn’t noticed on the wall.

It looked like the entrance to a secret space, which made Anne feel uneasy.

She looked at the man’s face then at the door.

"Mr Andrew Sterling is waiting for me in there?" Anne asked the man, who kept a strictly straight face while he nodded.

Lowering her head, a smile of disbelief lifted her lips.

"I don’t know who sent you to trick me, but you and I know that Andrew Sterling isn’t here."

Astonishment colored the man’s face which had been composed till now.

She’d had her doubt from the moment he led her down this deserted place. At first she had fully believed it, but after sometime she’d began to think.

She’d been with Andrew a while ago and what happened between them was still making her feel awkward, she was wondering what he wanted to see her for, that was why she’d followed quietly but the man’s behavior had planted a suspicion in her mind, and seeing the man’s expression, Anne fully confirmed what she thought.

Andrew wasn’t behind that door, and whoever was there, she didn’t care, because that person had felt the need to trick her with Andrew’s name to get her here.

She couldn’t think of anyone who would do something like this and she didn’t dwell on it, because right now her priority was seeing Andrew Sterling so she could get out of here, hence when she confirmed it truly wasn’t Andrew who wanted her here, Anne let out a sigh.

"Whoever it is, please let them know that I do not appreciate being tricked. I know you’re only doing your job and you don’t want to get in trouble so I hold nothing against you for lying. I’ll find my way back." Anne said kindly to the man, she understood that someone must have put him to it and he couldn’t refuse, however whether she would stay or not was up to her.

Just when she turned to leave however she didn’t notice the desperate glint in the man’s eyes, nor did she notice the movement from behind until something hit her against the head from behind.

"Ah!" A short scream tore out of her throat as the force knocked into her skull causing her head to feel like it was on the verge of exploding with pain.

Her eyes rolled and she suddenly lost sensation all over her body. The last thing she felt was herself falling, and the man saying words she couldn’t understand in her hazy state.

"You’re right, I was merely doing my job and if I don’t want to lose more than just my job, I’m afraid I’ll have to hurt you."

Anne was thrown over the man’s shoulder, her shoe slipping off her feet but the man didn’t notice, he looked left and right to make sure once again that no one was witnessing this before he opened the door to that room silently.

...

The event carried on till around midnight, at this time many had enjoyed enough socializing, managed to form enough network with bigger more reputable families. Those who wanted to become more acquainted with the Sterlings in a relationship deeper than just business were left disappointed but more determined to secure it if there was a next time.

Slowly, the number of guests in the ballroom began to reduce.

Some couples were left in the beautiful center of the vast ballroom dancing to the beautifully romantic melody played by the quartet.

Clara lingered around until she found a chance to converse with Trish who excused herself from her group standing unsuspectingly in a corner with Clara, both kept faces with smiles pretending they were having small talk.

"You can be rest assured Clara, I’ll do well to teach her a little lesson, just so she knows that high society isn’t somewhere she can just waltz into." Trish said casually.

"I know you Trish, don’t go overboard. If you say it’s just a tiny lesson let it truly be just a little, nothing too far."

Trish smiled, "Don’t worry, I won’t get too carried away, besides I don’t want to get in trouble."

With this, Clara felt a bit satisfied.

Now that the new flower wasn’t in the hall, many of the men came several times to ask Clara to dance. It almost felt normal now that she had all the attention back however she just couldn’t forget what happened earlier when Andrew walked past her as if she were absolutely nothing at all only for him to approach Anne and take her away under everyone’s gazes.

Things weren’t normal at all.

Clara had done nothing in the past because Andrew had never showed the slightest interest in anyone ever before. She’d been patiently waiting for the moment she would nab the prize.

She knew that she was the only woman Andrew wasn’t irritated with and that was purely because of the image she’d maintained in front of him. But just that had made the thought of him falling for her seem very possible, but with Anne’s arrival.

Well, if Anne wasn’t in the picture and went back to where she came from, she would continue to maintain that chance of getting the love of the man she wanted right?

With a smile Clara sauntered out of the ballroom leaving countless disappointed men in her wake.

’Sorry Anne, it’s just... you attracted the wrong man. I have nothing against you, I just get what I want, even if it means kicking a few people out of my way.’

.....

Anne felt her body again, however it came with a freezing air that made her shiver even before she could open her eyes.

Her fingers moved first before she tried to open her eyes, a banging headache assaulted her and she sucked in a sharp breath and opened her eyes, when her gaze settled on her surroundings her eyes widened in fear.