CHAPTER 96: BEST FRIEND

Roman and Patricia moved through the gallery, exchanging pleasantries...well, mostly Roman, since he recognized several of the guests. Patricia, though she had barely paid attention at Silver’s birthday party, still spotted a few familiar faces from that night.

With his hand around her waist, Roman drew her closer and whispered, his gaze fixed on someone across the room. "There is your target, she..." he began, but abruptly stopped. Patricia raised an eyebrow, turning her head toward him.

"He is here," Roman mouthed, prompting her to follow his stare. Her eyes landed on Syres, and she sighed in disbelief.

Roman stepped forward, but Patricia quickly tugged him back, forcing him to stop and meet her gaze.

"You know Syres. Confronting him here won’t do you any good, it might be part of his plan. And Eve isn’t even here, so I don’t think you have much to worry about." She tried to reassure him, though Roman wasn’t convinced. His real question was whether Syres knew the kind of man Paul truly was. Because if Syres was here, it had to be through an invitation, and there was no way he could have gotten the invite except through Paul.

As Roman opened his mouth to speak, his gaze shifted behind her. "I am afraid not," he muttered. Patricia turned as well, her resolve faltering.

Eve was there, standing beside Paul, smiling brightly as they moved through the crowd. They were heading straight toward them. Patricia couldn’t turn away, so she held her ground while Roman straightened beside her.

"I wouldn’t expect less from my brother-in-law. No doubt you have stayed single this long for a reason. Welcome to my exhibition," Paul greeted warmly, complimenting Roman as they approached. Then he moved his gaze to Patricia and gave her a wide smile which she returned back.

"Save the flattery for the women. I thought this was supposed to be an exhibition for the people of this city?" Roman replied coolly, his indifference wiping the smile from Eve’s face.

Paul faltered, confused, then forced an awkward smile. "Ah, I nearly forgot. Mr. Syres insisted on attending, and I only gave him an invitation after he claimed you were best friends. I assumed you would know better than I would." His tone edged more accusatory than apologetic.

"What? Syres is here?" Eve gasped, pulling her hand free. Her lips parted in shock as her heartbeat quickened, and her eyes darted around the hall, searching for him. But just as she began to turn, Roman’s voice cut in,

"I suppose you are easily deceived by words, if you didn’t even wait to confirm his claim." His remark snapped her attention back.

"I was going to have my man confirm, but then he showed me a picture of you two on a yacht. It looked far too recent to be fake," Paul countered. Roman’s brows furrowed, suspicion stirring. He recalled only one yacht where he and Syres had crossed paths recently, and they had never taken a photo together. So what picture was Paul shown?

When Roman didn’t say anything, Paul continued, "If you don’t mind, there’s a soirée after the exhibition. You could wait behind for..."

"No. They won’t be attending any soirée." Eve cut in sharply, her tone clipped and her hard gaze locking on Roman as if daring him to defy her. "My beloved brother is far too busy for such distractions."

"Oh, what a charming gathering. Mind if I join?" A familiar voice slid in before Roman could reply. They all turned at once, their reactions varied but unmistakably tense.

"Speak of the devil. Mr. Syres, we were just talking about you," Paul said, forcing a warm smile.

Syres smirked. "You were? How flattering. I do enjoy being the subject of conversation, it makes my journey feel..." He turned, letting his eyes rest on Roman. "...purposeful."

"I told you not to come." Eve’s voice broke through, pulling his attention. Their eyes locked, the memory of their last encounter flickering between them. For a brief, dangerous moment, Eve swore she saw longing in his gaze. Her chest tightened, until he said, "I would never miss your wedding. You are like a sister to me, Eve. The sister I never had." His words hung in the air, the atmosphere thickening with unspoken tension.

Eve clenched her fists behind her, her composure slipping. Patricia noticed the twitch of her face and moved to intervene, but Roman cut in coldly, "Really? Strange words from a man who hasn’t spoken to his ’sister’ in years. Does silence also count as affection?" His stare bore into Syres.

"What can I say?" Syres replied smoothly. "I haven’t spoken to my best friend either. Yet here we are." His smirk tilted the argument in his favor.

Then, with deliberate ease, he shifted. "Patricia, you look stunning tonight. If only I met you before my best friend..."

Eve’s face drained, disbelief and fury clashing in her expression. Roman snapped, his hand shot to Syres’ collar. "Watch your mouth. I know exactly what you are doing, hurting Eve just to get to me." His glare burned, but Syres didn’t flinch. Instead, he leaned closer, his smile dark.

"I am glad you saw it. But this..." his voice lowered to a blade’s edge " is nothing compared to what you have done." He spat the words like venom.

Eve’s eyes darted to Patricia, taking in her elegance with a sudden, crushing sense of inadequacy. Patricia caught the look and silently cursed Syres, he had just sown the seed of bitterness between them.

Was Patricia the reason he had walked out on her at the bar? The thought stabbed through Eve. When had he even met her? Maybe Patricia had always been there, lurking in the background. Was this what Syres had been hiding, that his heart already belonged elsewhere? How did he have the time to fall in love with her? But then again, love obeyed no rules of time.

"Eve, may I speak with you?" Patricia stepped forward quickly, seizing the chance before that seed grew into something poisonous.

And amidst the storm, one man watched with growing amusement. Paul. He absorbed every detail, every fracture, every glance that betrayed forbidden emotions. In truth, Syres had only been invited because Paul suspected something, and now his suspicions were confirmed. So this was why Eve agreed so easily to every demand, why she was rushing toward the altar. She loved another man.

A sinister smirk curved his lips. Now the game would be far more entertaining.