As they were walking, Mia whispered, “Some of my friends are there. It is better if we keep our plan. Say as little as possible and avoid any questions.”

When they got near the group of Mia’s friends, Jack kept his poker face while disguisedly evaluating them. Three young women and three men. Mia gave two kisses on the cheeks of each of them and introduced Jack to them, with him smiling at them.

One of the girls, the one with long, dark hair, asked with a grin, “So, you found yourself a good-looking boyfriend, didn’t you?” She kept grinning and looked around at her friends while asking, “Is that the new terminology, dear friend, for a boyfriend? Sometimes I can’t keep track of all the new terms!”

Jack kept his cool, even while Mia was piercing his arm with her grip as if she were remembering him to be quiet. While everyone else laughed, Mia just smiled, but then the noise of a tray falling on the ground called their attention.

Without even thinking, Mia walked to get near the waiter, who stumbled, had his knee on the ground, and was trying to pick up the metal tray. She leaned over and asked, with a worried look on her face, “Are you alright? You didn’t hurt yourself?”

A young woman came rushing, dressed in a dark suit and with her dark hair tied in a ponytail. She helped the waiter get up and apologized profusely for his mistake. “I am terribly sorry, Miss Mia!”

“As long as he is alright, it doesn’t matter. You are alright, I hope!”

“I… I think so. I am sorry for this; I have no idea how I tripped!”

The woman with a ponytail helped the waiter fix his collar and made a gentle smile. “Probably nerves. This event is quite important for both of us.”

A mocking voice came from behind them: “No way! Gracie and Buford? What the heck are you losers doing here? Remember them, guys? They were in our school, always with that other loser… What was her name? It is on the tip of my tongue!”

In a flash, Mia was next to the mocking girl’s face and said in a harsh voice. “Her name was Anna. She killed herself from depression some years ago because of all the bullying we did to her during our school years. As for Gracie, she is working in this hotel as a manager, and Buford is her chief of staff. They always had good grades in school, unlike you! That is why they were hired to work here!”

The girl frowned and said, “You are the one to talk! You did as much bullying as we all did! It seems the rumours I heard were right. You started working in your father’s company, didn’t you? In a very insignificant position, considering you have a manager’s degree! Being a member of the working class softened you?”

While her friends laughed at the mockery, Mia answered, “I guess so, considering I used to be a cold-hearted bitch like you! By the way, did I say my supervisor in the mailing department congratulated me yesterday for all the hard work I have been doing and even said I was the best intern he ever had?”

The girl gulped and said, “Intern? What the heck? You are working as a lousy intern? Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Not really, no. But I am going to change departments tomorrow. I will be in the cleaning department for a while. What about you? Still being as lazy as a slug like you always were? Sorry, everyone, but there are a few people I need to talk to.” While getting near the frowning girl’s face, Mia said in a low tone, “I pity you, you know? And it makes me want to slit my throat by remembering I used to be a useless bitch, just like you.”

The girl raised her hand, only to see Jack standing between her and Mia. His eyes were shining with so much anger that she froze. He spoke, and she felt her life slipping by. “Touch her, and I will break every bone in your body. Then, I will rip your hand apart and make you swallow it. Don’t push your luck, kid.” He then looked at Mia, who was in silence, and he asked, “These are your friends? No wonder you… forget it. Let’s go before I rip their heads apart.”

Jack walked to the long food table and picked up a plate. Mia was right next to him, biting her lower lip. After a couple of seconds, he asked, “I overreacted, didn’t I?”

“No… I just… I got a glimpse of how I used to be… and I hated it. No wonder you lost your patience with me so many times when we were-”

He cut her off by saying, “You said you needed to talk with more people. Just let me eat and drink something to cool off. I am starting to think I am not cut out for this. All these stares, the whispers, the constant questions about you and me — not to mention those kids. You have some strange friends, you know? It has nothing to do with me, but with friends like those, I wouldn’t need enemies. You should go check on the hotel manager and the chief of staff. They left when your supposed friends were laughing, and I don’t think they heard you losing your temper and scolding that group of bastards.”

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Mia slowly nodded and said, while looking around, “I will be right back. Are you going to be alright here?”

Jack signalled with his eyes to the chef at the end of the table, who was dressed in a white uniform and with a long white hat over his head. “I am going to ask that guy how he made these tiny foods. Very tasty, despite being so small. Maybe he can give me a few pointers so that I can make a different dinner one of these days.”

“Invite me over when you do that, will you? I will be back in a flash!”

Mia left in search of the two who looked so gloomy when her friends were laughing at their expense, and Jack went to talk with the chef.

Then, someone stood in front of him, bearing a grin. Blond, tall, with blue eyes, and a proud pose. The same young man who tried to make him angry at the gym. “So, we meet again! And in such good company you are today!”

Without even a word, Jack went around him, straight at the chef, and congratulated him for the exquisite food he prepared. The chef thanked him, but then the young blond man grabbed Jack’s forearm and said, “Hey! I was speaking with you!”

Without even acknowledging the young man’s presence, Jack said to the chef, “Can I ask you for a few minutes of your time if that is not much of a bother? When you have time, of course. Not right now, because you are occupied. I just want to talk for a while about these tiny foods because I am very curious about how you put so much taste into such small samples. It tells a lot about your expertise and experience in the cooking field.”

While glancing at the still-angry blond man, who let go of Jack’s arm and was looking at him menacingly, the chef said, “It won’t be a problem, sir. May I ask, are you in the food industry as well? Or are you merely curious?”

“I used to be, but not anymore. Nowadays, I just cook for my daughter and an occasional guest. Hence, my curiosity about this. I wanted to try making something this good to surprise them.”

“I suppose we could talk when this is all over, if you like.”

Jack gave a big smile and thanked him, then signalled to a security man on the nearest wall, and when the man approached him, Jack said in a low tone, “Do you mind taking this vermin off my back? I don’t know who he is, but he is bothering me. It would be a shame if I caused a scene because of him, and Miss Mia scolded us both.”

“Of course, Jack. Sir, follow me, if you please.”

“Hey! Don’t you know who you are talking to? I am-”

The security man approached and said in a low tone, “Lower your voice. I just asked nicely. Don’t make me ask in a different manner. We are just going to talk in another room. Depending on your answers, you may return in a few minutes. Or be escorted outside. By force, if necessary.”

The young blond man faced Jack and said between his gritted teeth, “This is not going to end here! I will see you later, right after I put this guy in his place!”

When he left with his escort, Jack sighed and said to the awkward-looking chef, “I am sorry for this. Some kids have no manners. I will let you continue your work because I see Miss Mia returning, and she seems to be needing rescue.”

The chef smiled at him, and Jack left, arriving next to Mia in a few seconds, right when she was completely surrounded by a group of men and women who were asking her about all the rumours of her work in her father’s company and about who her escort was, since none of them had ever met him.

When Jack was near Mia again, and she was holding his arm, one man with grey hair and a short grey beard spoke, “I am surprised to see my sweet Mia with someone I never met. She said your name was Jack Cross. I once knew the Cross family, a very old and well-known family near my estate. Are you a member of that family?”

“Hardly. But why all that curiosity about me? I am not important, nor do I wish to speak about me. The reason for this event is to raise money for Miss Mia’s cause. I don’t see how my family name or my person would be significant for that. Unless you will only make a donation if you know my family. I seriously doubt such a distinct-looking man would fall so low as to only donate money because he expected to gain something, like recognition and business proposals, instead of the pure goodwill in his heart!”

The man cleared his throat and said, visibly irritated, “Aham!… My curiosity has a reason. I have known Mia since she was born, so excuse me if I worry about her choices for a company.”

With a kind smile, Mia said, “I am in excellent hands, uncle. I trust Jack with my life, and so does my father. Is that not enough?”

“I suppose it should suffice, but I still worry, child. Is he from a good family, at least? You have so many young men begging to worship the floor you step on, but you chose to come to this event with an unknown person to me!”

“He is a good man, so there is no need to worry, uncle. If his daughter came, then you should worry about my well-being! That brat hates my guts, and she is often trying to kill me every time we spar. She is a good training partner, despite her young age.”

The man made a deep frown, and the other people around Mia looked at Jack, while the same man asked, “He even has a daughter? Mia, you could…”

“Let’s drop this subject, please. I have more to worry about tonight than to explain why I preferred to come here with Jack instead of any of those spoiled rich brats.”

“I won’t ask or say anything more.” The man then turned to Jack and said, “But this is not over, young man! I want to know everything there is to know about you, and I won’t stop until I dig up every dark bit about you!”

“Do that, and I will do the same. And I can be very insistent and annoying when I have to. Miss Mia has already told you to drop this subject. Don’t make me force you to do what she said. Believe me, it won’t be pleasant for you.”