Chapter 247: Called at the right time

"A-ah, Miss, you’re here...?"

The woman flinched slightly at the sudden voice, turning around with an expression of mild surprise.

Blake stood in front of her, a small smile already forming on his face. Before she could say anything, he slipped an arm around hers.

"I was searching for you. Sorry I left you back there. The call ended up lasting longer than expected."

The woman continued to look slightly surprised for a few more seconds before her expression softened.

"Don’t worry about it. I understand."

She smiled reassuringly and gave his arm a gentle squeeze. Then her eyes shifted, her smile faltering slightly.

Blake noticed immediately that she was looking past him, at Sylvan.

He followed her gaze.

The man stood exactly where he had been before, watching them with an unreadable expression. There was only the faintest smile on his lips, though something about it made Blake instinctively want to grimace.

It wasn’t quite friendly.

Blake turned toward him.

"Sir. Good evening. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything major."

For a moment, Sylvan simply stared, his faint smile slowly widening.

"No, of course not."

His voice was perfectly pleasant.

"You didn’t interrupt anything."

His gaze briefly shifted toward the woman beside Blake.

"It wasn’t my intention to take away your friend."

"No worries, sir. I’m actually glad to see the two of you were getting along."

The woman looked between them.

"You already spoke to each other?"

Blake’s eyebrow almost twitched. Damn it, he wanted this whole interaction to end now!

"I had the pleasure of having a conversation with him on the first night."

She covered her mouth, looking excited.

"I see."

She looked as though she were about to continue when suddenly...

Brrr! Brrr!

The sound of her phone ringing cut through the conversation.

The woman startled.

"Oh, excuse me."

She pulled her phone from her purse and glanced at the screen. The pleasant expression on her face immediately disappeared, her eyebrows drawing together.

"Sorry," she said, looking between Blake and Sylvan. "I have to take this."

The man gave her an accommodating smile.

"Go ahead."

He gestured lightly with one hand.

"We’ll continue our chat. Won’t we?"

Blake froze for just half a second, while Sylvan’s smile remained, sly and calm.

’This bastard...’

Those words made him swallow the irritation rising in his throat, forcing himself to smile.

"Of course."

The woman didn’t seem to notice anything strange.

"Thank you. I’ll be right back."

She stepped away, phone already pressed to her ear.

Blake watched her go. After only a few steps, she was far enough away that their conversation would be private.

Silence settled between the two men.

He slowly released the breath he’d been holding. He had been hoping to avoid this, but fate really had other (wretched) plans.

"I see you brought your boy-like son here again."

Finally, Blake’s voice broke the silence.

Sylvan’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he tilted his head.

"Was it lovely to spend time with him?"

There was something slightly provocative in the question. Blake kept his expression neutral.

"Of course, it was. Such a considerate man, I was left impressed."

"Of course, he’s kind, and he always listens well. You must have noticed that."

His eyes remained fixed on Blake.

"Considering how much time you spent with him on the second night."

He stiffened only slightly. He knew Sylvan had kept an eye on them for most of the evening, yet hearing him basically admit to it, although rather indirectly, was definitely worrying.

"Yes, that’s right, sir."

The man hummed thoughtfully.

"Tell me."

He took a slow step forward.

"What interesting conversation did the two of you entertain?"

Blake’s lips pressed together.

’What is he trying to get out of me now?’

On the second night, Sylvan had definitely noticed something about his interaction with Asher. Which, to be fair, had lasted for a good chunk of the evening, so it would’ve been weirder if Sylvan hadn’t picked up on it.

He couldn’t afford to reveal his uncertainty now.

"We spoke about a few things. As you saw, I taught him how to dance, since he wasn’t too skilled at the start... Then we spoke briefly about our lives. Nothing major."

"Briefly?"

There was amusement in his voice.

"And here I thought you were starting to become birds of a feather, Miss."

Sylvan took another step.

Blake’s instincts immediately told him to move back, but he resisted, as stepping away now would look careless.

Worse, it would look nervous.

So Blake remained exactly where he was, shoulders relaxed and expression composed.

"We definitely got along."

He offered a polite smile.

"But the nature of this event must not be forgotten."

Sylvan’s eyebrows lifted.

"Nature? Pray tell, what is the nature of this event?"

Sylvan moved closer.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Something was wrong.

Sylvan wasn’t being friendly. What gave it away wasn’t simply his tone, or the questions he was shamelessly asking.

It was the way he carried himself.

"It’s to make connections, sir."

"Connections."

Sylvan repeated it thoughtfully.

"That’s right."

His smile returned.

"And yet you..."

He paused, not continuing his statement, almost absentmindedly.

Then he slowly raised one hand, which made Blake freeze in place.

His muscles tightened.

His breath caught.

For one terrible instant, he couldn’t move, but the hand continued toward him.

’What is he doing?’

He couldn’t tell. There was no clear intention in Sylvan’s expression.

But he saw him doing the same exact thing earlier, with the other woman.

Blake tried to see what was in his hand, but it was too dark, and he couldn’t openly look up at it, in case this was just a test.

His fingers twitched at his side. Despite everything, he was ready.

If Sylvan tried something, Blake would move. He would have to!

The hand drew closer.

His heart hammered violently against his ribs.

BA-DUMP.

BA-DUMP.

BA-DUMP.

"M-mister!"

The voice rang across the room.

Both men stopped.

Sylvan’s hand remained suspended in the air.

Blake’s attention snapped toward the source of the voice. He saw a familiar figure hurrying toward them.

It was Asher.