Chapter 13: The one he truly cares about

The evening ball continued until midnight. Karimba Cellon and Brenda Mclean descended to the grand hall, where they mingled and interacted with esteemed guests. Everyone praised them as a stunning couple, much to Brenda Mclean's delight.

Karimba Cellon still felt quite tired, but as the chairman and heir of The Cellon Group, he had no choice but to appear alongside Mr. Cellon and Mrs. Janet Cellon. Today, his mother didn't come, leaving Karimba Cellon feeling disappointed and somewhat dissatisfied. Nevertheless, it was her decision, and he had to respect it.

Brenda Mclean walked beside Karimba Cellon, gracefully accepting the envious glances from other socialites and the paparazzi's scrutinizing gaze. Everyone acknowledged Karimba Cellon as the most desirable man among women.

The party was still ongoing when Brenda Mclean hinted at wanting to dance with Karimba Cellon. He didn't know how to dance, nor did he enjoy it, but she persistently pulled him to the center of the grand hall, making him unwillingly the center of attention under the dazzling lights.

Crash!

"Ah!"

A strange sound echoed, followed by Brenda Mclean's shrill cries. Karimba Cellon quickly turned to look, and the scene before him startled him, leaving hundreds of distinguished guests at the ball equally stunned.

What caught their eyes was the image of Brenda Mclean lying on the ground, her strapless dress pulled down to her waist, exposing her milky-white bosom as she desperately tried to shield herself with both hands. Brenda Mclean burst into tears, struggling to preserve her modesty in the most vulnerable state. She couldn't think of anything else. Karimba Cellon was also taken aback, but he swiftly regained his composure, taking off his outer coat and draping it over Brenda Mclean.

"Samy, take care of her. Mike, inform the press not to take any pictures."

Karimba Cellon immediately called his subordinates to handle the situation. Brenda Mclean, limp like a strand of noodles, followed Samy into the resting room. The distinguished guests around were skillfully redirected by Mr. Minh, leaving only Karimba Cellon and a few serving staff in the grand hall.

Suddenly, in the darkness, a figure stood silently, staring intently at Karimba Cellon. With just a glance, he recognized that person as Alley Houston.

"What crazy stunt are you pulling?"

Karimba Cellon rushed towards Alley Houston, grinding his teeth with each word. Alley Houston stood in the shadows, gradually stepping closer to Karimba Cellon, a disdainful smile on her beautiful face.

"If she enjoys tearing clothes in the midst of a crowd, then I'll play along with her. What about you? Are you heartbroken?"

Alley Houston's gaze seemed to be challenging Karimba Cellon. He tightened his grip on his fist, glaring at her.

"Alley Houston, listen carefully. No matter what tricks you play, I will not change my mind about divorcing you. Your actions only make me despise and abhor you even more!"

Despite Karimba Cellon's resolute words, Alley Houston remained utterly composed. She smirked at him, her face exuding coldness, but her words carried an air of stubbornness.

"Karimba, don't pretend any longer. I know you genuinely care about me; otherwise, you wouldn't have sent Samy and Dr. Will to take care of me. Even today's incident is the same. You could easily expose me, command Mike to harm me in revenge for Brenda Mclean, but you didn't. Do you not understand your own heart, or do you have your own inner turmoil?"

Karimba Cellon was taken aback by Alley Houston's "accusations." He stared at her as if unsure how to respond to her words. Yet, one thing was certain; his heart raced with every sentence she spoke. Karimba Cellon pondered for a moment, intending to say something to Alley Houston when Samy hurriedly approached and whispered to him:

"Mr. Cellon, Miss Brenda has fainted. I've called for Dr. Will, and he's currently examining her."

Upon hearing Brenda Mclean had fainted, Karimba Cellon turned away from Alley Houston, feeling a strange sensation in his chest. He exhaled sharply, meeting Alley Houston's expectant gaze with a cold remark.

"You're delusional. Everything I've done is merely to avoid any further entanglement with you. The only person I care about right now is Brenda."

With that, Karimba Cellon hurriedly walked towards the resting room, leaving Alley Houston standing in the shadows with tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

In the guest room, Brenda Mclean was in such a state of panic that she couldn't think of anything else. However, she was convinced that someone had orchestrated that dirty scheme to embarrass her. Brenda Mclean couldn't help but think of Alley Houston, especially after witnessing Alley Houston's insanity on several occasions. What angered Brenda Mclean the most was that, despite all the incidents, Karimba Cellon still cared for and tended to Alley Houston. Don't think that she was oblivious to his actions. Brenda Mclean felt upset, but upon reflection, she realized that the victim in this situation was herself. She just needed to feign vulnerability, and Karimba Cellon would decisively cut ties with Alley Houston.

And so, Brenda Mclean pretended to faint, causing Karimba Cellon to rush into the guest room to care for her. As soon as she heard Karimba Cellon's footsteps, Brenda Mclean opened her eyes and began crying desperately.

"Karimba, I don't know how to face this. I'm so embarrassed in front of all these people!"

As she spoke, Brenda Mclean covered her face and sobbed. Karimba Cellon sighed, trying to console her:

"Don't think too much. I've stopped the media from taking any photos. Wait a few days, and I'll arrange some gossip about a few celebrity couples. By this way, this incident will be forgotten."

Karimba Cellon's promise somewhat reassured Brenda Mclean. She intended to lean into his embrace for comfort, but to her surprise, he stood up abruptly and said to Sam Goodwin:

"This was just an accident; there's no need to investigate further. The more people become curious, the more it affects Brenda's reputation."

"Yes, Mr. Cellon."

Sam Goodwin obediently nodded, while Brenda Mclean was stunned and dissatisfied. She wanted to uncover the truth, and she was certain that Alley Houston was the one behind it all. She wanted to make Alley Houston suffer a crushing defeat, thoroughly trampled and humiliated a hundredfold for what she had endured. However, Karimba Cellon ordered Sam Goodwin not to interfere with the investigation, indicating that he intended to protect Alley Houston. Brenda Mclean wasn't content, but she had no choice but to grit her teeth and let it go.

A while later, Brenda Mclean expressed a need to use the restroom, and Karimba Cellon no longer insisted on staying with her. Sam Goodwin escorted Brenda Mclean and stood outside, waiting.

As soon as Brenda Mclean stepped into the restroom, she splashed water into the sink, then splashed it onto her own beautiful face. She wanted to use the cold water to calm herself and continue plotting revenge against Alley Houston. Suddenly, the large mirror in front of her reflected a familiar face, half in darkness and half in light, sending shivers down Brenda Mclean's spine.