Chapter 9

Adrian P.O.V

I arrived at the venue, and all the arrangements for the anniversary were managed impeccably by my staff. I spotted Mom and Dad in the room, engaged in conversation with some guests. I made my way towards them.

"Hey Mom and Dad," I greeted, giving Dad a side hug and kissing Mom on the cheek.

"Hello, Son. How are you? You hardly visit us anymore," Mom said with a hint of sadness.

"I'm fine, Mom. I've just been busy with work. I'll definitely come and stay with you once I'm free," I replied.

"You did an excellent job organizing everything for today," Dad said, patting me on the shoulder.

"Anything for you both. I'm glad you like it," I replied, feeling pleased as I continued talking with them and mingling with other guests.

Soon, I excused myself to attend to a few business associates when I noticed Jessica at the entrance. She immediately spotted me, and as our eyes met, she smiled seductively. She walked towards me in a short cocktail dress. Once she reached me, I quickly gave her a tight hug.

"You look so beautiful, babe," I whispered in her ear. She giggled and thanked me. We became engrossed in conversation with our friends and business partners. A few minutes later, Chloe and Justin joined us.

I was still unsure whether Chloe and Justin were a couple.

We were all chatting together when Chloe spoke with Jessica, while Justin discussed his new project with me and Noah. Our conversation was interrupted when I noticed everyone looking towards the entrance. I ignored the crowd and continued talking until Justin exclaimed, "Wow! Who is she?" This made everyone turn their attention towards him.

I looked back to see whom he was referring to and was taken aback by the sight of a stunning woman walking down the stairs. She looked breathtaking with her angelic face and alluring figure. Her brown hair was neatly styled, and her flawless face was adorned with minimal makeup. The blue strapless dress she wore hugged her figure perfectly, making it hard to take my eyes off her.

Almost everyone in the room had turned their attention to her. She descended the stairs with an air of confidence, her hazel eyes scanning the crowd. Her face lit up when she found what she was looking for, and she started walking towards the opposite side of the room, soon disappearing into the crowd.

"Who was that?" Chloe and Jessica asked in unison. I shrugged, indicating that I didn't know.

"I don't know her either," Noah and Justin replied similarly.

"She's hot," Justin commented, earning a small punch from Chloe.

"Well, has anyone met Sarah yet?" Noah asked, his comment dampening my mood.

"I haven't seen her at the party," Jessica replied.

"Do you know anything about her arrival, Chloe? After all, she's your sister," Justin asked. I noticed Chloe's expression shift from happy to irritated.

"She is not my sister; she can never be my sister," Chloe declared.

"Well, I just hope she doesn't show up at this party. At least then the engagement drama might get postponed," Jessica muttered irritably, and we decided to change the subject.

I was engrossed in conversation with a business associate from Russia about our upcoming projects when I saw her again—the woman who had captured everyone's attention. She was now talking with my mother, possibly congratulating her.

I made a mental note to ask Mom about her later. The woman had a warm smile on her face throughout the conversation with my parents.

"Babe, I'm going to use the restroom," Jessica said, heading in the opposite direction. I nodded in agreement and turned my attention back to my mom, only to find that the brunette beauty was no longer there with her. I looked around for her but couldn't find her.

"Have you seen your soon-to-be wife yet?" Noah asked a hint of amusement in his voice. Once again, someone had to spoil my mood by mentioning her.

"Well, I hope that never happens," I snapped at him.

"I'm just kidding; don't be angry," Noah said, patting my arm. I knew he was only teasing, but even the mention of that gold digger made my blood boil.

"Bro, did you try talking to Sarah about the agreement? Maybe you both can come to some understanding and cancel the wedding," Noah suggested.

"Well, she's a gold digger; she wouldn't back out of this wedding. This is the easiest way for someone like her to get what she wants," I replied.

"She was so desperate that she even signed the agreement before the meeting. She didn't even try to talk to me or hear my opinion on this whole marriage fiasco."

Noah placed a hand on my shoulder, trying to calm me down. He assured me that everything would be alright, and we went ahead to enjoy the party.

While discussing upcoming projects with a business associate from Russia, I saw her again—the woman who had captured everyone's attention. She was asking the bartender for something. As she looked around the room, her eyes met mine.

Her once bright hazel eyes were now filled with sadness. I was confused but couldn't take my eyes off her. She averted her gaze, but I continued watching her, captivated by something I couldn't quite place.

"You should stop staring at her like that; it's kind of creepy," I heard Noah tease. I glanced at him and saw him smirking.

"You already have a girlfriend and a fiancée," he chuckled, making me roll my eyes.

"I had a feeling I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn't remember where," I replied.

"Then go ask her yourself," Noah said with a smirk. I decided to follow his advice and started walking towards her.

I tapped her shoulder to get her attention. As she turned towards me, I was lost in those hazel eyes. She looked even more gorgeous up close. If Jessica wasn't in my life, I would definitely ask her out.

"Hey, have we met before?" I asked. She was about to respond when I heard Dad clearing his throat on the mic.

"Well, may I have your attention, please? I'm glad everyone could join us for this celebration," Dad announced from the stage, with Mom standing beside him.

As she saw me, her smile widened, and there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, which made me narrow my eyes in confusion.

After Dad's brief speech about how grateful he was for having such a wonderful woman like Mom, he shifted the topic to my engagement announcement. Taking a cue, I excused myself and walked towards my parents, joining them on stage.

Mom gave a short speech about her excitement regarding my engagement and then announced Sarah Darrell, who would soon be my future wife.

I spotted Jessica in the crowd along with Noah, Chloe, and Justin. Jessica was smiling, but her eyes betrayed her true feelings. I wished Jessica could be in Sarah's place; she deserved to be Mrs Parker, not Sarah.

Mom waved in a direction and requested Sarah to come on stage. I followed her gaze and looked for Sarah but saw no one except that brunette beauty among a few other people standing beside her. I continued searching the room but couldn't find Sarah anywhere.

"Ah, here comes my beautiful daughter-in-law," Mom said. I turned towards her and saw the same brunette beauty. She hugged Mom, who whispered something in her ear.

I was momentarily stunned—she couldn't be Sarah. There must be some misunderstanding.

"Is she Sarah Darrell?" I asked my father. He nodded, and I saw Mr. Amario walking behind her onto the stage, confirming that she was indeed Sarah Darrell.

F***... I didn't expect this now...