Chapter 12: The Granny

Mark and Elena passed the few intimidating-looking bouncers at the entrance that let them in without checking their invites and walked straight into the large room blasting with music.

As they walked into the room, their steps came to an abrupt stop. There was a crowd on the dance floor wriggling their bodies in different directions.

This was not what Elena and Mark were expecting a cocktail party to look like. They should have known from the location of the party.

Mark thought he was thinking too much and leaned in to ask with his lips positioned close to Elena's ear, "Is this what a cocktail party usually looks like?"

Surprised at the question while trying to ignore how his warm breath teased the nerves in her neck, Elena leaned in to say, "I think there has been a twist in this one."

"I agree," Mark replied as he straightened his back and let his gaze dart around their surroundings. Apart from the people dancing their hearts out on the dance floor, others were mingling and chatting their hearts out with cocktail glasses in their hands.

The host of this party hadn't completely lost his mind after all. The real reason (making networking easier) the cocktail party was thrown, was being carried out.

Elena thought deeply about Mark's reaction to the scene before them and followed his gaze to the socialites having a conversation before coming to a conclusion.

She moved his gaze to his side profile before leaning over to ask, "Have you never been to a cocktail party before?"

Mark smiled and withdrew his gaze from the random people. He slipped his hands inside the front pockets of his pants before dropping his lips next to her ear. "I can't remember. I hate noise."

Elena was left astonished by a man that referred to blasting music as noise.

"Before everyone will notice my appearance since they are not expecting to see me here, let's go to the bar." Right as Mark said that he took her hand and pulled her away in a hurry.

He was afraid of everyone turning their attention to him and crowding them for the rest of the evening. He hadn't come here for them.

Mark let go of Elena's hand when they approached the bar with fewer people. After helping her into a stool, he sat on the one next to her before facing the bartender who was ogling at him.

"Good evening, Mr Mark," the bartender quickly greeted after catching his wits. "What would you like to drink?"

"Two Rich Girl cocktails, please. Don't make them too strong," Mark demanded.

"Coming right up, Sir," the bartender replied and quickly got to work.

On the other hand, Elena was still trying to understand the name Mark had given the drinks when she felt his breath fanning her cheeks. "You will love it."

This was coming from someone who could not remember the last time he was at a cocktail party. Well, that did not mean there wouldn't be other opportunities to drink.

In less than two minutes, they got served a cocktail garnished with spears of tropical fruit.

Elena observed her drink with a scrutinizing gaze before asking, "I wouldn't get drunk from one drink, right?"

Mark thought her to be very funny, and that brightened the gaze on her. Without thinking much, he leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, "You know, there is a reason the word 'cock' is in front of the tail."

Almost immediately, heat rose to Elena's cheeks. Watching him lean away, she didn't dare to meet his gaze. She couldn't believe that he would try to talk dirty with her.

Because of his gentlemanly moves since this evening, she had almost forgotten what he was capable of.

It took a full minute for Elena to recover and after she did, she attempted to push her glass to Mark who stopped her by putting his palm on the hand holding the cocktail glass.

The second she felt his fingers on top of hers, she withdrew her hand and watched him push the drink back to her while roaring in laughter. "I was just joking."

Finally, Elena clasped her glass before shifting her gaze to the drink. Just then, she felt a shadow looming over them. Before she could have a look, she heard a rich male voice calling out to Mark.

"Hehe… so this is where you chose to hide," Eric laughed as he slapped his brother's shoulders gently.

Mark sighed and dipped his head back slightly to drink from his glass. "I have been hoping for your radar not to locate me soon."

Mark and Eric had parted ways at his penthouse. While he went to pick Elena up, Eric found his way straight to the club ahead of him.

"Who do you think I am? As long as you don't stop breathing, I will find you," Eric said with a proud smile. But as he felt a pair of eyes on him, he turned to look behind him only to see the familiar beautiful woman sitting at his left.

Instantly, his eyes shone brightly. "Are you the granny from the non-influential family that doesn't know what is happening around her?"

Elena's eyes rounded as she studied the facial features of the handsome man standing between her and Mark. He had a striking resemblance to Mark Wang. "I'm sorry, what?"

Just as she was pondering about his looks and the words he said to her, she heard Mark making a formal introduction. "Elena, this is my brother, Eric."

"Your brother?" Elena looked surprised as she moved her gaze back to Eric who was still smiling at her.

"My brother said that's the only kind of person in City H that doesn't know who he is," Eric finished as he stretched forth his hand for a handshake.

Elena was still smitten by confusion even after shaking his hand. Her nose scrunched up as her brain tried to work quickly to dissect his words, but in the end, she couldn't understand a thing without Mark's help.

"Eric is talking about how you failed to recognize me two nights ago when everyone in this city knows who I am."

It was only then that the words his brother had said to him, made sense to her. The 'granny' in the sentence, represented her.