Birthday bash.

The private room was decked out in full-on luxury. Glamorous dresses, clinking glasses, laughter—it was a whole vibe.

But right in the center of that buzzing crowd sat a man in a black suit, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. Legs cross, glass of red wine in hand, occasionally taking a sip, face expressionless.

Honestly, he looked like the guy who accidentally crashed someone else’s party.

“Come on, Cedric, I spent two weeks pulling this whole thing together just for you. Can you at least crack a smile?” A guy in a white shirt and black vest came over, grinning like a fox, holding a flute of champagne.

Cedric Thompson gave him a slow glance, didn’t say a word, and just looked away again. But his vibe? Instant danger zone. Get-too-close-and-you’ll-regret-it.

Leo Brooks instantly took the hint, stepped back like he’d felt a chill. “Okay, okay, you chill. I’ll zip it,” he said with a sheepish smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Two weeks of planning down the drain—Cedric didn’t even blink. Not that Leo was surprised. Everyone knew Cedric wasn't big on crowds. The fact that he even showed up? That was already a miracle.

Leo sighed. They’d grown up together, but somewhere along the way, their personalities flipped entirely.

The music was loud—club-level loud. A few guests tried to strike up a convo with Cedric, but Leo shut them down fast. “Scram, can’t you see he’s not in the mood?”

Right then, Cedric's eyes narrowed, sharp like a hawk's. He stared toward the door like something—or someone—just entered his territory.

Leo followed his gaze, and sure enough, a tall woman had just stepped inside.

Elegant, graceful, stunning. Designer outfit, flawless makeup, and that always-there gentle smile. Yeah, no mistaking her.

Jenna Blake.

The second Leo recognized her, he muttered under his breath and facepalmed. He leaned toward Cedric and said quietly, “Dude, you’ve got the most dedicated shadow ever. Your mom really found you a homing device in stilettos. How’d she even sniff this place out?”

Standing at the entrance, Jenna clutched a white clutch, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Cedric. Her brow twitched imperceptibly. Then, heels clicking softly on the carpet, she made her way through the crowd like it parted just for her. “Excuse me.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but somehow it cut through the music. Everyone froze for a second.

Jenna tucked a loose curl behind her ear and sat down next to Cedric like she belonged there—like this was just any normal day.Just as he sat down, Cedric Thompson finally broke his silence, his tone sharp. "Why are you here?"

Jenna Blake paused for a second, but years of dealing with him had long trained her to handle it all calmly. She smiled gently, looking at him. "It’s late and you’re still out. I was worried, so I came to check on you."

Cedric let out a cold chuckle, knocked back the rest of his drink, and toyed with the glass in his hand while giving her a piercing look. "You’re worried about me? Or is it my mom who’s worried?"

Caught but not flustered, Jenna shrugged with a helpless smile. "Alright, fine, it’s your mom."

Cedric slammed the glass down on the table, and the mood between them instantly dropped a few degrees.

Others at the table shared knowing glances, clearly enjoying the drama about to unfold.

Everyone who knew Cedric had heard of Jenna—but they also knew he couldn't stand her. She was the Blake girl adopted by the Thompson family, basically the “bride” pre-selected by Mrs. Thompson. No matter where Cedric went, Jenna wasn’t far behind.

Still, you had to give it to her—clingy as a sticker, that one. No matter how mean Cedric got, she always kept this calm smile on her face. He’d finish ranting, and she’d pick right back up like nothing happened. This had earned her a weird kind of respect from Cedric’s friends, who often joked in private that if she wasn’t already "booked" by the boss, they’d have snatched her up themselves.

Sensing things were about to take a turn for the worse again, Leo Brooks jumped in to lighten the vibe. "Hey hey hey, why’s everyone so tense? Since our dear Jenna’s here, how about a game? The more the merrier, right?"

Cedric said nothing, but Jenna nodded with a smooth smile. "Sure, what are we playing?"

The tension eased a bit, and Leo let out a sigh of relief. He gave a playful wink, tossed a dice shaker high into the air—

Gasps came from all sides as he caught it with impressive flair, letting it spin and flip in his hands before slamming it onto the glossy table. "How about a game of high or low?"

Cheers broke out around the room as Leo ran a hand through his hair, obviously pleased with himself.

A quieter voice chimed in, “Is there a prize for winning?”

Leo turned to see it was Clara Reynolds—Cedric’s secretary. She looked nervous but determined, standing there with her chin slightly raised.

Everyone knew Clara had a thing for Cedric. That much was obvious. A couple of the guys even whistled in jest, and the mood surged with a mix of teasing and curiosity. Picking up on it, Leo smirked and glanced at Cedric. "Alright, how about this—if Clara wins, she gets to sit next to our dear Cedric. Sound good?"

He figured stirring the pot a bit might actually cheer Cedric up a little. Growing up together, Leo knew just how to mess with him.

Cedric glanced over at Clara, then looked away without a word—no objections, which was as good as a yes.