She was thinking about an excuse. Maybe she should act like she twisted her foot, and use it as an excuse to not dance anymore.
She was thinking about it. She then put out her foot and wanted to act that she twisted it. But then someone reached out their hand and grabbed her arm.
The person’s palm was large and warm as if a fire was burning her skin.
Phoebe felt electrocuted. She quickly withdrew her arm and looked at the person next to her anxiously.
“Mr. Fraser, you…”
Stanford’s hand was left tensely midair.
His eyes dim and he stared at his empty hand. There was a hint of darkness in his eyes.
He then said in a low voice, “Let’s dance.”
He opened his hand and was in an inviting pose.
Phoebe’s eyes were wide open. She looked at him confoundedly and wondered if she was hearing things, or that she was dreaming.
Did Stanford really want to dance with her?
This was too…
She didn’t even dare to think more about it.
Stanford started to feel annoyed seeing her all shocked and dazed. He reached out his hand and this time, he grabbed hers.
Hers was small and soft, he was taken aback upon touching it.
Phoebe was also stunned in place.
As if she was electrocuted, her eyes were wide open from the shock, and it was glistening as she stared at the person before her.
Stanford felt a bit uncomfortable, he tried to change the topic.
“Let’s go.”
Then, he nervously darted his eyes away, he turned around and pulled Phoebe towards the dance floor.
His walking was showing unrest.
Phoebe was forced to walk with him on the grassy field. She was staring at their hands the whole time, she didn’t even blink once.
Her quiet heart started to beat fast as if a switch was turned on.
He was like poppy, poisonous yet hard to resist. Once you got close to him, you would go crazy.
Stanford only stopped after they got to the dance floor. He turned around and looked at Phoebe.
He frowned looking at her so perplexed, he asked in a low voice.
“Do you know how to dance?”
“What?”
Phoebe snapped back to reality and nodded nervously, “Yes, yes I do.”
She was so flabbergasted that she almost forgot that they were about to dance.
Stanford pursed his lips and fixed his posture. He grabbed Phoebe by the waist.
They were facing each other, staring into the other’s eyes as they were standing so close to each other.
Phoebe’s heart was pounding loudly again.
She looked down jitterily and didn’t dare to look up again.
She was warning herself that this was only a dance. To Stanford, this was a task for a greater goal.
There weren’t any other emotions involved.
She shouldn’t think too much, she shouldn’t flatter herself.
Stanford grimaced looking at how tense Phoebe was. Did she hate to be with him so much?
Not even a dance?
He felt somewhat bothered. It was as if a stone was placed on top of his heart, he was getting irked by it and wanted to break the stone into pieces.
He pursed his thin lips and grabbed Phoebe even tighter by the waist. He led the dance.
They were dancing elegantly, but he purposely put more force into it.
Phoebe’s body was moving passively, she couldn’t control her movements very well and just like that she started dancing with him. He was stronger and was moving with force, she almost lost her balance a few times.
She was about to fall into his arms after every few steps.
She was immensely nervous, trying to focus and finish the dance. She used up all her energy to try to balance herself.
Kieran watched them dancing on the dance floor while holding a glass of wine in his hand.
The expression in his eyes was atrocious.
He was the one who was supposed to dance with Phoebe tonight.
“Shit!”
He exerted some force on his hand and the glass started to crack. He was emitting hostility.
“Phoebe.”
Stanford said suddenly during the dance. He called out her name.
Phoebe’s eyes were glittering as she stared at Stanford restlessly, “Yes?”
Stanford said, “The dancing session is coming to an end soon.”
So soon?
Phoebe’s heart tightened up. She didn’t know if what she felt was relief or sentimental.
Stanford continued saying, “We should stop dancing soon.”
Phoebe tensed up.
“There’s not much time left. Can you go to the room where the presents were brought to and bring me Kieran’s Blood Jasper stone? Blood Jaspers are often specially produced, where they originate from is rather specific too. If we look into that stone, we may be able to find out Kieran’s identity.”
Stanford said nonchalantly.
Phoebe suddenly understood what was going on upon hearing what he said.
Stanford prepared some amethyst crystals as a gift to provoke Kieran. Kieran liked to win, hence he brought out his Blood Jasper.
The more precious something was, the rarer it was. And it was something that Kieran kept with him always, this could give them more leads about his identity.
Stanford planned everything from the start.
The gift he presented was also part of the plan.
But she didn’t understand. There wasn’t much time left anyway, she could go get the Blood Jasper after the dance. It was only at most four to five minutes left to the dance.
Why should they stop early for mere minutes?
Phoebe couldn’t comprehend.
Stanford started talking again, “I’m going to let go soon.”
This was where the man would lead the woman into a turn. The man would hold the woman’s hand, spin her out and twirl her back.
But if he let go of her hand, she would spin out of the dance floor and it would look like there was a mistake in the dance.
This way, they could call it a day.
Stanford told Phoebe beforehand, wanting her to prepare herself. This was also because it depended on her to not fall due to the loss of tension when she spun out.
But Phoebe had a lot in mind, she was utterly confused. She didn’t hear what Stanford said and wasn’t prepared at all.
When Stanford let go, she lost her balance and was spinning out of the dance floor uncontrollably.
She was shocked. She knew that she was about to fall but she couldn’t do anything.
Her face blanched and her mind was blank.
It was going to be so embarrassing, falling during a banquet.
She also felt bad that it was happening right in front of Stanford.
She closed her eyes in despair, wanting to die in this instance.
But just when she was about to hit the ground, a large hand grabbed her hand.
He pulled hard and she moved towards the direction of the force. After that, she laid in the person’s warm and wide chest.
She was breathing hard, and she could smell a nice fragrance.
The closeness put Phoebe in dismay, she was agitated.
She quickly pushed him away and took a few steps backwards. There was turmoil in her eyes.
“I’m, so sorry.”
Phoebe didn’t even dare to look at him. She lowered her head and ran out of the dance floor.
Stanford stood where he was and grimaced. He looked dimly at Phoebe who was running away shakily.
He could still feel the touch of her soft body on his fingertips.
But now it felt empty.
He felt extremely disappointed. This made him even more on edge and skittish.
Phoebe ran as fast as she could out of the small garden. She was now in the mansion’s hallway. She stopped and tried to catch her breath.
Her heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would jump out of her mouth anytime soon.
She was hugging Stanford just now.
She never dared to imagine being in that position.
She tried her best to suppress her feelings, to forget about him. But when he was hugging her just now, the wall she built up in her heart all crumbled into nothingness.
The emotions that she tried to cover up were lighted up again, they were burning into an uncontrollable fire.
She wanted to just forget about everything and hug him tightly and madly.