Allyce stared at the phone screen for a few seconds before taking the call.
“Uncle”.
Desiderio’s voice was soft when he asked, “Do you have a date tonight?
Allyce froze for a moment and then answered: “What’s wrong?
“Stay with me tonight for a dinner”. Desiderio didn’t mince his words with her either.
Allyce frowned slightly, was Desiderio in Cloud Cit again?
Desiderio didn’t give him the opportunity to ask any more questions, he just hung up with a “I’ll send you the time and place”, as if he was busy.
The place was Kimdis, and Allyce put up a bit of a fight.
But whether I wanted to or not, I had to go.
It didn’t matter whether he attended the party or not, what mattered was that Desiderio had returned to Cloud Cit.
…
In the evening, Allyce got dressed and went straight to Kimdis.
He arrived just as Desiderio arrived and they met at the front door.
Allyce smiled slightly and approached him: “Uncle.
Desiderio nodded and headed inside with her.
He had a sharp look on his face and when he came into the hall, in the bright light, he suddenly said: “Why have you lost weight?
“I lost my appetite in the summer, so naturally I’ve lost weight”. Allyce responded matter-of-factly.
Without further ado, the two men walked together into the ballroom.
Once inside, Desiderio was surrounded by people and Allyce was alone when she met someone she knew.
Enzo also saw her at once and approached her with his glass of wine: “Allyce, it’s been a long time”.
His tone was flippant and his eyes swept back and forth across Allyce with a look that was anything but kind.
It had been a long time since I had seen Enzo.
He had no intention of paying attention to Enzo, but when he saw the glint of hostility under his eyes, he said no. He said he would not.
Allyce spoke quietly: “How have you been?
Enzo smiled coldly: “Thanks to you, it was great”. He had been to the police station several times, how could he not be?
Allyce laughed along with her: “Really? It doesn’t look like it.
Enzo’s words made her sure that Enzo hated her.
Enzo hated her for what had happened to Senona.
She couldn’t understand why Enzo was still obsessed even now, when Senona had been so vicious before and had since repented.
Was it just nature?
Allyce’s words made Enzo angry.
She moved closer to Allyce, so close that only half an inch separated them before she lowered her gaze and said quietly, “Allyce, are you proud of yourself? Making me lose my reputation and being abandoned by that Senona woman, you are very capable!”
“What is there to be proud of when it comes to such a disgrace?” Allyce lifted her chin slightly, looking arrogant.
“Enzo, there you are, I’ve been looking for you everywhere”.
A man’s voice rang out and Allyce unconsciously looked up to see a plump man walking towards her.
The man’s eyes lit up at the sight of Allyce, and he took three steps forward and nudged Enzo with his arm, “Can’t you introduce me to this lady?”
As he said this, his eyes fell on Allyce.
The look in his eyes was as if he wanted to undress Allyce and look at her completely.
It was natural that the people Enzo hung out with were not good.
Allyce knew that Enzo held a grudge, so she didn’t want to get involved with Enzo’s “friends” any more.
She turned to leave and the man was about to call out to her: “This lady …”.
Then came Enzo’s voice: “Zenon, don’t even think of talking about this woman.
“Hey, is there a girl I can’t pick up?”
Enzo snorted: “She’s the wife of the president of LK, who do you think you are?
Allyce had not stopped in her tracks, and the voices of the two behind her were muffled.
Zenon?
Why did the name sound so familiar?
She remembered the time Casimiro and Eric had mentioned that the man they wanted Senona to marry was called Zenon.
Cloud Cit was big, but the circle was small, how many Zenon could there be?
That thought made Allyce’s face get even worse.
It seems their suspicions were correct; where would there be a man Casimir and Eric could take a good look at?
She hadn’t really wanted to come to this dinner, and now that she had met Zenon and Enzo she felt even more bored.
But since Desiderio had asked him to come, he could not leave without permission.
Allyce had to find an excuse to go to the bathroom and get some air before continuing to the ballroom.
“Madam!”
He was about to enter the ballroom when he heard a familiar voice.
Allyce’s body stiffened slightly.
It was to be expected that he would meet Xabat here.
But from the way he addressed her, it was as if he didn’t know that she and Severo were divorced.
Allyce turned her head, saw that Xabat had approached her and spoke: “Don’t call me that anymore, Severo and I … are divorced”.
Xabat’s eyes shot up and widened as if he had heard something out of nowhere, and he said in surprise: “What, what?
“I’ll go first.” Allyce didn’t want to say more and turned around to go inside.
Desiderio was waiting for her in the lounge area.
He then introduced Allyce to some of the former bosses before the two were ready to leave.
At that moment, an unexpected person appeared.
Seeing Severo come through the door with his men, Allyce was inexorably lost in thought for a moment before looking away.
Desiderio turned his head to look at Allyce, who was clearly abnormal, and his eyes twinkled slightly as he spoke slowly, “I’m a little tired, so since Severo has come to see you, I’ll go first.”
“He’s not here for me, I’ll walk with you”. Allyce said and stood up.
Desiderio looked at Allyce carefully and didn’t say much.
The ballroom was large, with a main door and a pair of side doors for emergency evacuation.
Allyce and Desiderio chose one of the side doors at random and prepared to leave.
But to their surprise, just as they reached the door, someone stopped them: “Mr Alvidrez, our boss has asked you to join him for tea.
Before Allyce realised what was happening, she heard Desiderio speak calmly: “It’s too early for tea”.
Severo’s voice sounded behind him: “What if I have to take it today?
Allyce stepped back and saw that Severo, who had been in the ballroom earlier, had appeared behind him at some point.
As if he felt someone was watching him, Severo raised his eyes and looked in Allyce’s direction.
Allyce averted her eyes as if she had been burned.
“Is this the way Señor Betances treats himself? Desiderio smiled, unmistakably subdued.