The spotlight haphazardly swept across the crowd of dozens, perhaps hundreds of people. It seemed as random as the odds of winning a lottery. Yet, that beam of light unerringly fell on Aurora. She glared at the man beside her and muttered, “You jinxed it.”
“Aurora, can you find me if you’re blindfolded?” Julian repeated his earlier question.
Before Aurora could respond, the host’s voice boomed. “It appears we have found our lucky lady for today. Now, let’s blindfold her.”
A piece of black cloth was brought over. Aurora, who had been clinging to Julian’s sleeve, had no desire to be the first to dance.
But it was too late to leave. Someone covered her eyes with the black cloth over her mask and led her towards the center of the room. Aurora’s grip on Julian’s hand gradually loosened, until, at the last moment, Julian gently squeezed her hand, perhaps to help her remember this sensation.
“Now, do we have any gentlemen who would invite this beautiful lady to dance?” the host asked, his voice close to her ear.
Aurora felt the gaze of everyone in the room fixed on her, yet she could see nothing, which unsettled her. Even though her face was unseen, her figure alone captivated countless men.
Her skin was as fair as snow, her body graceful and curvaceous, her neck elegantly lined, and her delicate chin and exquisite red lips made her irresistibly attractive to any man.
The spotlight quietly shone on her, sending the men’s blood racing in anticipation of being chosen by her.
When it was announced that they could invite her to dance, nearly every unaccompanied man stepped forward, though a few were forcibly pulled back.
Julian, with his long strides, also stood among the crowd. Hayden recognized Aurora instantly and felt uneasy at the thought of someone else holding her slender waist soon. He put on a mask and walked directly towards her. Susan, not wanting to cause a scene, tugged at him quietly, but it was futile. Hayden was determined, and she couldn’t hold him back.
Hayden’s pace was relentless as he positioned himself in the crowd.
Blindfolded, Aurora was unaware of her own allure. Though they hadn’t seen her face, ten men now stood before her, each stylish and poised, undoubtedly among the best present.
The host exclaimed, “Wow, the beautiful lady indeed has charm. Now, twelve gentlemen stand before you. Whom will you choose to dance with?”
Aurora’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected so many to appear before her. Could she accurately find Julian?
“Now, you may have brief physical contact with these gentlemen. Once you’ve made your choice, place your hand in his,” the host instructed.
“These rules were indeed cumbersome”, Aurora thought to herself. She wasn’t in the mood to dance, but withdrawing now would cause a commotion. She just wanted to get through the event with minimal fuss, so retreating wasn’t an option.
She nodded and moved in the direction the host had indicated. Reaching the first man, she detected the scent of cologne on him and immediately ruled him out.
She had to admit that in this situation, she could only turn to Julian. In fact, finding Julian wasn’t without its methods. She had used his shower gel before, and he had already bathed and changed clothes when he came to pick her up today. When they were very close together in the car, she could still catch the faint scent of his skin. The trick of recognizing someone by scent wasn’t exclusive to men. After dismissing the first man, she had also identified a few men with a distinct cologne scent. However, the men that followed didn’t carry a strong perfume smell.
Aurora had no choice but to get closer to the men, and each time she approached, it accelerated their heartbeats, almost as if they couldn’t wait to pin her down. Hayden and Julian were conveniently standing next to each other. As she methodically eliminated each candidate and moved towards the center, Hayden’s heart also throbbed in rhythm with Aurora’s steps.
Aurora had reached Hayden, who bore no cologne scent, so she had to get even closer to him. As she edged nearer, Hayden felt his heartbeat quicken, wishing she would linger in front of him. However, Aurora moved on. She was well aware that this man wasn’t Julian. Julian’s face remained calm, and while it was impossible for him not to feel tense. He wasn’t afraid that Aurora would choose someone else, but he was terrified she might choose Hayden, the man she had once been involved with.
Returning this time, he always felt there was an unresolved tension between Aurora and Hayden. As Aurora stood still in front of Hayden, both men tensed up. Hayden’s outstretched hand trembled slightly, his palms sweating, indicating his inner nervousness. Aurora paused for a few seconds before him, and as she was about to leave, Hayden couldn’t help but call out her name softly, a whisper that only Aurora and Julian nearby could hear. Julian’s hand tightened.
Just as she was about to move away, Aurora turned back, stirring curiosity about whom she would finally choose. As she returned, everyone thought she would pick the man in the white suit. Hayden’s heart raced as she approached, his hands nearly reaching for her waist. Aurora whispered near his ear, “Unfortunately, you are not the one I’m looking for.” Hayden’s smile froze as Aurora slowly moved away, this time without looking back and walking straight towards someone else.
As she walked away, disappointment filled Hayden’s face and heart, knowing the outcome yet still unwilling to accept it. Aurora moved towards Julian, wanting to get closer to see if she could detect the familiar scent on his neck. Unexpectedly, Julian lowered his head a bit, and their lips brushed fleetingly. Now, without needing to smell, she knew it was him. Who else could be so cheeky? In front of everyone, Aurora slowly placed her hand in Julian’s.
Someone in the crowd whistled while Hayden watched Aurora and the man hold hands, his heart sinking, while Susan breathed a sigh of relief. The host’s voice rang out again, “Miss, have you chosen your dance partner?” Aurora nodded, her eyes covered with a black veil that gave her a sense of uneasy confinement.
“Since you’ve made your choice, you can take off the blindfold now,” the host added. Just as Aurora began to lift her hand, Julian did it for her, removing her blindfold.
“I’m glad you chose me after all.”