Chapter 192: 192: Favourite.
Eden panicked.
He felt his heart sink as he blinked, staring down at the ground while praying that it would open and swallow him immediately.
Adrian was staring at him. He had been staring at him since the performance, so he was almost positive that he was the one.
But Adrian stared at him nevertheless, a calm smile on his face as he said, "Is that so? I should pick the one that amuses me the most?"
Eden felt his heart sink at his voice. He hadn’t heard that voice for a while now, and hearing it made him realize how much he hated it.
"Sure," Marquis Dean smiled. "Just pick, and she’ll be yours to serve. And who knows, I might hand her over to you to take as a gift."
Adrian smiled as he sat back, calm while staring in the same direction.
Eden was already panicking because he could already feel that he was going to pick him. He didn’t want to believe it, but that was what it was giving.
And just as he suspected, Adrian raised his fingers. He smiled and then positioned his fingers to a particular spot.
"That dancer over there." His finger was pointing in the direction where the girls were standing, so it was hard to tell who he wanted.
The marquises all started wondering who he was pointing at. And as they stared, his fingers were still pointing in the same direction.
"Who is he pointing at?"
"Which lady? Who is it?"
They all wondered while staring. And just then Adrian made himself clear. "The lady with the terrible dance steps."
Everyone knew who it was. They all knew who the odd one out was when it came to their performance. And Eden knew himself.
He gasped, keeping his eyes down while his heart raced. "Does this jerk want to expose me or what?"
He muttered as all eyes fell on him. The other ladies had all made way for everyone to see Eden clearly. They stood at the left and the right, while Eden was now standing in between them, seen by all.
All the marquises began murmuring while staring at Eden. They all believed he was a girl and that she was gorgeous. But what they didn’t understand was why the Grand Marquis chose her, since she was a terrible dancer.
"Interesting choice," Marquis Dean said while staring at Eden. Eden still had his head down. "Is there a reason why? I mean... she’s the worst dancer here and has no exceptional features as a lady... so why her?"
Adrian almost rolled his eyes. No exceptional features? He couldn’t believe that he put all the effort into disguising like a lady before their eyes and this Marquis was here saying that he had no exceptional features?!
He felt disrespected as he stared down.
"I find her interesting," Adrian said. "I think she’s interesting."
"Interesting...?" Marquis Dean asked as he nodded.
The marquis stared at Eden, who was standing there, and said, "What are you waiting for? Don’t you have any respect?"
Eden paused. He didn’t know what to do at a time like this but to fall on his knees. And he did.
"You should be grateful that the Grand Marquis has taken fancy to you. So you should be glad," Marquis Dean said.
Eden knew this was his cue to speak, and he did. But he made sure he made his voice blend into the feminine act. "Thanks..." he uttered in a low tone, enough for them to hear.
His voice sounded like a lady’s.
"Now come over and serve the Grand Marquis with all your heart," Marquis Dean instructed.
All eyes were on Eden, who slowly got up to his feet. Still clothed in the dress that hung onto him, he made his way toward Adrian, slowly and steadily while making sure not to make a single mistake.
Soon, he was standing beside Adrian, who had a glass of wine in his hands. He had already been drinking for a while that Eden couldn’t tell if he was sober or not.
His butler, Mr. Hugo, had been giving him drinks and meals for a while now, and Eden was sure that they were not clean.
He was more than sure they were probably drugged, and soon Adrian would lose himself and create a leeway for them to do what they wanted—kill him.
"Serve him well. You can’t just stand there," Marquis Dean urged as Eden slowly went down on his knees beside Adrian.
Some of the marquises already had some ladies beside them keeping them busy, while some curiously had their eyes on Adrian and Eden.
Eden looked up at Adrian, his eyes glued to Adrian’s eyes that now came down to meet his. The rest of his face was covered by the veil hanging over his head and the one over his mouth.
Their eyes could only meet, and Eden could perceive the smell of alcohol on him. But it wasn’t heavy.
Adrian said nothing. He casually smiled as he brought his hand down to meet Eden’s chin.
He raised Eden’s chin with his hand and smiled. "Is it just me, or do you look familiar...? Those eyes..."
Eden panicked. He had a feeling that Adrian could recognize him. That was the last thing he wanted from this disguise.
So he knew he had to act fast.
Eden smiled as he brought up his fingers and ran them through Adrian’s face, resting them on his lips. His soft, wet lips...
"Are you sure you know them from somewhere...?" He smiled. "Or are you just drunk...?"
Adrian smirked as he picked up a cup of wine from his table. And then he brought it up to Eden.
Eden stared at it and then looked up at his eyes, which were on him. Eden’s fingers were still on his lips.
"Why don’t you give it to me instead...?" Adrian said. It was a calm command, and Eden knew he was in no stand to refuse it.