Is this destiny?

The MC showed up on the stage and announced the beginning of the entertainment.

He kicked off the event by explaining the rules of the 'dinner auction' which will take place and encouraged guests to cast their votes. "At 9 PM we will count the votes and announce who are the three lucky people with the most votes! At 10 PM the auction will start!"

After the MC finished with auction talk, he announced the first entertainer and a tall slim woman in a glittery dress stepped on the stage and graced them with her angelic voice.

Sarah and JoAnna shared an understanding that even if Lukas and Marcus are plotting something against Jeff and Aiden, it will probably happen after the auction. The chances are high that the voting will be rigged and that at least one of the White brothers will end up in top three. But what is the point in getting them to attend this event? Or that dinner? They need more information.

"We will go and check the guest house…", Sarah told Aiden and Jeff.

Since each of the people present could bring only one bodyguard, it's highly probable that they are people who are close to their employers, and that they know some secrets. And maybe they are willing to share them with a pair of Russian bodyguards.

"Be good.", JoAnna gave a meaningful look to Jeff. He understood that she was implying to those scarcely dressed women behind the bar.

Jeff sighed and shook his head. He was not womanizing before JoAnna came to his life. Why would he do it now?

At the stage, entertainers came and went. After the singer lady, a standup comedian, then a magician was next.

Jeff and Aiden observed that the event hall is almost full, and the various people approached them to exchange greetings, but they didn't stick around to chat.

At eight o'clock, MC announced that the event is about to get livelier because hostesses are going to join the party. Shortly after, young women dressed in matching maid-uniforms entered the event hall and joined two at each table. The maid uniforms wore black dresses with white lace at the edges, big front opening which shows the cleavage, and the length of the skirt is barely covering their bottoms.

"Hi, I am Gia. Let me know if you want me to get you any drinks, or appetizers, or anything…", young woman greeted shyly Jeff and Aiden when she took a seat on an empty chair next to Jeff.

Jeff and Aiden exchanged troubling gazes.

Gia saw that brothers are not interested in her services and she was close to panicking. "Please, don't send me away. If you don't need anything, can I just sit here? I promise to be quiet…"

Aiden looked around and saw that some of the guests are getting handsy with the hostesses. Some women were more receptive to it than the others. He frowned at the sight of a sixty-something old man fondling legs of a hostess who is in her early twenties, and she was obviously uncomfortable.

Aiden glanced at Gia and responded with a small nod.

Gia smiled gratefully. First, she thought that it's her fortune that at least she has some younger men to serve, and now that she saw how respectful they are, she is super-happy. She only hopes that two brothers don't change their minds and start getting handsy, or worse… to send her away and then she needs to serve one (or more) of those lecherous old guys.

Jeff saw at the neighboring table on his left a man in his fifties trying to get a hostess to sit in his lap and two tables further away a man was puckering his lips while demanding a kiss.

Jeff pinched the roof of his nose. More than half of the guests are older people in their fifties and sixties, Jeff knows most of them from the business circle. And some of the men are prominent politicians. Is this how they act outside office, when their wives and media are not watching?

Those hostesses are young enough to be their daughters, granddaughters maybe. 

Jeff heard about these men-only gatherings where rich and powerful take advantage of young women but hearing about it and seeing it is a totally different thing.

Both Aiden and Jeff wondered how many of these types of gatherings Oscar attended? Now they understood why he said that he will not come, and he gave them some vague warnings like: "Don't be too shocked with what you see… It happens more often than you think…"

"When Sarah and Anna return, they will flip…", Aiden mumbled but Jeff heard him.

Two men joined their table with one hostess seated in-between them. They are in their early fifties and they both made sure that the glass in front of their hostess is filled up with champagne. The two men didn't seem forceful like some of other men present, but it was obvious that they are trying to get their hostess to loosen up under the influence of the alcohol.

"It is our honor to be seated with Jeffrey and Aiden White.", one of two men said.

"Mr. Bolton…", Jeff responded with a nod and his signature cold expression was on.

"I don't think we met…", the other man extended his hand for a handshake.

Jeff didn't take his hand. "I've heard about you, Mr. Rice."

Mr. Rice's hand hovered in the air awkwardly for a second before he retracted it. "I am surprised that you know who I am."

Jeff nodded slightly while faint smile sneaked at the corner of his lips.

Is he going to tell him that Eve-vision provided information not only that his name is Michael Rice, but that he is also a CFO in Nyla corporation with information on his salary and all bonuses, 52 years old, married to his second wife and has three kids? No, Jeff will not say that. He enjoys this role where he appears all-knowing. 

Mr. Bolton eyed Gia who appeared idle. "Hey, why don't you come here?" He gestured closer to him.

Gia's eyes widened and she swallowed hard. Her insides jolted when Jeff spoke: "She is with us."

Mr. Bolton lowered his head apologetically. "She looked available."

Gia threw a grateful glance at Jeff. If it is up to her, she will stick to these two. They don't seem interested in touching her (or more), and it appears that they are powerful enough to intimidate others. If her evening stays like this, this will be an easy $200 she earned for one night of being a hostess. Gia is a second year college student and she accepted this job for extra money, unaware that the job might require much more than serving drinks and appetizers while smiling at rich people.

As soon as she noticed the awkward atmosphere, she thought of leaving, but the manager took her phone away when they reached here, and all the hostesses arrived in a bus. She is not sure where this place is, or how to get out of it. She told herself not to panic, but to take it one minute at a time. At this point, these two young men are her safety line. She hopes they stay that until the end of this night.

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