Date The CEO.com

Chapter 61: To Divide and Conquer

"Babes, I don't know if you saw it but that walk was LIT. Evangeline Reed is FIRE! Does anyone know her socials? I'll follow all of them."

"You heard it here, folks! Luna Athon drops Rainbow Collection with the freshest models of the industry. Will they blaze through the sky with their own marks?"

"Evangeline Reed kicks off the launch with a bang! Wow! Never seen a more fiery display! She embodied the color red. She is red. Red is she. The collection's Ruby swept the crowd in a sea of flames!"

"Such a beautiful array of women! Luna Athon set the standards yet again for diversity representation. What would she do next for her next product launch? We can't wait!"

"More than just the spotlight, Evangeline Reed captured hearts as well from the audience. From the strong entrance to the dazzling smile and to the heartwarming exchange with Luna Athon, this girl will not be forgotten anytime soon!"

The reporters faced their cameras or talked into their recorders. The event continued before their eyes. DSLR cameras captured still images for the articles. In social platforms, #RainbowLaunch became top trending and attracted more public attention.

Ambryan ignored them.

"Evangeline did so amazing, don't you think so?" His mother gushed beside him, tapping his chest with the back of her hand. She watched as the other models took the spotlight. The cool colors settled for a serene walk, depicting the tranquility of water.

Ambryan ignored her as well.

His attention focused on a redhead. She stood by the side, hidden away in the shadows. The rotating spotlights fixated on the platform and the grand staircase. Their brightness lured people into the current event display. 

None of them witnessed Evangeline's moment of vulnerability. 

She tilted her head up, her eyes blinking at the ceiling. It was a common gesture when suppressing tears. Her index finger patted the corners of her eyes. It made sure not to smudge her makeup. The moment ended as soon as it started.

She directed her gaze back on the platform and clapped along with the crowd. A soft smile stretched her lips. Her expression changed into a charming one. No one would have noticed that something was amiss. 

It made Ambryan frown. 

He had lifted one foot when he remembered their agreement. They were not to interact until the party ended. After this introduction, the bags would be unveiled from their hiding spots. Athon Luxury would take in orders. Part of their sales already came from admission fees. 

Uninvited guests needed to pay in order to buy the bags ahead of the masses. This helped them minimize the number of attendees, keeping the VIP access's prestige. 

During this time, Evangeline told him that she'd mingle with potential clients. She'd also conduct interviews to accentuate the image she wanted to portray. Every second counted for her to establish her individuality. She would maximize the possibilities and make them worth it. 

This was the time he absolutely could not approach her.

And he had almost failed.

Ambryan finished off his red wine. He placed it on a waiter's tray as the latter passed by. Luckily, it was a server that carried the same beverage. He grabbed a new one and drank half of it. 

His mother had left his side without him knowing.

"Woah, Yan!" Richard protested. He grabbed his best friend's wrist, pulling the glass away. "Are you okay? What is up with you? Why are you trying to make yourself drunk?"

He looked around and wondered what had triggered Ambryan. This sort of agitation rarely occurred. It had to be something important for his best friend to resort to alcohol.

"I am never drunk, Richard," Ambryan corrected him. True to his word, his posture and his mannerisms stayed composed. He fixed his cufflinks and collected himself. 

He wasn't entirely sure what had happened. Something kicked inside of him. His instincts told him that the wine would help and so he drank. 

Logic clearly flew out of the window. 

Richard snorted. He gave the wine back and said, "Yeah, sure. Okay. Point is... why are you drinking so much?"

"Needed a distraction."

"For what?" His eyebrows scowled, thinking of a reason. They only stood as spectators for the time being. Nothing much had happened. "Did I miss something? Did you and your gf fight? Or did you almost mentally cheat on her with that Ruby model?"

Ambryan's arm paused in the air. He had been ready to drain his second wine glass when he heard his best friend's words. Setting it down, his head tilted to one side and regarded the head of curly bronze hair.

"Richard."

"Y-Yes?" 

"Sometimes I wonder if you're a woman."

"What?" Richard blinked. "Hey"

But it was too late. Ambryan had vanished from his sight. He clawed his hair out of frustration. Was this what he'd get for trying to help a friend out? He only acted concerned. 

Did Ambryan have to trample on his good intentions?

"Mr. Wilson, it has been a while," Ambryan spoke above the crowd. His violet eyes centered on a burly middle-aged man. Brown hair stood on top of his head, tamed by hair products. He turned around at the sound of his name. 

"Mr. Hathaway!" He beamed, exposing his teeth under a mustache. His hand raised for a shake. "Good to see you here! I usually see Madison during these events. I'm surprised that you came instead."

Ambryan gave the handshake a firm grip. A polite smile blossomed on his lips. "Unless I have urgent matters to attend to, I do participate in these events. Madison merely acts as my substitute."

"Ah, yes. But don't you have a new tv series under production?"

"We do."

"'Define Love'," Mr. Wilson tested on his lips. He narrowed his gaze and sipped a bit of sparkling water. "What brought this on? Come on, you can tell me. Does it have something to do with your mother's new habit of matchmaking?"

"Has my mother been gossiping?" Ambryan joked. 

In truth, a hint of worry quivered in his mind. He had expected this arrangement to be privateaway from prying ears, especially from those he had business relations with. Avery wouldn't be foolish and expose such a scheme. 

That only left one other possibility.

"No such thing happened," Mr. Wilson denied. He raised his wine glass towards the CEO's direction. "I merely heard it from my daughter. I have to admit. I had hoped you'd choose her." 

Ambryan nodded, dropping his gaze to the floor. The answer confirmed his suspicions. He could foresee where the conversation headed. It became harder to keep a composed face overtime. 

"May I know who this lucky woman is?" The middle-aged man prodded. For the woman to outshine his own daughter, she had to be quite special. He had wondered about her since the selection ended.

"All in due time, Mr. Wilson." Ambryan smiled. He took a step back and raised his glass. "Just like how I told you that the stocks for that starting company would rise around this time of year."

The two men moved on to the topic of business and economy. They discussed the current market trends, forecasting which stocks would rise and which ones would fall. Most of the bystanders moved away from their spotexcept for businessmen such as themselves.

Richard eventually joined in after he found his best friend's back.

At the other side of the room, the media was in a frenzy. Interviews for the models had opened up. They took turns and asked them a series of questions. Luna had organized this moment before the party, providing more exposure for the rookies. 

This moment became crucial to their career growth.

Eve stood at her designated spot. Each tv network, website, influence and more only had 5 minutes of interview time. She had removed the cap and held her clutch, securing her belongings. It also helped how the bag served as an accessory and finished off her look.

"Ms. Reed, is this your first modelling job? What made you join the industry?" The reporter asked. He pointed the voice recorder in her direction and waited for her answer.

"Yes, it is," Eve admitted with a nod. Her lips hurt from smiling but she endured. "I had always been curious but never had the confidence. I consider myself blessed to have such an opportunity with Athon Luxury. They had opened a door for me that was previously closed."

"What do you hope to accomplish with this new path in your life?"

"I have yet to explore more about this industry. So far, that is my goal. I want to learn it and grow as a model. This once in a lifetime opportunity shall not be wasted. Not on my watch, at least." She laughed. "I hope to do my best and accomplish as much as I can."

"I have to say that was very well said, Ms. Reed." The reporter chuckled. It had been a while since he met a levelheaded rookie. Most of them thought highly of themselves and acted entitled. 

So, when he heard about the Rainbow Collection, he knew he had to do it. Luna always had a keen eye for hidden gems. And she did not disappoint. 

He scrolled through his phone, reading the script. He glanced back at Eve and held up one finger. "Ah, is there time for one more question, Ms. Reed?"

Eve checked out the other groups. It seemed everyone was still busy with their current interviews. Her feet shuffled as a cramp ached behind her legs. She had lost track of how many she talked to but, personally, she had enough. 

Her throat had become parched from all the talking.

"Sure. Go ahead," Eve replied, offering a kind smile. She heaved a sigh on the inside. She crossed her fingers that this would really turn out to be the last. Her legs and feet screamed for relief.

The reporter leaned the recorder closer to her mouth. His eyes scrutinized her face, watching closely. This question also involved facial expressions. For him, those held more significance than words. They revealed more than what's on the surface.

He wondered what kind of face she'd make.

"Are you single?"