"Are you ready?"

Lina twirled around when she heard Wade's voice and smiled when she saw his mouth opened wide.

'Now that's the reaction I was hoping for!' She was pleased with his shocked face and pulled him towards her.

The brother and sister pair stood before the mirror and admired each other.

"Brother Wade looks dashing today. Is today some special day?" She teased him.

"Oh, what can I say? It's my sister's big day, so how can I slack off?" He quipped back at her.

Nico was packing his stuff when he heard their conversation.

"Oi! Don't forget about these!" He threw the masks at them.

Wade tied the mask behind his head. It went diagonally across his face and covered a large part of it. Now only one of his cheeks and his lips were visible.

His entire aura changed from dashing and handsome to mysterious and sexy.

Nico helped Lina tie her mask and covered up the back part with her hair.

Lina's mask just covered her forehead and eyes, everything else was visible.

They had matching black masks and they looked great when they stood together.

It was already 8:30 so they had to leave now.

Nico bid them goodbye and soon after, Wade and Lina were taking the elevator ride to the Opal Hall.

"Ready, Nana?" He squeezed her palm and asked when they reached the entrance.

Lina looked up at him and nodded as she took his arm.

'This is it.' She loosened up and Wade signaled the doorman to open the door for them.

*Silence*

When the other guests noticed that someone had arrived, they turned to see who had come.

But looking at the man and woman walking hand in hand, everyone just stopped and stared.

The tall blonde man wore a black suit with a sapphire tie and a black mask that covered most of his face.

The woman was wearing a spaghetti strap backless sapphire evening gown. The special thing about this gown was the tiny sequins on it that reflected the light and made it look like she was shining.

She had a black lace and net mask that hid half her face, so many people could not make out who she was.

"Who are they?"

"Do we know someone who looks like her?"

"Look at her dress!"

"I've never seen them at any gathering before today."

After the brief pause, everyone started speculating the identity of the masked couple.

Lina looked around the room to find her uncles and she saw them proudly smiling and waving at her.

Wayne was there as well but there was some pink-haired woman who was talking to him.

'There he goes again.' Lina rolled her eyes at him.

She could feel everyone's eyes on her but she had no reason to feel nervous because they had absolutely no idea about who she was.

Among the multiple eyes staring enviously at her, there was one pair of eyes that felt like it wanted to burn her alive.

When Lina turned in its direction, she found a couple standing together near the drinks table.

'Isn't that big fingered creep?' She instantly recognized the man whom she had met twice before.

She just couldn't understand why his partner was glaring daggers at her earlier but now it seems like she was smiling.

Lina shrugged and dragged Wade towards her uncles.

---

A few minutes earlier.

"Brother Reuben, long time no see."

Reuben rolled his eyes when he heard the sultry and coquettish voice that came out of the woman's mouth.

Talia Zheng, his old family friend and long time pain in his ass.

"What do you want now?" He bluntly replied.

Valerie Zheng gasped and glared at him when she heard his impolite words.

"Big brother Reuben, you must be grateful that Jie always talks to you even after you are so rude to her." Valerie rebuked him in a loud voice.

The people who were nearby heard her words and their attention was now on this group of youngsters.

"Looks like the Zheng family manners are dropping along with its share value." Reuben's cold eyes narrowed.

Valerie's body shook when she heard the contempt that oozed from his words.

Zheng's were tolerated because of their previous generations being the pioneers in the business world, but this did not mean that Reuben could be spoken to in such a tone by just some spoiled brat who lived off her parents' money.

Talia could feel his burning anger and she hurriedly spoke up before matters got worse.

"It's okay, Val. I'm already used to it. It was my fault for disturbing him." Talia looked down at her feet and the people who witnessed the scene felt a prick in their hearts.

She looked like an abandoned puppy who finally found its way back home but was yet again kicked away.

The older women were staring at Reuben like he was some monster and whispering to each other. While their daughters all cheered him on for making that fake bitch cry.

"I'm feeling nauseous, I better leave now." Reuben ignored the sisters and spoke to Wayne.

"I know how you feel, go get a drink for yourself." Wayne proposed and received a nod from him.

"Brother Reuben, wait for me!" Watching him leave, Talia quickly ran after him.

Wayne rolled his eyes and stared at the pink-haired lady who stood before him.

"Does your sister not understand human language? He said that he's nauseous which is clearly due to your sister's presence and yet she went after him? Tsk Tsk…" He glanced at Talia pestering him from a distance.

"Just because you are older than me doesn't mean that I won't retaliate to your words!" She glowered at him.

Pat and Ace shared a look and just silently witnessed this scene from the back.

While Asst Kim felt like he was in a whole different world. He had merged into the background because of the strong auras that everyone in this room held.

He was in such close contact with these legendary bosses from the business world and witnessed how they spoke kind words laced with malice.

Suddenly, the hall went silent and everyone looked towards the door.

Wayne, Pat and Ace smiled when they saw the newcomers and waved at them.

On the other side of the hall, Reuben too felt the strange stillness and glanced at the entrance.

He finally caught sight of his other best friend but what had shocked him was that Wade had come here with a date.

Though Wade had a mask on, he could clearly recognize his friend. But it was his date who was drawing Reuben's attention from the moment they had arrived.

'Who is this woman? She gives me a familiar feeling.' He watched as she glanced around.

She had just scanned the room and it looked like she was searching for someone. As if she had found that certain someone, she smiled at Wayne and his uncles and strode towards them.

As he watched her move across the hall, she suddenly stopped and looked at him for just a second before she turned towards the annoying woman who was standing beside him.

'Insolent girl?'

Their eyes had met for a brief second and Reuben caught sight of her beautiful brown eyes with golden flecks in it.

'Should I smile and say hi?' He wondered but it was not needed.

'Did I just get ignored?' Reuben's eyes widened when he saw her actions.

He was sure that she had recognized who he was but she just acted like they were strangers.

He frowned when she shrugged at him and pulled on Wade's arm intimately.

'How does she know him? Most importantly why did he not tell me anything about this?' Reuben glared at his best friend.

Reuben knew that Wade was making a secret appearance at the auction but they had failed to mention that he was coming with a date.

Most importantly, the date was someone he knew.

While Reuben was watching Wade and his date, there was one person who had witnessed how Reuben's entire attention was on this new beauty who arrived in a mask.

Talia Zheng watched how Reuben who was ignoring her existence was now intently staring at this mysterious woman.

She had noticed his earlier trance when the masked couple had arrived and she viciously glared at them.

'Who dares to take brother Reuben's attention away from me?' She grit her teeth but smiled when that woman suddenly turned her way.

Reuben did not bother about Talia and just watched how Wayne pounced on insolent girl to give her a tight hug.

'Who exactly are you, insolent girl?' He slowly sipped the scotch from his glass while looking at her.