Chapter 36 A Good Show. Ariana walked back to the backstage area, applause ringing in her ears. Once she reached her dressing room, she collapsed onto a chair and took a deep breath. She would be lying if she said she hadn't been nervous. Any mistake, no matter how small, would be blown out of proportion. Ivan trusted her so much and she didn't want to let him down. She had to be perfect. Luckily for her, everything had gone well. Her dressing room door opened, and Ivan entered, absolutely beaming. He approached her excitedly and gave her a big hug. "Ariana, your performance was amazing! The bidding for the jewelry has exceeded our expectations. So far we've got the highest bid out of all the items, and it's still rising as we speak!". Ariana returned his smile. "That's great! Your design is amazing. You deserve this. Ivan walked over to the table, shaking his head with a smile. He poured out two glasses of wine and handed one to Ariana. "You get half the credit. I told you it takes the right person to bring out its charm. You were that right person. They clinked glasses, and she said with a wide smile, "Of course. The famous Ivan Russo has great taste. " 4. His smile grew even bigger as he looked at her, full of admiration. "I hope we'll have another opportunity to work together in the future. " He checked his watch and asked her, "Would you like to come with me to the dinner party later?". Ariana contemplated this for a while. "I'm afraid I can't. I have. something I have to deal with. Not wanting to pry, he simply said, "I understand. You do what you have to do

With that, he took the jewelry and left Ariana alone in the dressing room. She sat on the sofa and waited. She finally left the room just as the male model show was about to finish. The atmosphere was just as hot as in the female model show. The audience was full of distinguished women. After the last piece of jewelry had been displayed, the models began walking off the runway one at a time. Lynch handed over the jewelry to a member of staff, removed his mask and went back to the lounge. He stood by the elevator, fiddling with his cufflinks as he waited. A charming young woman walked toward him from the other end of the corridor. Despite how far away she was, he recognized her immediately. She had been the most eye-catching model on the runway. There was something unique about her he could tell, even though she wore a mask. It was impossible to take one's eyes off her incredible figure. As he stared, the elevator opened. He didn't get in. Instead, as if drawn by some invisible force, he walked toward this mysterious woman. Then he walked straight past her, his face looking straight ahead. He looked calm even though his heart was pounding fast. A delicious scent filled his nostrils and something soft brushed over the back of his hand as he passed her. His skin prickled with goose bumps. Lynch turned to look at her, and she returned his gaze, giving him a. flirtatious smile before walking away. A white room card fell from her hand and hit the floor. Smiling, Lynch picked it up and ran after her. "Excuse me, miss, you dropped something. Ariana twirled around and her eyes met his again. They held eye contact for a long moment. She didn't reach for the card. Lynch was spellbound. Over all his years of working in the entertainment industry, seeing beautiful faces day in and day out, he had never seen eyes as striking as hers. Now he grew curious to get to know about the owner of those eyes. He swallowed hard

"Miss, is this your room card?" he asked, after she gave him no response. Ariana chuckled. "Thank you, Mr. Bush. His eyebrows raised, he asked, "You know who! am?" He was unable to contain his joy. Ariana nodded. "Of course. I'm a fan of yours. He couldn't help but feel some satisfaction. He should've known. All women were superficial and they deserved to be treated like playthings. He would be lying if he said he didn't think this woman was beautiful. He felt himself being seduced by her. Lynch forced these thoughts to the back of his mind. "We've only just met but I can tell you are the most dazzling woman tonight. You are certainly doing justice to that dress. " 2. There was a hint of levity in his words. He scanned his eyes over her body, not bothering to hide his wondering gaze. Ariana put her hand to her mouth. "Your praise means a lot to me. I'm. so happy to hear you say that. Lynch smiled, holding up the room card that he was still holding. "So, tonight?". Her response came as a smile. Lynch's heart skipped a beat. He reached out to remove her mask. He. had to know what the rest of her face looked like