"See you at the party," he said and hung up. She stared at the phone and shook her head.

Why had she even called him?

She went over to her dress again and looked it over. The mind green dress was elegantly crumpled, the plunging neckline, and the material gathering and tightening around her waist would look phenomenal. The thing that set the dress apart from others was the faux fur embellishment on the shoulders.

The party was so fancy that the Mayor wasn't holding it in his multi-million dollar mansion but at a hotel. Probably one of Mo family's hotels.

She was supposed to arrive in forty minutes but she hadn't even started to get ready. Well, she would have to settle for being fashionably late.

The party would have people from all industries, people her age who were not doing as well as her, and matchmakers intent on making their sons and nephews marry a wealthier woman. As if she didn't have enough of those lingering around her.

People usually brought along a partner for such things, but she was flying solo. She'd written off men altogether, and humorously thought of taking a vibrator along with her since it would be the only man in her life. But that seemed inappropriate.

Because she had no date, she would be the third wheel in every conversation.

She hurried to her bathroom and quickly applied some makeup and decided on how to do her hair. The extra piece of fabric had been given to her and as she looked at her hair, she got the idea. She used the ribbon and twined it with her hair to form a braided high bun. She donned on no earrings or necklace. Only her fingers glistened with sleek rings.

She rubbed some lotion into her arms and put on a squirt of perfume. By the time she put on her mint green dress, she was already running late.

She slid into her heels, grabbed her clutch, and practically ran out. The manager was, indeed, waiting for her.

"Miss Yun. I've been asked to guide you to your car," he said. As he led her down through employee tunnels, he glanced at her with interest. She paid him no heed and nodded when she reached her car. She pulled her keys out and unlocked her car.

"Thank you for helping me out," she said politely before sliding into her car. She pulled her heels off her feet and slid on the slippers she had in her car at all times.

She saw Bai Ye Qing on her way out and smirked to herself, self-satisfied. Traffic was light, surprisingly and she reached without a hitch. She stopped the car in front of the entrance to the hotel and threw her slippers to the back.

Thank god the glass was tinted or the valet would see her pulling her dress up and putting her shoes on. She did the task quickly and smoothed down the dress before opening the door.

The valet gaped at her and she smiled. She placed the key in his hand. "I'll wait here to get them back," she told him.

She didn't need to wait for her car if her family pulled a stunt like last time and tried to trap her.

He returned within ten minutes and she was relieved. She put the keys back into the purse and turned around. Not one person questioned her or asked to see her invite. Everyone knew not to mess with the people heading towards the ballroom. Especially ones who looked like they were wearing money.

She walked in and felt eyes on her. She saw women from her social circle who went to school with her. Some to business school, others to performing arts. While they hadn't had as much success as her, they were undisputable leaders in the industry.

"Sorry I'm late," Yun Qian Meng smiled as she reached her family. The smile was meant for Yun Qing Yuan who looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. "I got held up by an unexpected visitor." She gave her father a pointed look.

"And who might that be?" Jiang Xin questioned.

"Something repulsive. There was a massive cockroach plotting to ambush me in my suite. I wonder who let them in." Her glare was evident.

Her father remained eerily silent. She had thought he would say something but it seemed he was on his best behavior because it was the Mayor's Anniversary party.

"A cockroach in the hotel? Should we be complaining to the health and safety board?" Qing Yuan scrunched his face innocently. He was relieved that his sister was finally there. He hated these stuffy gathering of sycophants. They flattered and buttered him and he didn't know why. He wasn't proficient in mind games, so he was beyond uncomfortable. He didn't even know if they were throwing veiled insults at him or not.

"Oh, I escaped and came. I think we need exterminators." She rolled her eyes.

"Big Sis, I highly doubt the cockroach was plotting to ambush you," Qing Yuan said.

Qian Meng patted him on the shoulder, hoping that he never lost his innocence.

"You didn't see the look in his eyes." She let out a soft chuckle.

"Let's get going, we're going to be late," Yun Sui Bo said quickly, done with the taunts.

He led them to an even bigger room. The Grand Ballroom. What was this? Cinderella?

People were dancing, chatting, and sipping on champagne. The shrimp cocktails looked good, too.

Qian Meng sighed when she saw the Bai family in the distance. Her father's destination was evident.

Chen Yue frowned upon seeing her dress but plastered a fake smile on her face. "You look beautiful, Meng'er." The insults from their last meeting had not escaped her mind. They came back in the dead of the night and made her grit her teeth.