Chapter 065: Clutching His Sleeve

In about twenty minutes, they reached their destination.

On the way, Seraphina had explained to Solas that the Pierce family was hosting a banquet here. Since her mother was busy with work, she had taken over the responsibility. She told him the arrangements were mostly finished and she was just checking for any last-minute oversights.

This was one of the premier hotels in Seahaven, with a spacious venue often chosen for large-scale galas and banquets.

Instead of parking in the hotel's underground garage, she parked outside, and they walked in.

"It’s quite a walk from here. Why not drive straight in?" After a few steps, Solas voiced his confusion.

"We’re not in a hurry, so think of it as a stroll," Seraphina replied.

Of course, that wasn't the truth.

She had been here many times lately, but she hadn't parked in the underground garage once.

She held a deep-seated grievance against this hotel—or more accurately, an inexplicable terror.

Since her rebirth, she usually took a detour to the left when coming alone. Today was the first time she walked in from the right.

Looking up, she saw the towering skyscraper; looking down, she saw the manicured lawns and flowerbeds.

One particular patch of grass was the very spot where blood had once flowed.

The edge of the lawn was lined with ceramic tiles.

Back then, the blood had been half on the grass and half off. The body had hit the tiles directly, staining the white ceramic crimson.

Now, the tiles were flawlessly white.

But Seraphina felt a wave of dizziness.

Her body swayed uncontrollably.

Solas, walking half a step behind her, immediately reached out to support her. Before he could touch her, however, she steadied herself.

He didn't pull his hand back immediately, keeping it hovering near the small of her back as he stepped forward, asking worriedly, "What's wrong? Your face looks pale. Are you feeling unwell?"

Her face was indeed ghastly.

Seraphina couldn't see it herself, but Solas saw it clearly.

She was white as a sheet.

Realizing she had lost her composure, Seraphina quickly averted her eyes from the white tiles, forced a small smile, and shook her head. "I'm fine. I probably just haven't rested well these past few days. I'll be okay after a good night's sleep."

"Why not go back and rest now? If you trust me, let me check things for you. If I find anything missing, I'll let you know. Sterling has hosted many banquets over the years; I'm no stranger to the preparations."

It was true that Sterling held many events, but as the boss, it was never his job to prepare them. His staff handled everything, and he merely had to show up.

Still, Seraphina believed that if she gave the task to Solas, he would do it perfectly, even if he lacked direct experience.

"Of course I trust you, but this is a small matter I can handle myself. Besides, since we're already here, going up for a look won't take long."

If she had known, she would have used a different excuse to avoid worrying him for nothing.

Seeing her persistence, Solas didn't push further. He only said, "If you feel uncomfortable at any point, you must tell me immediately."

Seraphina nodded with a smile. "Alright." The heavy, complex emotions from a moment ago seemed to ease slightly.

Having someone by her side really did make a difference.

They walked toward the hotel.

Even though Solas had withdrawn his hand, he remained half a step behind her, ready to catch her the instant her footing became unsteady again.

The banquet hall was vast.

Everything was essentially ready. Seraphina’s claim about checking for oversights was merely a pretext; she had other things to do during this visit.

After a casual walk around the hall, she led Solas to the balcony.

As a venue designed for massive events, there were many balconies. The one Seraphina and Solas stepped onto was relatively small and simple in design. Because of its size and simplicity, guests rarely chose this spot to enjoy the view, making it the quietest area of the entire venue.

If something were to happen here, there would be almost no witnesses.

Of course, there were security cameras.

But cameras were easy to disable if one was determined enough.

Seraphina thought she had become brave enough after everything she had endured, but stepping onto this balcony again made her legs feel weak.

Of all the places in the venue, this was the only spot she hadn't visited yet.

Sensing something, Solas looked down and saw the girl’s slender fingers tightly clutching the corner of his jacket. He was surprised, and naturally, quite happy.

It was a subconscious gesture of reliance.

But why would she act this way? She didn't seem like someone who was particularly timid.

Looking down from the 30th floor was indeed daunting.

He asked hesitantly, "Afraid of heights?"

Seraphina blinked, realizing her instinctive reaction, and quickly pulled her hand back. "A little."

Seeing her withdraw her hand, Solas felt a twinge of disappointment. He lightly rubbed his fingers together at his side. He actually wanted to hold her hand but feared it would be too forward and frighten her.

"The railing is high and sturdy. Even if it weren't, I'm here. I won't let you fall, so don't be afraid."

He looked at Seraphina as he spoke.

It sounded like a joke, but he was incredibly serious.

Seraphina stood frozen, caught in the depth of those shimmering peach-blossom eyes.

After locking eyes for a long moment, she slightly turned her face away and gave a soft "Mm."

Solas watched her profile and suddenly smiled silently.

It was a very light, faint smile, yet exceptionally bright and dazzling.

"If you're really scared, you can keep holding onto me."

Seraphina’s eyelashes fluttered as she pursed her lips without answering. However, her hand slowly rose and gently grasped the corner of his jacket again.

A tiny curve appeared at the corners of her mouth.

She wasn't alone. Moreover, today, nothing had happened yet. Leo was currently sitting safely in his office, helping with the company's affairs.

There really was nothing to fear.

The two stood in silence on the balcony for a while before Solas spoke. "Everything seems fine here, but..."

He gestured toward the security camera on the wall at the end of the balcony. "The surveillance here should be checked carefully. Banquets are crowded and chaotic; things can easily go wrong. Without cameras, many situations become difficult to handle."

"I’ve actually considered that. I thought that if I noticed the cameras, anyone planning to cause trouble would notice them too. So, I bought a few pinhole cameras and intend to hide them. If nothing happens, that's for the best. But if someone looks for trouble, these will catch them off guard."

As she spoke, she opened her bag and took out several pinhole cameras.

Solas was surprised but didn't think much of it.

The Pierce family's status in Seahaven was prominent; they were bound to have enemies. It was possible someone might try to cause trouble at their banquet to embarrass them.

"You've been very thorough," he said.

"Give them to me. I'll install them and make sure they're impossible to find."