Accident Prone

Most of the people are from the top layer of New York (in terms of wealth), and they know each other from before. Smaller groups were formed, and people chatted in a seemingly good mood.

However, just like any other event with such participants, there are always some who are waiting for a scandal, or at least something worth gossiping about. After all, this is their first time at the Williams villa, the place is majestic, and the people present are the ones who care about appearances. Everything needs to be perfect: outfit, hair, makeup, posture, the way pinky finger stands straight while a person holds a glass… and if anything is not as expected, it will be noted and exaggerated.

"This is more people than expected…" Max voiced his thoughts.

Liz had to agree with this. She estimated to see up to two hundred people present, but this is way more than that. She can see the staff adding more tables and chairs at the end of the event hall. Luckily, the event planner had this as a possibility (more people attending than planned).

"It seems that people were eager to come here." Liz responded to Max.

"Elizabeth…" Patrick approached Liz and Max with a big smile on her face.

Liz nodded slightly in greeting. "Patrick… This is Max, my boyfriend."

Patrick shook hands with Max briefly, without trying to be pleasant. He focused on Liz. "I'm glad that you are here. How is Seattle?"

Liz was not pleased that Patrick practically ignored Max and she didn't want to talk to Patrick. It's time to move on. "Seattle is fine. Did you see my dad?"

Patrick realized that Liz is cutting their conversation short and he didn't like Max's presence. He decided not to pursue Liz at this time, and to resume this when Max is away from her because they can't be together the whole evening, right? He will watch Liz from the distance, and find his opportunity to approach her.

"I saw Isaac there…" Patrick gestured.

"Thanks." Liz said curtly and walked that way.

"My competition?" Max asked Liz. He didn't miss the obvious signs that Patrick is interested in Liz.

Liz paused. "Does he count as a competition if I never saw him as a man?"

Max was amused by this response. "How did you see him?"

"Background noise."

Liz's response made Max chuckle. She is funny. And brutally honest.

The two of them moved slowly through the people, stopping on every few steps for Liz to greet people who called her name, and to introduce Max.

'Calm down, Max… Calm down…' He chanted internally. Max does not remember if he was ever this nervous. He felt as if he is walking through the minefield.

Not so far away from Max and Liz…

"The princess joined the party…" Mona said to Helen condescendingly.

Mona and Helen are friends from the upper circle of New York's society, and they dislike that Liz barely acknowledges their presence. Who does Liz think she is? Just because she is rich and a medical prodigy, she thinks that she is better than them? Mona and Helen tried befriending Liz on many occasions, but Liz either ignored them or rejected them outright. But no matter how much Liz embarrassed them in the past, Mona and Helen are not women who would miss a high-end party. The two of them came here with their parents. Of course, they brought dates.

Helen glanced toward the direction Mona pointed at, and her sight slid over Liz and focused on Max.

"Isn't that guy familiar?" Helen asked.

Mona noticed that their dates are frowning. She tugged Helen to the side with an explanation that they have a girl-topic to discuss.

"What guy?" Mona asked Helen when they were out of the earshot of their two male companions.

"The one with Liz." Helen explained. "In the dark blue suit."

Mona observed Max for a second before responding: "Oh… he reminds me of…" She paused and her lips stretched into a smile. "No. He IS Max Anderson."

Helen was impressed. "You know his name?"

Mona bit her lower lip and gave Helen a knowing smile. "I know more than his name. Last June, Caleb's party in the presidential suite of the Millennium Hotel. Shortly after midnight, we went to a different room. He is smoking!"

Helen recollected that party. It was epic! "I remember that you disappeared. You were with him?"

Mona hummed in confirmation. "How much I know, Max does not come to New York often. What luck to meet him here! For Caleb's party, he came with Greg. I remember pestering Greg to hook me up with Max again, but Max was not available."

Helen glanced to the side. "Greg? He is here. Do you think that he brought Max here tonight?"

Mona's face lit up. "There is one way to find out. Let's see if he can introduce us."

Helen pouted and followed after Mona. "Introduce you to Max? Didn't you sleep with him? And anyway… you had your fill, didn't you? Now is my turn."

Mona smirked. "Girl, you can never have enough of a man like Max. It's a fair game. If he picks me again, I have no intention of passing on it."

"What about your date?" Helen reminded Mona.

Mona rolled her eyes and asked the same question. "What about YOUR date?"

"My date is average at best, and I remember that Max has a reputation for lighting up the party."

Mona giggled. "With his skills, you can glow like a Christmas tree."

"The more you talk about him, the more I am interested." Helen said in a singing voice.

"Greg…" Mona called when they reached their destination.

Greg turned from his date and greeted them. "Mona… Helen… A lovely party, isn't it?"

Mona snorted. "Drop the pleasantries. Look there. Isn't that your friend?"

Greg glanced in the direction Mona pointed at and his eyes lit up. "Yes, that is Max. Not exactly my friend, but we know each other. Are you interested?"

"Not your friend?" Mona asked. "Didn't you bring him here?"

Greg shook his head. "What makes you think so? I didn't hear from him… since New Year's Eve."

"How did he get in?" Mona was curious. Since Greg brought Max to one party, her logical conclusion was that he would bring Max to another one.

"He didn't come with me." Greg admitted.

"But… you know him, right?" Mona continued probing Greg.

"Yes."

Mona smiled. "How about we go and say hi? I want you to introduce me."

"And me!" Helen added quickly.

Greg was not willing to leave his date. He worked hard on courting this young Miss who does not look pleased that he is talking to Mona and Helen. And also, Greg noticed that Max is next to Liz.

"I can't go now." Greg said while glancing at his date. "I can introduce you later. If you are impatient, you can go and ask Elizabeth. It seems that they know each other."

Greg turned to his date and ushered her to move away from Mona and Helen before they start chatting him up again.

Mona and Helen had matching sour expressions, and their thoughts matched as well. They didn't like the idea of approaching Liz for anything.

"Max has a reputation of a playboy. If he is talking to Liz, does that mean that his target for the night is Liz?" Mona asked Helen in a half-whisper.

Helen thought for a second before responding: "No way. Liz is known as an unapproachable ice-witch who does not acknowledge any romantic pursuers."

Mona bobbed her head. "What if Max managed to melt her icy heart?"

Helen rejected that possibility. "My brother was buzzing around Elizabeth for more than a year, and the only time she noticed his presence was when he carried her books."

"That was years ago, in school." Mona reminded Helen. "People change. Even ice-witches. And if anyone can make a woman fall for him, that would be Max. His skills are… mmm… undeniable."

Helen gestured to the side. "Jodi is here, and she was at Caleb's party also and I remember that she was interested in the new face (aka Max). Let's talk to her."

Mona frowned. "Don't tell me that you want to go there and tell her that Max is present? That will only increase our competition."

Helen agreed with Mona, but… "Didn't you say that Max melted Liz? Why does it matter if Jodi looks at him?"

Mona stifled a laugh. "Liz or not, Max is not a man who would be satisfied with one woman. How about the two of us go together? Two versus one will give us more chance to win him over."

"You want to go against Liz?" Helen asked with insecurity in her voice. Liz, Mona, and Helen are good looking young women, but in terms of wealth and status that comes with it, Liz is above Mona and Helen.

Mona grinned. "Taking her love interest… wouldn't that be satisfying?"

Helen's eyes flashed in malice. "Deal."

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