Chapter 47
Dominic felt utterly ridiculous.
Why was Evelyn so desperate to avoid being spotted by her friends?
Was being seen with him truly that humiliating?
As the recital commenced, Evelyn finally relaxed.
Thank goodness Sophie hadn't recognized her!
She wondered where her best friend was seated.
The urge to turn around burned through her, but common sense prevailed.
Sophie sat in the fifth row with another companion, completely unaware.
"Look at that first row! Three people hogging all those premium seats. What a waste!" Sophie's friend complained while eyeing the sparsely occupied front section.
"Must be some wealthy folks," the friend continued. "Our fifth-row tickets cost nearly two hundred dollars! I can't imagine what those front seats go for. That man in the center practically screams billionaire. The woman beside him could be his daughter or mistress. And that muscular guy? Definitely security."
Sophie nodded in agreement.
"That woman on the left..." Sophie squinted. "She looks exactly like my best friend!"
"What kind of bestie would I be if I didn't recognize her silhouette?"
The resemblance grew more striking the longer Sophie stared.
Pulling out her phone discreetly, she snapped a quick photo.
"You can't take pictures here!" her friend hissed. "Just go check if you're so curious."
"Forget it," Sophie waved her off, already sending the image to Evelyn.
Evelyn's phone buzzed silently in her pocket.
Her heart nearly stopped when she saw Sophie's message:
[Evelyn, is this your doppelgänger?]
Panic surged through her veins, making her sink deeper into her seat.
Dominic noticed her strange behavior immediately and turned to investigate.
"Oh my God, he's gorgeous!" Sophie gasped when Dominic's striking profile came into view. "Wait—is that Dominic Blackwood?!" her friend shrieked. "The Dominic Blackwood?"
"Obviously!" Sophie confirmed. "Business major here, remember? That's definitely him."
Sophie sighed dramatically. "Well, that settles it. Can't be Evelyn then. What would she be doing with Dominic Blackwood?"
Another message buzzed through:
[Seriously, that man is Dominic Blackwood! Do you have any idea who he is? Billionaire CEO with model looks! I nearly fainted when he turned around!]
Evelyn stole a glance at Dominic.
Model looks?
She wasn't seeing it.
Another text arrived moments later:
[My friend wants a photo with him after the show. Should I ask too? Wonder if he'd agree...]
Evelyn's phone suddenly felt like a ticking bomb.
"Dominic," she whispered urgently, "I'm starving. Let's grab dinner now."
If they didn't leave immediately, she'd be exposed.
The thought terrified her.
Without waiting for his response, she grabbed her coat with one hand and his arm with the other, practically dragging him out while hunched over like a criminal.
Their recital experience ended abruptly in under ten minutes.
This marked Dominic Blackwood's first time accompanying a woman to such an event.
Cultural performances had never interested him, but he'd endured it solely for her enjoyment.
Given his status, Dominic naturally drew attention wherever he went.
Not only did Evelyn fail to appreciate this rare private moment, she seemed mortified at the prospect of being seen together.
Her actions delivered a stinging slap to his pride.
Once outside, Dominic violently shook off her grip and stormed away without a backward glance.
As she watched his retreating figure, realization dawned on Evelyn.
Had this been his idea of a date?
Even so... shouldn't dates require mutual agreement? Was this supposed to be some grand romantic surprise?