The sun was beginning to set over the bustling city of Kuching, casting a warm golden glow over the Sarawak River. The grand hall of the Sarawak Cultural Heritage Center buzzed with anticipation as staff hurriedly made final preparations for the evening's charity auction. The event, dedicated to raising funds for the renovation of St. Thomas Cathedral, promised to be a significant affair, attracting the city's elite and generous benefactors.
Victor Langford, better known as President Victor Langford, the 32-year-old wealthy and successful businessman and president of the Sarawakian-owned Langford Group which had been expanding its footprint rapidly to more countries in recent years, sat in the VIP lounge area. Actually, it wasn't the usual private VIP waiting room. It was just a quieter corner in the lounge area which was partially covered with elegantly carved divider panels to create a slightly private space from the common area in the lounge.
Victor was dressed in a tailored black tunic suit with Dayak motifs skillfully embroidered using premium black threads over his left chest. The tunic jacket was crafted from high-quality, matte black fabric that subtly caught the light, emphasizing its impeccable tailoring. The collar was a Chinese-inspired design, standing slightly upright and close to the neck, giving Victor a distinguished look. It was neatly stitched with precise lines that followed the natural curve of his neck, adding an understated touch of refinement. The front of the tunic was adorned with a row of five smooth, black buttons made from polished horn, each button precisely spaced and sewn with meticulous care. These buttons extended from the base of the collar down to the waist, where the tunic flared out slightly, giving it a structured yet fluid silhouette. The buttonholes were invisible, hidden by a slender placket that maintained the tunic's sleek appearance.
The suit's elegant simplicity highlighted Victor's tall, athletic frame, and his dark hazel eyes gleamed with confidence and poise. His entire ensemble, from the crisp lines of the collar to the polished shine of his shoes, spoke of a man who valued both tradition and modernity, a powerful presence in any room he entered.
Victor's cold, piercing eyes scanned the glimpse of the common lounge area behind the divider panels which was almost empty, with a sense of detachment. He had accepted the invitation to be the main sponsor and champion of the auction only in honor of his late mother, a devoted Christian. Since her passing, he had drifted away from the church and its community, finding solace in building his business empire. Tonight, he was here solely for her memory, not for any personal gain. Well, a small corporate social responsibility event like this was unlikely to bring any significant gain to the business empire that he had been building, at least it would not be anything that could move the needle. Also, he usually disliked attending most social or business networking events. So, many of the city's elite and business leaders were still surprised by the news that he would be attending the auction personally.
Victor leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, trying to take a quick break before the event began. He valued such quiet and peaceful moments over the shallow interactions that came with his position, especially with the countless business partner-wannabes and women who constantly sought his attention.
Outside the VIP divider panels in the common area, just two tables away, Kaylee Stone sat relaxingly. She was a 29-year-old architect who had been entrusted with the design for the church renovation, a project she approached with passion and dedication. At a petite 156 cm, her presence was both commanding and graceful.
To commemorate this special charity auction for her inaugural solo renovation project, she specially designed her outfit, and had it sewn by her young cousin, Lin Xiang Er, who was truly talented in fashion and tailoring since her teen years. Xiang Er had always admired her taste for fashion even though she never wore anything overly costly, but she just knew how to put together a classy and elegant look with the simplest outfit. And this evening, she was wearing an ivory silk blouse with a Chinese collar and elegant lantern sleeves which Xiang Er tailored and sewed for her according to her own design. To add a touch of heritage and sophistication aligned with today's event, Kaylee hand-embroidered minimalist Dayak motifs using shiny premium ivory silk thread on the left chest of her blouse, lending a unique blend of cultural pride and elegance.
Her blouse was nicely tucked into her high-waisted and slim-fitting black trousers, highlighting her slender legs and elegant curves without being overly revealing. The trousers flared slightly at the bottom, adding a contemporary touch to her classic look. Her ivory kitten heels added two inches to her height, enhancing her overall posture.
Kaylee's face was a harmonious blend of elegance, soft, and feminine features, with expressive eyes and occasional playfulness, easily capturing the hearts of those who met and interacted with her. Her complexion was smooth and fair, with a natural glow that hinted at her vibrant energy and health - credit to her trustworthy skincare routine with the V Magic products line that had restored her sensitive skin which had troubled her for many years since she was a teenager.
Her confidence was evident in her calm demeanor, as she reviewed her notes for the presentation she would give to the VIPs later that evening. Kaylee's focus was momentarily broken when a server brought her order of lemongrass tea with pandan leaves. As she reached for the cup to take a sip, her phone buzzed with an incoming call.
"Hi, Mr. Lim," she answered the call respectfully with a gentle smile after screening through the caller's name. Her brows gradually frowned a little with what she heard from the other side of the call. She took three seconds to calm down, her frowned brows disappeared, and the curve on her lips returned as she responded, "Yes, I understand the deadline is tight, but I'm confident we can meet it. I just need your assurance that the materials will be delivered on time," her tone professional yet warm. "Thank you, Mr. Lim. I look forward to working with you," responded Kaylee with a satisfied tone, and then she ended the call.
Just as she was placing her phone down on the table, her phone buzzed with another incoming call, this time from an unknown number. She hesitated, raising her eyebrows before deciding to answer. Her phone continued to ring for a few seconds. At this continuously ringing tone that broke the silence throughout the whole lounge, a man in a tidy black suit who stood by Victor frowned. He was Hann Louis, the well-known representative and personal assistant of President Victor Langford who had been with Victor for over a decade. Concerned that President Vic's power nap would be interrupted, he was about to take his first step toward that table with the noisily ringing phone when Kaylee finally picked up the call. She was curious, wondering who this persistent caller was.
As with her usual practice of answering calls from unknown numbers, she didn't say anything and waited for the other side to start talking. A few moments later, she answered, "Yes, I am." As soon as she confirmed her identity, the voice on the other end launched into a rapid spiel, clearly a marketing cold call. Kaylee's expression hardened, and this time her brows really frowned with annoyance. Again, after about three seconds, she swapped into a keen smiling face and her smart mouth answered extra politely but with a sarcastic tone, "Miss, have you bought a house? For how long? Has it been three years? Entering the fourth year?" And after a short moment of silence, she chuckled and said, "Because you asked me the same questions. I thought we were really close friends that you thought it's okay for us to exchange such personal information." After another moment, her confident voice with a sarcastic tone reached Victor's ears again: "Okay, thank you, don't call again."
Hann was basically stunned at such a quick change from this woman. He heard her professionally from her earlier call, and now her such eloquent yet sarcastic answer to shut the caller up, who obviously sounded like an unsolicited marketer or spammer.
And he was not the only one, Victor also found himself intrigued by this voice that came through the divider panels on his right. The female voice was a mix of determination, assertiveness, and politeness, a smart mouth - a combination that immediately drew his attention since he first overheard her. He couldn't help but continue to overhear snippets of her conversations since earlier though his eyes were closed.
He didn't turn his head to look toward this woman's direction on his right, but as soon as Kaylee ended her call with the phone marketer, he opened his eyes, reached out his right hand to pick up the teapot and refilled his own teacup, with a relaxed smile, as if he was so proud of something. Hann was now even more stunned to catch President Vic's once-in-a-blue-moon, signature happy act. That's right, he would pour himself tea with a relaxed smile when he was genuinely happy or in a great mood. This was so hard to come by - not even once a year - but Hann who had been with him for over a decade had had the privilege to catch that rare expression for a handful of time.
I think I could win some lottery today! Hann thought to himself, still feeling honored to have witnessed his President Vic's rare happy act.
Kaylee looked at the time on her phone, sipped a little from her cup, put down the cup, and raised her left hand to wave at a nearby waiter to settle her bill. Victor finally turned to look toward her at the raising of her hand. His sharp eyes noticed the graceful white jade bracelet that wrapped around her left wrist and found her taste interesting.
Simple, elegant, natural, quite... beautiful. That was what came to Victor's mind upon catching a glimpse of Kaylee's side profile as she smiled at the server who handed her the bill and said, "Thank you," her voice now warm and courteous.
Victor's interest was piqued. There was something about the way she handled herself - her ability to switch from assertive to polite, her composed demeanor - that caught his attention. He continued watching as she picked up her documents from the table and headed to the cashier, then scanned the 2D barcode to make payment.
Hmm... so she prefers Sarawak Pay, Victor thought to himself, noticing that she was scanning the Sarawak Pay 2D barcode board at the cashier. He didn't even realize that he who usually wouldn't waste a second on trivial things like this was now enjoying paying attention to all the little details about this woman.
"President Vic? President Vic?" Hann's calling voice sounded louder and finally pulled Victor's consciousness back as he turned and looked up at this loyal sidekick of his with a blank stare, with some residual smile at the end of his eyes.
"Er... are you okay?" Hann was concerned. This boss had behaved really weirdly in the last 10 minutes.
The smile in his eyes disappeared immediately as if nothing unusual happened. The all-year-round look of the cold President Vic was back.
"Is it time to go?" Victor asked Hann. "Yes, one more minute to depart to your designated seat," said Hann while checking his watch.
Hearing that, Victor adjusted his cufflinks, preparing himself to fulfill his role for the evening. He raised and exited the VIP area through the divider panels, heading straight to the grand hall in steady steps, but he wasn't listening to whatever Hann was briefing him about his keynote speech. He couldn't shake the voice and the glimpse of the side profile of that woman in the lounge from his mind.
***
As the minutes ticked by, the grand hall began to fill with guests, and the auction's official start drew closer. Upon the arrival of Victor at the hall entrance, the charity auction organizing chairman, the church deacon, and the local politicians who were already there earlier on standby greeted him and ushered him to his seat, front and center on the VIP row.
Though shaking their hands and uttering formal greetings upon entering the grand hall, Victor's eyes were busy scanning the room, searching for that woman he couldn't get off his mind.
It wasn't a long walk to his designated seat, so he didn't manage to locate Kaylee before sitting down. To his surprise, he caught himself feeling nervous - not because of stage fright, but because he couldn't find that woman in this room.
Is she not here for the auction? Where could she possibly be? he thought as he was sitting down on his designated seat, feeling somewhat restless, which was something new to him who lived almost every day and every moment without many emotions.
He turned his head backward slightly to continue his search for her, and that act invited the alert Hann who rushed to his side and wondered, "What's wrong, President Vic? Do you need anything?"
Victor was stunned for a split second at Hann's sudden appearance and question, and his attention was finally back to the present event, to his upcoming keynote address.
"All good," he answered Hann and returned to his calm and cold demeanor. Now he was ready for his speech, with his wandering mind coming back to his main role today.
The room was filled with the city's elite, all gathered for the charity auction that aimed to raise funds for St. Thomas Cathedral's renovation project. The protocol of the event began and before long, it was Victor's turn on the agenda.
"Without further due, let's welcome our main sponsor and champion of today's charity auction, President Victor Langford, to come on stage for his keynote speech," the eloquent emcee announced, followed by a round of loud applause.
Loud as thunder, of course, as this was the first time many people in the hall saw President Victor Langford in person. His charismatic look had been the talk of the giggling single women in the grand hall since he was ushered into his seat. And the other rich elders were also joking about introducing their daughters to him - some were quite serious about that thought, though.
Victor stood on the stage of the grand hall of the Sarawak Cultural Heritage Center, ready to deliver his speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Victor began, his voice carrying the confidence and charisma that had become his trademark. "Tonight, we gather not just to bid on beautiful items, but to build a future. A future where our heritage is preserved and our community thrives. This auction is not just about raising funds; it's about investing in our shared dreams and a rich legacy for our precious generations to come."
As he spoke, his eyes scanned the room, and he found Kaylee sitting among the crowd, listening intently.
His speech paused for a moment. He couldn't help but notice her even in the midst of his speech.
Her big eyes were a prominent feature, almond-shaped in deep, soulful brown that seemed to hold a world of emotion and intelligence. They sparkled with bubbly kindness and a little mischief, and their expressive nature drew people in, making them feel instantly comfortable and connected.
Her nose was delicately shaped, with a subtle, refined curve that complemented her other features. It was neither too small nor too prominent, adding a harmonious balance and character to her face without overwhelming her other features, and it enhanced her natural elegance.
Her lips were not overly full, but they revealed nice thin curves, and they looked slightly glowy under the warm lights in the grand hall.
This time, he confirmed in his heart having seen Kaylee clearly from the front: Amazingly attractive.
Among the crowd, Kaylee found herself captivated. Her deep brown eyes locked onto Victor, a spark of admiration igniting within her. Victor caught her gaze, and he felt a connection that went beyond the professional realm. Her admiring gaze gave him a boost of confidence. When their eyes met, Kaylee was so nervous that she blushed and panicked for a moment. He mused that this confident woman actually had such a cute side. He couldn't hide the rising curve at the edge of his lips as he concluded his speech which drew enthusiastic applause.
Hann who was watching him from down the stage hardened at the sight of his President Vic's smile. I see him smiling! I see it correctly, right? he almost had the shock of his life. What's the sorcery of this place? Is something bad going to happen, that's why President Vic has been acting all weird since we came? Hann told himself that he must keep an extra watch on President Vic tonight to ensure his safety.
On a table at the second row toward the left sat a striking young woman whose eyes sparkled, tracing Victor's every move since he appeared at the main entrance of the grand hall. Dressed immaculately in a tailored, deep red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, she was Cherie Bella George, 25 years old, the youngest daughter of the local Counsellor George Gana. Her jet-black hair cascaded in waves down her back, her eyes so dark they seemed to absorb the light around them. But it wasn't just her looks that commanded attention; it was the aura of confidence and determination she exuded.
Cherie had always known what she wanted, and right now, what she wanted was Victor Langford. Her obsession with him had started months ago after reading an article featuring him in the finance media, where his charm and charisma had captivated her. She had watched him navigate the business world with ease, admired his success, and had been drawn to the air of mystery and power that surrounded him. Since then, Cherie had been scheming for ways to get closer to him, to make him see her as the perfect partner, both in business and in life.
When she heard the rumor that President Victor Langford would be present physically in this event, she pestered her father day and night, begging him to take her to this charity event. And she finally got what she wanted, sitting here at the same table as her family friend, her mind busy scheming for ways to stumble upon Victor later.
Sitting next to her was Joyce Chee, the 23-year-old only child of a construction tycoon in Sarawak, Robert Chee. Leaning over to Cherie who looked like she was charmed by President Victor, Joyce chuckled and teased her, "Tsk, tsk, tsk... Indeed a hot guy. No wonder you went so far as to pester your dad one whole week to bring you along this evening."
Cherie glared at her and returned her focus to Victor who was seated after the keynote address.
The grand hall was abuzz with excitement as the charity auction began. As the event proceeded smoothly, the auction had already seen impressive bids flying for various rare artifacts and exquisite art pieces, and attendees seemed all eager to contribute to the renovation of the historic church.
For this auction, Victor personally donated seven auction items, which included a pair of intricately carved white jade earrings previously owned by his late mother, designed by his younger self, which he named, The One I Treasure. Even Hann was touched by President Vic's personal dedicated involvement in this event from the moment he accepted the invitation to be the main sponsor and champion. In fact, Victor treated this event whole-heartedly, as with all the other projects he handled, only that this one connected to him deeper personally in remembrance of his late mother.
As the auctioneer prepared to introduce the final item, the crowd settled down, their anticipation palpable as they had seen many great pieces this evening.
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