The surrounding guests and the Sterling elders were stunned. For a young lady to be this bold... it's almost embarrassing to watch! Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Hugo bent at the waist in a gentlemanly bow. "Ms. Gale, might I have the honor of this dance?" Darcy's heart tightened. "No ulterior motives. Just a dance. It won't take long, ten minutes at most," Hugo explained considerately. Darcy understood. His attempt to please her was still about meeting Alistair. "I'm sorry, but what I'm wearing today isn't suitable for dancing," Darcy said. She wasn't making excuses. Her outfit was extremely casual, as if she'd just come from a jog. The thought of dancing with the formally dressed Hugo was jarring."No one minds," Hugo replied. I certainly don't. They were at an impasse. By now, curious glances were directed their way again. Others in the ballroom were pairing off as dance partners. With a sigh, Darcy placed her hand in Hugo's broad palm. A faint smile touched Hugo's lips as he narrowed his eyes. Dancing with the friend of her ex-boyfriend felt incredibly strange to Darcy. She was stiff, and her conscious effort to keep distance threw off her rhythm. The third time she stepped on Hugo's polished leather shoe, Darcy was mortified. "I'm so sorry. I... I'm not good at this." Sensing she wanted to flee, Hugo tightened his grip slightly on her waist. "Relax. No one is born knowing how to dance. It comes with practice," he said gently.Fine. Darcy lowered her gaze, focusing intently on the floor to avoid another misstep. Hugo was amused by her intense concentration. "Relax. Stepping on me is okay. It doesn't hurt." He said it lightly, but Darcy couldn't just let her feet wander. So, Hugo tried to distract her with conversation. "How is work at Stratagem?" he asked. "It's fine," Darcy replied. "And your mother's condition? My uncle said you haven't contacted him in a while." He suspected Darcy didn't want to trouble his uncle. More deeply, she didn't want any connection to him. Sure enough, Darcy gave a vague, "It's fine." Hugo let out a soft laugh.Darcy looked up at him. "You're like a chatbot. No matter what I ask, the reply is always 'It's fine.'" He was teasing her! Darcy shot him a glare, gritting her teeth. "Since you know, why ask?" Hugo wasn't offended. On the contrary, he found her current expression—feigning fierceness—much more vivid and endearing than her usual detached indifference. "Alright, time's up. I really have to go." Darcy released his hand and turned toward the ballroom exit. Hugo followed closely. "Let me see you out." "That's not necessary." "You're a guest. It's proper etiquette." Darcy took a deep breath. Fine. Whatever. Escorting her to the parking garage, Hugo waved. "Drive safely. Send me a message when you get home." Darcy frowned. Who does he think he is? What gives him the right to say that? She turned her face away, hands on the steering wheel, and drove off. Hugo stood in place for a long moment before finally moving. Just as he turned, he saw Ines, Zane, and Zora getting out of a car. "Hey, Hugo! What are you doing in the garage? Not at the party?" Ines walked over and threw an arm around his shoulders. Hugo glanced at Zane, pausing before asking, "When did you arrive?" "Just now," Zane replied. Hugo felt a subtle wave of relief. He adjusted his cuff. "How did you know about Gwen's party?" He had deliberately not invited them, afraid they'd be busy, but more afraid they'd run into Darcy. Zora, holding Zane's arm, smiled, "My cousin told me. You're not being a good friend, Hugo! How could you not tell us about Gwen's birthday?" "Not a huge deal. It's the same every year," Hugo said. But since they were here, he naturally had to invite them upstairs. On the way, Hugo looked at Zane, noticing he was even thinner than before. "Are you fully recovered?" "I am," Zane said. Recovered? But he didn't look well at all. Was it because of that phone call in the hospital? As they entered the elevator, Zora suddenly asked, "Who were you seeing off just now? The license plate looked familiar. Was it someone we know? A lady friend, perhaps?" Her smile was suggestive. "That's right, I saw. It was a woman. Even from just the back, I could tell she was attractive." Hearing this, the other two looked over. Ines nudged Hugo with his elbow, winking. "Seeing someone? Let's meet her sometime?" Hugo was momentarily taken aback. "It's nothing like that."