A deal with the devil

All eyes turned to Benjamin as Shirley’s words were cut off mid–sentence. Her body tensed up, and she abruptly stood from her
seat when she saw Benjamin.
Samuel, who was sitting next to her, noticed bet reaction, and a hint of hurt flashed in his eyes. Did she truly dislike being near
him so much now?
In that instant, Shirley’s normally flushed face turned ghostly white, making it impossible for her makeup to conceal the change.
Samuel followed her gaze and saw the fear in her eyes as well
Benjamin strode into the room with the confidence and ease of a rulet. His presence commanded attention, impossible to ignore.
But why was he here?
Samuel’s expression hardened as soon as he saw Benjamin. He went from gentle to sharp, his focus back on Shirley’s face.

Was it because of Benjamin that she had agreed to come to this banquet? Did she want to distance herself from him before
Benjamin could misunderstand their relationship?
As these thoughts dawned on Samuel, he felt a weight pressing down on his chest, suffocating him.
The moment Benjamin walked in, his eyes locked onto Shirley’s face, and they grew colder and more intense by the second.
Shirley’s mind went blank she was filled with panic. What should she do? She couldn’t come up with an answer. Thoughts raced
through her mind, leaving her feeling flustered
and frazzled.
Calvin joined Benjamin as they entered together. Everyone at the table stood up in unison upon seeing them both
Dadd took a step toward Benjamin and reached out his hand in greeting. “Mr. Blackwood, we’ve been expecting you.” Benjamin
nodded slightly and brieflyshook David’s hand before moving to sit in the innermost seat.
David’s attention femed to Calvin, his face filled with excitement. “This must be Dr. Crawford, am I right?”
Calvin raised his hand in greeting. “Calvin Crawford”
Smiling, David said, “Pleased to meet you.”

The Mendosa couple arrived in Elderstone due to Greg’s strange illness that could not be treated by the medical teams in
Arnland. Zarah learned that similar cases had been successfully treated in Elderstone, leading them to make the trip.
The other men seated around the dinner table were highly respected authorities in the medical field of Elderstone, and Samuel
had invited them with genuine sincerity. He had also made multiple attempts to contact Calvin but was continuously rejected.
It was only through their connections that the Mendosa couple managed to finally reach Benjamin, leading to his unexpected
presence tonight. Samuel had no prior knowledge that both Benjamin and Galvin would be in attendance
As Benjamin and Calvin found their seats, the rest of the group followed suit. Shirley, caught up in her panke, was a bit slower
than the others. With only one seat remaining at the table, she had no choice but to reluctantly sit between Benjamin and
Samuel, leaving an empty spot next to Zarah..
David and Zarah exchanged confused glances as Shirley settled in between them. Benjamin gave her a cold look before turning
away as if he didn’t even know her. Shirley shuddered at his reaction.
After a moment, she timidly tagged on his sleeve and whispered, “Zarah pulled me aside for a quick chat she hadn’t meant to sit
between them