Chapter Fifty-Four
Poppy
“M ademoiselle Taylor?”
The voice comes from behind me, thick with a French accent.
It takes a second to register that they’re speaking to me.
I blink, turning around to find myself face-to-face with a well-dressed man in a Mercedes team polo and a sleek radio headset resting around his neck.
I hesitate.
“Uh - yes?”
He nods politely, then gestures slightly.
“If you would please follow me, mademoiselle.”
Emma stiffens immediately from where she’s sitting besides me, but it’s Jas who speaks first.
“Excuse me?” she says sharply.
Emma crosses her arms. “And why exactly would she do that?”
“What’s going on?” I swallow, suspicion creeping in .
The man remains calm, his expression neutral but polite.
“Monsieur Moreau has requested your presence.”
Oh.
Frederic.
He sent someone.
For me.
Emma’s jaw drops. “Are you serious? He just - he just sent for her?”
I’ve been watching him all day - from behind glass, from the screens, from a safe distance . But I didn’t actually expect to see him. Not really.
And now, he’s summoning me.
“Wow,” Jas drawls. “Do you feel like a princess or a hostage?”
I snap out of my trance, shooting them both a look.
“Would you two stop?”
The man remains stoic, patiently waiting, and I swallow, my heart practically hammering at this point before finally nodding.
“Okay,” I say, trying to sound calm and unaffected - like my pulse isn’t roaring in my ears. “Let’s go.”
“Text us immediately if he locks you in a dungeon,” Jas says as she gives me a pointed look.
“Or if he doesn’t lock you in a dungeon but you want him to,” Emma smirks.
“I hate you both,” I glare.
“You love me though, right?” Leah chimes in, finally glancing up from her phone .
I just roll my eyes as the other two blow me kisses, and before I can overthink this any further, I turn and follow the man.
The crowd thins as we walk, leaving behind the buzz of the VIP section as we move through restricted areas and pass through private hallways where staff, team members, and officials bustle around.
He keeps a few steps ahead of me, leading the way through the unfamiliar space. I don’t say a word; focusing only on acting like I belong here, even though I’m definitely out of place.
But nobody stops me, or throws me an odd glance. Nobody frowns or questions me.
Eventually, we reach a discreet doorway where another team official nods to my escort before stepping aside to let us through.
And just like that, I step into Frederic’s world.