Be Your Lover Forever (Alicia)

Hearing that, Caroline shot her head up, a hint of hope laced on her glum face. "Do you really think we'll find it?"

"Have you forgotten about the appreciation panel tonight?"

She then tapped on the collector's album before continuing.

"The afternoon's schedule is so rushed, and it's jam-packed with people in addition to the tight security. I'm sure one reason is to maintain order, and the other must be to ensure Ichi Miyamoto's safety. Hence, the short timing with barely any chances for interviews and interactions. Do you think they've done things at such a grand scale just to sell a couple of books?"

Of course not!

Not only that, with how expensive these collector's albums were, they were clearly picky with their buyers! They were surely using such a method to covertly allow certain buyers to get up close with Ichi Miyamoto. On the one hand, they could control the situation better, and on the other, they didn't need to filter on a large scale.

"These are nothing. The main event must be the appreciation panel tonight! At least, it'll give a small group of people the chance to get up close with him. I'm sure they must've scheduled the photo session, and up-close interaction promised in the promo to be at tonight! After all, the event will only technically end tomorrow, so this isn't considered false advertising! Though, this is also clearly a gimmick to attract people; not everyone who comes has the chance! But since it's an appreciation panel, definitely not everybody can attend!"

As she spoke, her gaze landed back on the book in her hands, and Caroline got what she meant at a glance. "You're saying the guy who took my book will definitely be there?"

"Well, your book is gone anyhow, so why not try our luck? The receipt can be considered our invitation; we have the receipt, and he doesn't!" "Yeah, you're right! He'll definitely take the book with him if he wants to go in!" By then, their search would've narrowed, and they'd be able to locate easier! She'd like to meet that sc*mbag and give him a piece of her mind!

Caroline gnashed her teeth, beyond livid!

Victoria comforted her a little while more before dragging her back to their hotel. The two had a little snack, idled for a bit, and got a quick change before heading back out.

The appreciation panel was held in a luxury hotel not far from the convention center. The banquet hall was decorated with roses and crystals, and the dazzling lights coupled with the classical music gave the event a classy vibe. It wasn't until Victoria and Caroline arrived at the hotel that they saw the entrance was packed with luxury cars, looking especially grand.

Sure enough, some people brought their books while others showed their receipts to the ticket takers at the door of the banquet hall, who only glanced responsively, never scrutinizing them. Hence, they tacitly exchanged a glance when they passed through the door, thinking, "How easy for people to slip in!" As the event would only officially begin at eight, they went to grab some food first.

After inadvertently sweeping her gaze across the room, Caroline sighed defeatedly. "I saw at least four people coming in with books!"

She had thought she'd be able to find the culprit when she saw someone with a book. But looking at the situation now, a few sure didn't mind carrying a heavy book around!

"I saw at least three too! Men and women!"

Though this collector's album was worth a lot, it was still baffling to steal such a book! She thought that he could be a burglar with a taste in literature, but it was just a comic for entertainment!

Victoria then took some fruits before saying.

"Don't panic. We'll walk around when most people have arrived and see if we can find it and take it back!" "Okay! No way I'm letting that guy hog my book when I've spent so much time and money getting it!" Caroline couldn't help seething with anger when she thought about the long journey they took to this event!

Soon, the panel officially began, and sure enough, apart from Mr. Miyamoto and the organizers, some of Barrington City's influential people had shown up too. It wasn't until the presenter made his speech that Victoria realized they wanted to turn the comic into an animation. "So they wanted the film rights to the comic. No wonder they organized all this and even made such a big deal of it."

If the first season did well, it'd only get more popular, no? So these hundred guests were basically selected at a high price to put up a front, wasn't it?

What profiteers!

"Huh, this cake is quite decent!"

The stage had fallen into silence while Victoria ate the mini cake. With that, she nudged Caroline, saying, "You go left, I go right. We'll meet up when we're done checking!"

Caroline gestured an 'OK,' and the two went separate ways.

Victoria was exhausted by the end, sometimes even needing to walk up and chat with some of them to learn the book's serial number.

Seeing that she still couldn't find the

culprit when she was a few steps away from the dining area in the center, she subconsciously looked back to se

see Caroline was not too far from her. She couldn't help pausing, seeing Caroline's hands were empty and still searching.

Did that person not attend the panel? Did he just want the book? Were they so unlucky?

She then looked around to find one suspicious man left, who happened to be standing next to Ichi

Miyamoto. Seeing that the two were still chatting after waiting for a while, she grew impatient and walked up to them.

"Mr. Miyamoto, I'm a new fan of yours. What a pleasure to meet you!"

Victoria took the initiative to say hello, and knowing he probably couldn't understand her, she turned to the other guy.

"Sir, are you also Mr. Miyamoto's fan? Are you also asking for his autograph and picture?"

They chatted for a while before she took a picture with Ichi Miyamoto and even shook his hand. After knowing the man's book was number 89, she found an excuse and left.

She had just stepped aside and taken a breather when she saw a familiar tall back as she

inadvertently looked aside. However, when she fixed her gaze, it wasn't on the man but on the slender figure in a black long-sleeved evening dress and matching fascinator

Selena?

She had one hand on the man's arm and the other clutching a book. But Victoria's attention was no longer

on finding the lost book but on the familiar figure beside Selena.

Could it be Trevor?

They had come too? He was in Barrington City?

Victoria was gobsmacked. But because Selena's hat covered half her face and they were pretty far away, she wasn't entirely sure. However, the strong familiarity had her reflexively moving forward.

Caroline had long returned to their initial spot by then, but Victoria still hadn't. However, just after she took a sip of water to moisten her dry throat, she saw her standing dazedly aside. Thinking she had found their target Caroline jogged to her and looked in the direction she was seeing. Sure enough, a slanted upside-down six immediately came into her vision. The person had half their back toward them, and Caroline charged at them before even taking a look at who the person was.

"Taking without permission is called stealing. Are you illiterate, or can you not read numbers? How dare

you still show up when you've stolen someone else's book? Just how shameless are you?"

Caroline had her gaze on the book the entire time, never even taking a gander at the culprit even when she snatched the book from them. "I spent a solid hour lining up to get this; who do you think you are to take it for nothing?"