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And that was why Rashid had brought her to Qazhar. To take for himself a piece of Gemma's fame, her celebrity and use it for his own ends, for his company's benefit.
That simple thought made Ahmed's jaw tighten in barely suppressed frustration. The thought that his bitter rival would benefit from using Gemma Ellon as a celebrity endorsement for his own media company galled Ahmed to the core.
Up there, on the platform, there was a flurry of activity, and the photographers were ushered away and Gemma was led down off the platform by Rashid, who looked far too pleased with himself for Ahmed's liking.
Ahmed knew that Rashid had invited him to this reception so that he could rub Ahmed's nose in a triumphant display of his prized possession. One of the largest social media stars was his.
Ahmed had thought about refusing the invitation, but Taliq had forced him to see sense, and accept. Taliq had pointed out that if Ahmed hadn't come to this extravagant reception in one of the most exclusive hotels in Qazhar, then Rashid would have wasted no time in letting everyone he knew that Ahmed had admitted defeat.
And that had been what had made Ahmed's mind up for him. He would never grant Rashid any kind of victory over himself. It was painful enough that the American woman was about to begin working for Rashid.
But, maybe it wasn't too late to do something to change that, Ahmed told himself.
For a while, he and Taliq mingled with the guests, shaking hands, renewing acquaintances, and chatting idly. Every mention of Rashid's good fortune cut Ahmed to the core, but he made sure no-one could guess the extent of his frustration.
As he made his way through the guests, Ahmed kept his attention fixed on Gemma Ellon. The more he saw of her, the more he had to admit that she was a class act. She had an easy way with people, obviously capable of turning on the charm at an moment's notice.
At no point did he get even close to her, such was the demand for her attention by the guests who surrounded her. All through the evening, Rashid kept close to his most valuable asset.
Once or twice, Rashid smiled across at Ahmed, nodding slowly, but he didn't make the effort to come and talk with Ahmed. Perhaps Rashid didn't want to risk an unpleasant scene. One that would spoil the evening.
After a while, Ahmed had almost given up hope that he could get close to Miss Ellon, even just for the chance of a brief introduction. He and Taliq were discussing the prospect of leaving the party early, when Ahmed finally got his chance.
As he glanced across at Miss Ellon from his vantage point near the platform, Ahmed saw that she began to look distracted. Her smile became less warm and her pretty features assumed an almost impatient expression, as if she had something else on her mind. Or as if the entire evening had suddenly gotten the better of her.
Ahmed saw her smile broadly and politely make her excuses. She drifted away from the group of people she was talking with, closely followed by Rashid. Ahmed saw her turn to Rashid and say something, which drew a response from Rashid. She shook her head and seemed to say something which made Rashid freeze in his tracks and nod reluctantly.
Then she walked away from Rashid, heading toward the exit, probably in the direction of the powder rooms.
Ahmed moved through the crowd, keeping an eye on her. From his angle he saw her striding down the corridor outside the reception hall of the hotel, heading, as he suspected in the direction of the facilities.
But, instead of continuing, he saw her turn suddenly, her face pale, her eyes wide. She seemed satisfied that no-one was following behind her, and then she completely changed direction, this time heading toward where Ahmed knew was an access to the rear of the hotel where there was a large garden area.
Ahmed frowned. Why had she decided to escape the reception, especially since it was entirely for her benefit? And why had she pretended to be merely taking a brief break, when he had seen her real intention?
Ahmed moved quickly, glancing across at Rashid, reassuring himself that he wasn't aware of what Gemma had just done. Rashid was busy talking with guests.
Ahmed headed out through the open doors and strode along the hotel corridor. Eventually he reached the rear of the hotel. There was a deserted restaurant area at the far end of which he saw wide open double doors. He guessed that was where she had gone and headed there at a pace.
Emerging through the open doors, he stepped out onto a terrace. The evening was cool, the sky filled with stars. The expansive garden stretched out before him. The air smelled sweet with the aroma of flowers. Or was that the trace of her perfume?
He heard the soft sounds of insects and reflected on the contrast between the peace out here and the busyness back in the reception room.
He couldn't see any sign of Gemma. He gazed out across the garden with its soft, well-hidden lights that illuminated the rows of trees and flower beds. There was a wide stretch of lawn and he guessed if she was going to be anywhere, she would be somewhere in that direction, perhaps taking some fresh evening air.
Ahmed followed his instinct and walked down the steps from the terrace and out onto the lawn, feeling the grass soft beneath his shoes.
He walked for a minute or two, searching for her.
Then he saw her.
She was sitting on a low bench over by a small fountain.
Completely alone.
This was his chance.
He would never get a better opportunity to try and persuade her that she had made a mistake in agreeing to work with Rashid. He knew it was a risk, but he was willing to do anything if it would deny Rashid.
