EIRA POV:
I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me. I couldn't believe what I just heard.
He knows about the DNA tests… but how? How could he possibly know?
Claira! Oh God—he will kill her. He will kill her child!
Cold tears gushed down my face. My whole body trembled.
No. No! I can't crumble now. I won't let that monster touch her. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and forced my heart to harden.
I have to talk to Adrain. But he won't listen to me… God, what should I do now?
I'll go to the engagement party. I won't let anything happen to Claira or her child. I don't know how, but I'll find a way to get in.
"Are you stupid?! Is this the time to come? Keep all the items in the canteen, fast!!" —the canteen manager's roar cut through my panic, directed at some poor worker.
And just like that… I knew what I had to do.
I barely recognized myself in the mirror. A short skirt. Heels. A mask. I never wear anything like this. The skirt made me feel exposed, the heels stabbed into my feet with every step. God, why do girls wear these torture devices?
But the mask—thankfully the mask—gave me cover. With luck, no one would know it was me.
"Are you blind?! How can you leave a spot on the cloth?" A sharp shrill voice jolted me.
A middle-aged man with a thick mustache was gripping a poor waiter by the collar. His face was twisted with anger.
"I'll kill you if you make another mistake!" he barked. "This is Mr. Peter Dawn's engagement. I won't tolerate a single mistake! I don't care what the guests say—you will do exactly as they demand. Not one complaint! Move, all of you! Tonight is the most important night for our hotel!"
The staff scattered like frightened birds.
"You! Hey, you!"
I froze as the man's finger pointed at me.
"Y-yes, sir?"
"You're the new waitress, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then where do you think you're going?"
"Sir, I was just—"
"Stop! I don't want to hear excuses. Go out and serve drinks. Now."
ADRAIN POV:
"Claira. Let's go." I unbuckled my seat belt, but she didn't move. She just stared ahead, lost and trembling.
"Claira? Claira!"
Her lips quivered. "Adrain, I'm… I'm so scared. What if he does something to my baby? What if—"
Her voice broke, choked with panic. "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home."
I cupped her hand in mine. "Claira, look at me."
Her eyes flicked up slowly.
"Nothing will happen to you. Nothing will happen to your child. I swear it. But you have to be strong—for yourself, and for that little life inside you."
For five long minutes she was silent, her chest rising and falling fast. Finally she whispered, "Okay… Let's go."
I pulled her into a tight embrace before leading her inside. The entire college seemed to be here, dressed in shades of black and blue, masks covering their faces.
I took her upstairs, into a quiet room. I locked the door.
"You stay here. Rest. When it's time, I'll come and get you. Don't open the door for anyone. Only me. I have the key."
She nodded silently, her hands trembling, and I left.
I slipped the key into a waiter's hand. "You know what to do. One mistake… and I'll kill you myself." My voice was low, lethal. The waiter's Adam's apple bobbed in terror.
Just as I was about to enter the main hall, a hand clapped my shoulder. I turned—and saw Peter.
"Hey, man! Enjoying the party?" He grinned, pulling me into a side hug.
I forced a smile.
"So? Where's my gift?"
"You'll get it soon," I leaned in, my voice like poison. "And trust me, Peter—you'll never forget this gift for the rest of your life."
I walked away, rage burning in my chest. But then—my nostrils caught something. A scent. Familiar. Different. Her.
EIRA POV:
Balancing the tray, I moved through the crowd, serving drinks. But my eyes never stopped scanning. Where was Claira?
And then—I saw him. Adrain. Walking toward me, tall, commanding, his face unreadable. My heart leapt into my throat. I looked down quickly, trying to slip past unseen.
But before I could escape, his hand clamped around my arm and yanked me behind a massive sculpture. I gasped as my back hit the wall, his chest pressing close.
"What the hell are you doing here?" His teeth clenched, eyes blazing as he pulled me tighter against him.
"I… Claira—"
"I told you to stay home." His voice was harsh, a dangerous whisper.
"Adrain—listen! Peter knows about the DNA tests. Claira's life is in danger. Her baby—"
"It doesn't matter. When I tell you to stay home, you stay home. You're leaving. Now." His grip tightened as he tried to drag me.
"No! Please, Adrain. I can't leave Claira here. Not with him."
"He's dangerous, Eira. You're going home."
"Why do you care?!"
For a moment, he froze. His jaw tightened, his chest heaving. Then—his hand slammed against the wall beside my head. The sound echoed. I flinched. His face hovered close to mine… then he turned and stalked away, leaving me shaking.
ADRAIN POV:
She's driving me insane. She doesn't understand how dangerous he is. Why should I care? Why do I care?
"Hey, man, what are you doing alone?"
Peter again. I wanted to tear his throat open.
"Come on, let's go." He dragged me toward the bar, shoving a drink into my hand.
I sat there, trying to smother the fire inside me.
"Look at her, man! She's hot."
My ears pricked. A group of drunkards was pointing at someone.
"She looks amazing in that skirt."
"Yeah, she's mine tonight. I'll take her home. No one can stop me."
Their words sank into me like acid. My blood roared. My jaw locked so tight I thought my teeth would break. I set my glass down before I shattered it in my hand.
"Wait here. I'll touch her first," one of them laughed.
My vision blurred red. I wanted to kill them all. Rip their throats out. Drown in their blood.
EIRA POV:
God, I hated this. Serving drinks to these disgusting men, the stench of alcohol thick in the air. My stomach churned. Where was Tessy? Where was Claira?
"Hey! Waitress! Come here."
My heart froze. It was Adrain's voice.
I turned. His face was dark red, veins bulging, eyes blazing with something feral. Rage radiated off him like heat from a fire.
A shiver ran down my spine. What happened to him?
"Serve my friends a drink," he ordered, pointing toward the group of drunk men who were now smirking at me.
My legs felt heavy, but I obeyed, moving toward them. And then—my heel caught on someone's foot. I stumbled forward, the tray tipping—
But before I hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, holding me up. My hands clutched a broad shoulder instinctively. The tray crashed, glass shattering loudly.
I looked up. Adrain. His hand gripped my waist like steel, his furious eyes locked on mine. My breath hitched.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
The manager's roar made us break apart instantly.
"I—I'm sorry, sir—" I stammered.
"What kind of staff do you hire?" Adrain snapped coldly before I could finish. "They can't even serve a simple drink."
"I'm sorry, sir, truly—" the manager bowed, sweating.
"I don't want your sorry. Fire her. Now."
"What? No! Sir, it wasn't—" I tried desperately. "Someone tripped me—" I glared at Adrain.
"I don't want to hear excuses. You're fired!"
I froze. My chest hollowed.
He did it. He tripped me. He made this happen.
I couldn't believe it.EIRA POV:
I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me. I couldn't believe what I just heard.
He knows about the DNA tests… but how? How could he possibly know?
Claira! Oh God—he will kill her. He will kill her child!
Cold tears gushed down my face. My whole body trembled.
No. No! I can't crumble now. I won't let that monster touch her. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and forced my heart to harden.
I have to talk to Adrain. But he won't listen to me… God, what should I do now?
I'll go to the engagement party. I won't let anything happen to Claira or her child. I don't know how, but I'll find a way to get in.
"Are you stupid?! Is this the time to come? Keep all the items in the canteen, fast!!" —the canteen manager's roar cut through my panic, directed at some poor worker.
And just like that… I knew what I had to do.
I barely recognized myself in the mirror. A short skirt. Heels. A mask. I never wear anything like this. The skirt made me feel exposed, the heels stabbed into my feet with every step. God, why do girls wear these torture devices?
But the mask—thankfully the mask—gave me cover. With luck, no one would know it was me.
"Are you blind?! How can you leave a spot on the cloth?" A sharp shrill voice jolted me.
A middle-aged man with a thick mustache was gripping a poor waiter by the collar. His face was twisted with anger.
"I'll kill you if you make another mistake!" he barked. "This is Mr. Peter Dawn's engagement. I won't tolerate a single mistake! I don't care what the guests say—you will do exactly as they demand. Not one complaint! Move, all of you! Tonight is the most important night for our hotel!"
The staff scattered like frightened birds.
"You! Hey, you!"
I froze as the man's finger pointed at me.
"Y-yes, sir?"
"You're the new waitress, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then where do you think you're going?"
"Sir, I was just—"
"Stop! I don't want to hear excuses. Go out and serve drinks. Now."
ADRAIN POV:
"Claira. Let's go." I unbuckled my seat belt, but she didn't move. She just stared ahead, lost and trembling.
"Claira? Claira!"
Her lips quivered. "Adrain, I'm… I'm so scared. What if he does something to my baby? What if—"
Her voice broke, choked with panic. "I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home."
I cupped her hand in mine. "Claira, look at me."
Her eyes flicked up slowly.
"Nothing will happen to you. Nothing will happen to your child. I swear it. But you have to be strong—for yourself, and for that little life inside you."
For five long minutes she was silent, her chest rising and falling fast. Finally she whispered, "Okay… Let's go."
I pulled her into a tight embrace before leading her inside. The entire college seemed to be here, dressed in shades of black and blue, masks covering their faces.
I took her upstairs, into a quiet room. I locked the door.
"You stay here. Rest. When it's time, I'll come and get you. Don't open the door for anyone. Only me. I have the key."
She nodded silently, her hands trembling, and I left.
I slipped the key into a waiter's hand. "You know what to do. One mistake… and I'll kill you myself." My voice was low, lethal. The waiter's Adam's apple bobbed in terror.
Just as I was about to enter the main hall, a hand clapped my shoulder. I turned—and saw Peter.
"Hey, man! Enjoying the party?" He grinned, pulling me into a side hug.
I forced a smile.
"So? Where's my gift?"
"You'll get it soon," I leaned in, my voice like poison. "And trust me, Peter—you'll never forget this gift for the rest of your life."
I walked away, rage burning in my chest. But then—my nostrils caught something. A scent. Familiar. Different. Her.
EIRA POV:
Balancing the tray, I moved through the crowd, serving drinks. But my eyes never stopped scanning. Where was Claira?
And then—I saw him. Adrain. Walking toward me, tall, commanding, his face unreadable. My heart leapt into my throat. I looked down quickly, trying to slip past unseen.
But before I could escape, his hand clamped around my arm and yanked me behind a massive sculpture. I gasped as my back hit the wall, his chest pressing close.
"What the hell are you doing here?" His teeth clenched, eyes blazing as he pulled me tighter against him.
"I… Claira—"
"I told you to stay home." His voice was harsh, a dangerous whisper.
"Adrain—listen! Peter knows about the DNA tests. Claira's life is in danger. Her baby—"
"It doesn't matter. When I tell you to stay home, you stay home. You're leaving. Now." His grip tightened as he tried to drag me.
"No! Please, Adrain. I can't leave Claira here. Not with him."
"He's dangerous, Eira. You're going home."
"Why do you care?!"
For a moment, he froze. His jaw tightened, his chest heaving. Then—his hand slammed against the wall beside my head. The sound echoed. I flinched. His face hovered close to mine… then he turned and stalked away, leaving me shaking.
ADRAIN POV:
She's driving me insane. She doesn't understand how dangerous he is. Why should I care? Why do I care?
"Hey, man, what are you doing alone?"
Peter again. I wanted to tear his throat open.
"Come on, let's go." He dragged me toward the bar, shoving a drink into my hand.
I sat there, trying to smother the fire inside me.
"Look at her, man! She's hot."
My ears pricked. A group of drunkards was pointing at someone.
"She looks amazing in that skirt."
"Yeah, she's mine tonight. I'll take her home. No one can stop me."
Their words sank into me like acid. My blood roared. My jaw locked so tight I thought my teeth would break. I set my glass down before I shattered it in my hand.
"Wait here. I'll touch her first," one of them laughed.
My vision blurred red. I wanted to kill them all. Rip their throats out. Drown in their blood.
EIRA POV:
God, I hated this. Serving drinks to these disgusting men, the stench of alcohol thick in the air. My stomach churned. Where was Tessy? Where was Claira?
"Hey! Waitress! Come here."
My heart froze. It was Adrain's voice.
I turned. His face was dark red, veins bulging, eyes blazing with something feral. Rage radiated off him like heat from a fire.
A shiver ran down my spine. What happened to him?
"Serve my friends a drink," he ordered, pointing toward the group of drunk men who were now smirking at me.
My legs felt heavy, but I obeyed, moving toward them. And then—my heel caught on someone's foot. I stumbled forward, the tray tipping—
But before I hit the ground, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, holding me up. My hands clutched a broad shoulder instinctively. The tray crashed, glass shattering loudly.
I looked up. Adrain. His hand gripped my waist like steel, his furious eyes locked on mine. My breath hitched.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
The manager's roar made us break apart instantly.
"I—I'm sorry, sir—" I stammered.
"What kind of staff do you hire?" Adrain snapped coldly before I could finish. "They can't even serve a simple drink."
"I'm sorry, sir, truly—" the manager bowed, sweating.
"I don't want your sorry. Fire her. Now."
"What? No! Sir, it wasn't—" I tried desperately. "Someone tripped me—" I glared at Adrain.
"I don't want to hear excuses. You're fired!"
I froze. My chest hollowed.
He did it. He tripped me. He made this happen.
I couldn't believe it.