The countdown clock ticked in the corner of the streaming screen, a bright pulse against the dark backdrop. Thousands of viewers filled the chatroom, anticipation pouring like a flood of neon text:
> Is she really going to do it tonight?
Velvet never promised a face reveal—what's happening?
This is going to break the internet.
Velvet sat before the camera, her expression hidden beneath the sleek mask she had worn since the very first broadcast. It had become her trademark, a mystery that fueled obsession. Tonight, however, she had promised something different—a revelation.
She leaned forward, her gloved fingers brushing against the microphone. "Good evening, my darlings," she purred, her voice velvet-smooth, slow enough to ensnare. "You've waited long enough. Tonight, you'll see what's beneath the mask."
The chat exploded. Thousands of emotes, frantic words, declarations of devotion and disbelief. Velvet let it all wash over her like waves on a shore. She could feel the hunger, the desperation of her audience. They didn't want the truth—they wanted the fantasy. And she would give them just enough to keep them begging.
The timer hit zero. With deliberate grace, Velvet lifted her hands to her face. The mask slid upward, exposing the soft curve of her lips, the faint outline of her jaw. Gasps filled the chat, though they were only typed illusions of breathless awe.
She stopped, lowering the mask just enough to leave half her face hidden. "Patience," she whispered, smiling faintly. "Perfection deserves anticipation."
The screen filled with digital cries:
> Please, show us everything!
Don't tease us like this!
She's even more beautiful than I imagined…
Velvet's eyes glittered behind the fabric, unseen but all-powerful. She traced the rim of a crystal glass filled with red wine, the camera catching the sensual curve of her fingers. Every movement was a performance, every pause a calculated snare.
At that moment, a private notification flashed across her screen—Adrian. He was watching. She could almost feel the weight of his gaze, sharp and possessive, even among the sea of strangers.
"Do you know why I wear this mask?" Velvet asked softly, setting the glass aside. "Not because I fear being seen. No, my loves… it's because I want you to understand that beauty is more powerful when it's incomplete. Desire is sharpest when denied."
Her words dripped into the silence, intoxicating.
Slowly, deliberately, she removed the mask fully. The camera caught the luminous glow of her face—her lips painted the color of temptation, her skin flawless, her eyes steady and unblinking as they locked onto the lens.
For a heartbeat, the world stilled. Then chaos erupted.
The chat scrolled faster than the system could process: declarations of love, stunned reactions, promises of eternal loyalty. Viewers screamed into the void of the internet, begging for her attention, desperate to be acknowledged.
Velvet tilted her head, her smile knowing. "You've seen my face," she said softly. "But don't mistake that for knowing me. I'm still your Velvet, still the mystery you crave. And now… you'll never be able to look away."
She leaned closer to the camera, her gaze filling the screen. "Because once you've seen the truth, my darlings, you belong to me."
The declaration wasn't shouted; it was whispered, intimate, binding. And just like that, she sealed her hold.
Behind the scenes, Adrian's message appeared again.
> Adrian: Stop this. You don't know what you're doing.
Velvet's lips curved faintly. Oh, she knew exactly what she was doing.
She reached out, shutting off the stream with a single touch. The screen went black for her viewers, leaving them in the agony of silence and the ecstasy of obsession. But Velvet remained still, savoring the afterglow of power.
Her phone buzzed once more. Adrian's voice, clipped and demanding, rang through the speaker when she answered. "You've crossed a line."
Velvet swirled her wine glass, her tone languid, mocking. "No, Adrian. I've drawn one. And now the whole world knows where they stand—on their knees, waiting for me."
He cursed under his breath, but she ended the call before he could say more. Tonight wasn't about him. Tonight was about the leash she had wrapped around thousands, binding them tighter than ever.
Velvet leaned back, closing her eyes, her lips curving into a dangerous smile. The mask lay discarded on the table, unnecessary now.
Because the real mask had always been her charm. And that, she would never remove.
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