The car sped up. Avelina sat at the back, taking in everything—everything was organized perfectly, even a bottle of water and a drink positioned just for her at the side of the car.
The air conditioning was set at the perfect temperature, as if arranged specifically for her. She would be lying if she said she had ever entered such a luxurious car in her entire life.
This man had to be famous and these luxuries were too much for someone like her—or rather, considering they had signed a marriage contract, she was no longer a stranger. Still, he must really trust people for him to actually meet a condom seller to sign such a contract.
She sighed softly and sat upright.
"You don't have to be nervous, Miss Billie," the chauffeur—or butler—said, and Avelina smiled softly.
'Get yourself together Ave… how did he notice?' she wondered, worried that her face was too readable. She took a soft breath and tried to relax. Even if she didn't know exactly what was going on, she shouldn't broadcast here worry like breaking news.
She finally rested her back on the chair. She needed to stay calm; there would be other people around, and she shouldn't fear wealthy strangers.
She began organizing her thoughts, trying to figure out the nicest way to tell the man she did not want to marry him. She leaned back, reminding herself to stay calm and take things slowly.
The car moved further, and the night sky stretched above. Time passed before the chauffeur spoke again.
"Your husband is in the VIP room. He's waiting for you to arrive before you both go to the ball."
My husband? Avelina raised an eyebrow. Yes, she had signed a contract, but that didn't mean she was officially his. She didn't even have a ring on her finger.
She understood what he meant: if she arrived first, it wouldn't make sense—they needed to arrive together.
She gently adjusted her mask. Tonight, she would act differently—high-class, composed. After all, no one would recognize her tonight—not even her supposed husband. She stifled a laugh.
Come to think of it, her supposed husband had not even seen her face yet. This was far better than she had imagined; everything would move smoothly.
The car finally came to a stop. Avelina looked up, and her jaw almost dropped. Her mouth had opened, and after a moment, she realized how foolish she looked and closed it.
The silk-black gate opened as the chauffeur rolled down the window and handed over the ticket.
The bulky man took it, and they moved inside.
Avelina noticed that everything was perfectly organized. The flowers were arranged just right in the center, water fell gracefully, and the lighting was flawless for the night. All the cars were black—it seemed there was a strict code, which surprised her.
In front of them stood a large mansion, perfectly built and exquisitely maintained.
Instead of parking in the lines, they moved further to the side. This time, the side gate opened by itself. This must be the VIP area where her husband was. The car stopped, and just as it didAvelina reached for the handle, she pulled away immediately as the chauffeur stepped out to open.
"Class, Ave. Have some class, Ave," she murmured to herself, realizing she had almost acted like a classless person.
The man opened the door, and Avelina placed her gloved hand atop his. She smiled softly and realized that Roxie had not been lying—he really was handsome.
"Thankings you…" Ave spoke, biting the inside of her lips. She had originally planned to say it like a well-mannered lady, but she had messed up her words. She prayed he hadn't noticed.
Unknown to her, a small smirk had crossed his face for the briefest moment.
"This way," he said, leading her toward the elevator. They entered, and as it began to move, silence fell.
She realized they were at the back of the masquerade ball mansion.
"Your husband is in the second room on the right. There are only two rooms on that floor."
Wait… he's not coming with me? Avelina wondered, puzzled. As if reading her thoughts, he spoke respectfully:
"I cannot go there. You are the only one allowed."
Avelina could not believe it. What does he mean by he's not allowed? Then why am I allowed?
"Please, you don't have to be scared," he said, as if that would calm her.
This man had to be kidding her. Who would not be scared by this news? Did he really expect her to smile and curtsy? She managed a calm expression as she spoke.
"Haha… scared? Oh, please. Not to mention, I won best of the year in horror cosplay—I was even given a badge," she lied confidently. The man nodded, and she immediately regretted her words. That had been so uncalled for.
'Oh heavens, why has she said that'
"Very well then, Miss Blue," he spoke with a bow as the elevator pinged and opened. She stepped out, and as Avelina turned, he smiled as it closer.
Her eyes widened in surprise—she had never seen him smile before. It was like a moment straight out of a horror movie; that smile sent chills down her spine.
'Calm down. Do what you need to do. Take the dessert and leave,' she whispered to herself reassuringly.
She walked down the dimly lit hallway. There were only two doors, and she moved toward the second one on the right, at the end. Her eyes fell on the slightly ajar door, and she froze.
Inside, she saw the auction items for the night. Roxie had told her that auction accessories could sell for thousands or even millions of dollars.
Avelina walked into the room in awe.
She stepped closer, fascinated. A single cup rested atop a pedestal. It looked ancient, unique—something she had never seen before.
She moved toward it, curious. The room was spacious, yet this cup was the centerpiece.
Still, she wondered why the room was so spacious for a cup. Rich people really didn't know what to do with their money.
"Wow… I see why it sells so high," she murmured as the cup kept getting more beautifulby the second.
She reached out with a wide smile, letting her fingers trace the intricate design.
To her surprise, the cup moved—it was far lighter than it looked. She tried to grab it, but her shoes caught on her gown. She slipped, a sharp cry escaping her lips. Just as she fell.
SHRAANG
The cup shattered on the floor.
Avelina's heart raced. Fear clawed at her, squeezing her chest.
'No no no nooo'
What am I going to do now?
"Why did you even enter here? Mind your own business!" she scolded herself, still sitting on the floor, stunned at her own recklessness. They were struggling to pay landlord debt as they were owing for two months now, and here she was, destroying a priceless item.
'Calm down. They don't know. No one can recognize your face. Stand up and run.'
She removed her heels, knowing they would slow her down.
No one was there. No evidence. Thank heavens for the mask. She raised her gown slightly to help her movement and picked up her heels, her body trembling.
Why today of all days?
Suddenly, the soft click of shoes echoed through the room. Sharp chills raced down her spine. The air suddenly thickened, heavy and suffocating, as if it were warning her.
"Three hundred ninety-eight years cup of elegance… specially crafted… and shattered by clumsy hands," a deep, resonant voice seeped sharply though the room, curling around her like a chilling smoke.
Avelina froze. She didn't want to look, yet her eyes trembled against her will. W..What have I done? Who… is that? His voice radiated power, his presence commanding, even before she glimpsed his face.
Swallowing hard, she finally turned daring not to look up at him, bowing with trembling shoulders.
"P… please… it was a mistake. Please keep it a secret," she stammered. Her hands were sweaty, clasped together.
He said nothing. The soft shine of his custom-made shoes came into view, radiating authority.
"But you had been planning to run hmm, so what changed," he drawled, his deep, low voice mocking.
"Such a sly little puffin," he continued, his tone deadly cold. Avelina's breath caught as he stopped in front of her.
Puffin?
His presence and scent wrapped around her like a second skin. His fingers moved to her throat, resting there. Her breathing stopped, her lips parted.
Heart pounding.
"Eyes on me, puffin," he commanded. His fingers moved from her throat to her chin, lifting her head to meet his gaze. Avelina's eyes locked on his, and her world seemed to stop.
THUP.
The heels she had been holding fell to the floor.
Her heart stopped. Her body refused to move.
Z… Zauriel.
Standing in front of her was her ex-husband… h..her dead husband.
Her lips trembled, her knees finally gave way.