Syrena stood before the large mirror that hung in Elianna's dressing room.
She was wearing a wine red dress, "the colour of desire," Elianna commented from behind her.
"I don't feel desirable, Elle."
"You know what they say, fake it till you make it," Elianna replied mischievously.
"Now smile like you are a true heiress, and you my dear truly are one; forget the financial straits of the family."
Syrena merely nodded her head obediently and proceeded to leave the dressing room when Elianna stopped her.
"You're forgetting the jewellery." Elianna pointed at the velvet box, which held the matching ruby necklace and earrings.
"I cannot wear it, Elle, it's too much." Syrena pleaded with her.
"I'll wear the gold earrings my mother gifted me." Syrena said trying to bargain with her.
"Oh, alright, so long as you don't ruin the look." Elianna muttered before slipping on her black silver heels.
Elianna looked radiant in a sapphire dress with a matching silver diamond necklace and earrings.
"Let's go," Elianna said finally. They walked with their heels clicking across the marble floors as they made their way outside. Both ladies got into a black limousine that took them straight to the event held in the heart of the city.
The ballroom was lit by a thousand lights, from crystal chandeliers that spilled their glow across marble floors and large mirrors. The ladies were dressed in lavish silks of various shades of colour while the men wore tuxedos of varying shades of blue, black, white and silver. As music filled the air, laughter erupted as champagne glasses clinked amidst some circles where conversation came alive with merriment.
Syrena slowly descended the grand staircase, fingers gently gliding down the rail as she chose that moment to enter the ballroom with her best friend following closely behind her.
Some of the women turned to observe her descent, some noted she looked lovely, while others dismissed her as another heiress here to enjoy the event.
She smiled and bowed her head as a gentleman offered his hand for a dance. But her eyes were anxiously searching the ballroom for a glimpse of Alexander Graves.
Oh dear, where could he be? She thought as she twirled on the arm of her dance partner.
"Miss Vale, is it would you care for a dance?"
She hesitated, then smiled, saying, "I beg your pardon sir, I must sit this one out as I am rather exhausted."
"Of course," the young man replied disappointedly.
She stepped outside the ballroom for some fresh air. Her cheeks were flushed as she slipped past the glass doors and into the gardens that surrounded the outside of the ballroom.
The night air was fresh and a little chilly as she made her way to the centre to admire the fountain, which bubbled over with running water.
Roses grew entangled across the walls, their scent sweetening the air as she took in breath to steady her heartbeat.
Then she heard it, the sound of a woman's laugh, seductive, low and intimate.
She followed the sound and found that it came from an archway, where she found Alexander Graves with his arms wrapped around a woman.
At first she thought the shadows were playing tricks with her sight but as they stood beneath the archway of climbing roses, she could easily make out his handsome features against the glow of the lanterns that hung.
Her pulse sped up as her thoughts wandered just who he was with.
She moved closer so she could hear what they were saying to each other. From behind a pillar, she stood in the shadows, not daring to breathe.
The woman with flowing long red hair whispered smugly to Alexander, "tell me again.. how does it feel to know that your empire teeters on the brink of ruin or being bought over by me, hmmm....?"
He did not answer; instead, his jaw tensed and his shoulders went rigid.
"One night is all it takes for us to forget that small fact and lose interest in buying you out."
Her words dripped like honey, and before Syrena could make out what she meant, she saw the woman capture his mouth in a slow, deliberate kiss.
Syrena stood frozen in unbelief with her mouth agape at what she was hearing. She always wondered what it would be like to meet this man in person but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would find him being claimed like a prize by another woman, in a garden, at his own gala.
He broke the kiss with a sharp exhale. His voice came out low and dangerous.
"Careful, darling you play with fire, we wouldn't want you to get burned now would we?"
She replied coldly, "Then you'd better decide if you want to lose your pride or your company, dear."
Then her gaze shifted over his shoulder and she saw Syrena watching them both with a look of horror on her face.
She smiled at her and said aloud.
"I see, we have company. I guess our little secret is no longer a secret, is it, Alexander?"
Alexander turned his head and followed her gaze. Upon seeing Syrena, surprise flashed across his eyes then it was replaced with a cold mask of control.
Their eyes met across the garden.
For a moment, Syrena thought he might explain or deny what had just happened but he didn't. He merely inclined his head to the left.
As though to bid her goodnight.
Syrena stepped back quickly and turned, walking away from what she had just witnessed.
Behind her, she heard that woman laugh, only there was nothing sincere about it.
Alexander's voice came out strong then, "That is enough Marissa, you have made your point."
Syrena did not wait to hear more as she quickly walked back towards the ballroom. As the music met her before the doors did, she realised just how fast her heart had been beating.
The men and women in the ballroom were participating in the waltz and she could not care less if she would be asked to dance again. The heat of the crowd, the shimmer of gowns, the murmur of champagne and gossip, all folded around her as she looked for her friend amidst the crowd. She wanted to leave this place immediately, now that she knew the truth about Alexander Graves, he was already claimed by someone else.
A waiter approached her with a tray of champagne. She took a glass, her fingers steady now, her voice smooth when she thanked him.
"Miss Vale," said another gentleman with blonde hair and deep blue eyes. "Care for a dance?"
"It would be my pleasure," she answered as her eyes gave up the search for her friend amidst the crowd.
The waltz swept them in twirls and spins. Her gown brushed against the marble as her body moved from habit rather than thought. He spoke of art, of estates, of nothing that mattered. She nodded where she should, even laughed once. Her eyes now desperately looking for her friend's face.
Then she saw him.
Alexander had returned.
He stood alone now, his expression unreadable as he joined a group of men and seemed to be in an intense conversation with them.
Their eyes met across the ballroom once again and this time his eyes flickered with recognition of her.
The music ended, and her partner bowed saying ."Thank you, Miss Vale. You dance beautifully."
"Thank you," she replied distractedly.
She turned toward the refreshment table, needing something to hold on to. The cool rim of her glass grounded her, but her mind was elsewhere, replaying the scene in the garden.
As she lifted the champagne to her lips, she felt him before she saw him.
"Miss Vale," Alexander said quietly. His voice was lower than she expected.
She turned to face him, her own face with a mask of cool composure. "Mr. Graves," she greeted, her tone polite. "Tonight is truly a vision to behold, the gala." She said, realising what she had just said could possibly hint at what she had seen earlier. She fought the embarrassment that flushed her cheeks, hoping he understood what she had just said.
His eyes lingered on hers, as he muttered "it is", beneath his breath.
The silence between them was charged with something she could not quite put her finger on, awkwardness perhaps. So Syrena met his gaze one last time, with her composure unbroken. She said, "Enjoy your evening, Mr. Graves."
And with that, she turned away, leaving him standing amidst all the glitter and the noise of the night.