Chapter 02 : The Stranger In The Mask

She felt it before she saw it, the weight of his gaze, steady and unflinching. Not like the casual glance of a stranger. It was like something heavier than that. Which is sharper or something that going personal.

  When she finally turned, there he was. Exactly the same place, where she knew that he would be. He still watching her, it seems like he's not just looking, but continuously watching her.

  Like he could see past the gown, the mask, which carefully arranged the calm. Like he wasn't just seeing her tonight but seeing everything she would been trying to hide for years.

  The version of her that even she didn't want to face, or the cracks. And yet… he didn't flinch for a second. He didn't look away.

  It seems like her chaos didn't scare him. As if it called to him. And that? That was more dangerous than any sweet lie he could've spoken aloud.

  As if the music had faded, the chatter had died, and the entire room had quietly disappeared…

  Except for her. Like she was the only thing that existed. The only thing that mattered. In an instant, her pulse stuttered. Because no one had ever looked at her like that before, not even when she begged to be seen. But now... somehow, without a word, he made her feel completely exposed… and terrifyingly alive.

  Her breath caught, not because he was handsome. She already knew that. He was close to her but he hadn't even touched her.

  But there was something in his gaze. Not anger or any kind of curiosity. It's feels like something deeper, like recognition!

  Like he was seeing a ghost he never thought he'd face again. And for a heartbeat, everything inside her went still. Because for her whatever it was—it wasn't casual anymore. It wasn't safe for her... and then…

  He moved...! Not rushed, but it's seems like he'd already made the decision long before she turned around. Like this moment had been waiting to happen all along.

  Each step closer felt like a countdown to something she wasn't prepared for. The music faded, the room blurred. It was just him and her.

  He stopped just inches away, his voice a quiet drawl. "Excues me, Miss! Why you're not dancing?"

  She swallowed hard, her fingers curling slightly at her sides that anything to steady the tremble. Don't let him see it don't let him know how much space he still takes up in your chest.

  "Maybe I'm waiting for the right partner," she said softly, her voice laced with more meaning than she intended. "It's not just about the dance or just the matter of tonight. For the very moment, it's means everything for her."

  In the parts of her life she'd locked away, terrified someone might walk in and even more terrified they wouldn't.

  He didn’t rush his reply. Just let that slow, knowing smile rise to his lips like he already knew the answer. "Then I hope I'm not too late."

  After a long time, somewhere the word beneath her ribs, something cracked open. And for the first time the hope didn't feel like a betrayal to her.

  He extended his hand, and with her heart pounding and breath shallow, she placed hers gently in his.

  The moment their skin touched, it felt like sparks lit beneath her fingertips. He pulled her into the rhythm of the music, his touch firm but gentle. They moved together as if they'd done it a hundred times. His hand pressed lightly at her back, guiding her, claiming her.

  "You don't belong here," he murmured, his voice low and edged with something sharp.

  Elena stiffened. "Excuse me?"

  He chuckled. "That's not an insult. I mean… you don't belong with the rest of them. You're real. That's rare here."

  Her lips parted in surprise. "You think you know me?"

  "No," he said softly, pulling her a little closer. "But I would like to."

  The music stopped, yet his grip remained. And she didn't want to break the hold.

  They spent the rest of the night drifting from one corner of the ballroom to another, wrapped in whispered laughter and stolen glances. He never told her his name. She didn't ask. The mystery made it easier and safer.

  He leaned in, voice barely audible. "Come with me." For a second, she hesitated but in an instead she stepped after him.

  Later That Night- The suite was luxurious, with floor to ceiling windows that revealed a glittering skyline. But Elena barely noticed that. Because her mind was a blur of nerves and adrenaline as he closed the door behind them.

  The moment they were alone, his lips claimed hers and the world around them vanished. He kissed her like a man who was trying to forget something about his life. Or maybe like someone who had finally found something worth of remembering. Elena responded with the same desperation, allowing herself to melt under his touch.

  They tumbled into the sheets, limbs entangled, breaths uneven. She had never done this before in her life, she had never slept with a stranger. But now..! It's something about him felt inevitable.

  No names are spoken by them, or no promises they made with each other. Just the honest meeting of two bodies in the shadows.

  When it was over, they lay in silence, tangled together, his hand resting on her bare waist. She felt safe there, in that fragile silence. Like the world outside couldn't touch her.

  But when she woke the next morning… He was gone. There is nothing left behind, no message, or nothing. But the imprint of his scent on the sheets...which is enough to say his presence here.

  She sat up slowly, wrapping the blanket around herself. Her heart twisted, not with heartbreak, but with confusion. She knew it was only supposed to be one night. That had been the rule. Still, it stung to her.

  Two Weeks Later- Elena sat on the edge of her bathtub, three pregnancy tests, which is lined up on the counter in front of her. All are positive.

  Her hands trembled. This wasn't supposed to happen her. She covered her face with both hands and let out a shaky breath. How was she supposed to do this? She didn't even know his name. All she had was a memory and now a child growing inside her.

  She stared at the mirror, her voice a whisper. "You've really done it this time, Elena."

  Now it's almost four mouth of her pregnancy, and she was still waking up tired. She opening her inbox, there is nothing but silence.

  Finding a job while pregnant? A cruel joke, isn't it? They smiled during the interviews, like tight lipped, calculated smiles, nodding as she spoke about her qualifications. But the moment their eyes flicked downward to her growing belly, it was over.

  They ghosted her before she ever left the building.

  No callbacks, or not even any kind of explanations. They just give her a polite rejection wrapped in silence.

  The bills came anyway... Yeah, they always did. Piling up like small reminders of everything slipping through her fingers. Her savings had vanished weeks ago, which she used up on rent, groceries, prenatal vitamins she could no longer afford. She'd sold what she could—jewelry, electronics, also her gifted handbag. 

  Now there was nothing left for her and for her baby. Nothing left to pawn, even that felt like too much and not enough all at once.

  She sat by the window that morning, one hand resting over the curve of her belly and whispered, "I'm trying my baby. I swear I really am...

  But the words felt thin, like paper soaked through with rain.

  And that's why she was here, standing in the grand marble lobby of Wolfe Corporation, holding her resume like it was a lifeline.

  She'd applied for a junior assistant position. Low-level. Low visibility. But it paid well, and that was all that mattered.

  The receptionist guided her down a corridor to Conference Room B. "Wait here," the woman said. "Mr. Wolfe will be with you shortly."

  Elena nodded, nerves tangled in her stomach.

  She stepped into the room and sat down, smoothing the creases from her skirt. Her fingers rested protectively over the barely, there curve of her stomach, still hidden under her loose blouse.

  The door opened and in walked the man from the masquerade...

  Her masked stranger..! Elena's breath caught in her throat. No mask now, just striking grey eyes, a hard jaw, and the same confident presence. He looked even more devastating in daylight.

  But a little bit longer, she realise that he didn't recognize her.

  "Miss Marlowe?" he said, glancing at the resume in his hand.

  She opened her mouth, but not even a single word came out of her mouth.

  He looked up. "You alright?"

  She nodded slowly. "Y...Yes. I'm fine."

  Who knows the destiny that he going to be her new boss...