Chapter Three

Dominique

The sun had gone down by the time Doug and I were done with the shoot. I was tired and just wanted to go home but I couldn't because my mom had organized a dinner at her house. Family, friends, acquaintances and business partners were all invited. I didn't want to attend due to the strained relationship I had with my mom and sister, infact every member of the Reed family despised me. They blamed me for my father's death. My brother was the only one who never blamed me and had my back all these years. Asher, my brother had called me the previous day to remind me about the dinner party and I had promised I was going to attend. Doug knew about my family's hatred for me so he didn't want me going alone. We walked out of the shoot location and got into my waiting SUV. Bobby, my driver started the car and drove in the direction of my mom's house. My mother and I hadn't spoken for about three years. I stopped trying to keep the relationship and she never bothered about it too.

" I'll be right there with you, babe" Doug said, squeezing my hand.

" I can always count on that " I replied smiling at him. He was always there for me.

The ride to my mother's house was about an hour and thirty minutes. It was almost 8:pm when we arrived. The automatic gate slid open and Bobby drove into the house.

My mom's mansion was as beautiful as always. I had grown up in this house but never felt any connection to it. The water fountain was sparkling, the pool was clean and the shrubs that lined up against the walls were well trimmed. Luxury cars were lined up, taking up a large amount of space. The car came to a halt. Doug came out first and came to open my door. I smiled and took the hand he had stretched out. The mansion was heavily guarded with armed bodyguards as always. Men dressed in black suits stood at all corners of the house. I walked into the mansion with Doug, leaving Bobby sitting in the car. I walked up the stairs with Doug to the grand ballroom where my mom hosted all her parties. The ballroom doors were thrown wide open. Guests formed small groups at every corner, holding wine glasses and discussing. I looked around and a particular group caught my attention. My mom, aunts, cousins and my siblings sat at a large table.

My mom looked stunning as always, never a thing out of place. I was the only out of place thing she had in her life.

I made my way through the crowd and arrived at where they sat. Doug pulled out a chair for me. I smiled warmly at him and sat. Doug took a seat beside me. My entire family looked at me like they had seen a ghost. Everyone stopped the discussion.

" Well don't you'll say hi at once " I said sarcastically.

Aunt Vanessa rolled her eyes dramatically. " Who invited you? " She mumbled.

" We are not doing this " Asher said to them.

" Mon bébé " He said getting up from his seat and moving to the chair I sat it. He pulled me up and wrapped me in a bear hug.

" You look glamorous as always, mon bébé " Asher said.

" Thank you " I smiled, shyly. My brother had always made me feel good about myself. I especially loved when he gave me compliments.

Asher shook hands with Doug. He had met him just once before now.

" What's good?" Asher greeted.

" Everything. " Doug replied.

" Hi mom " I said.

" Good to see you, Dom " My mother said with a straight face.

" We both know that's a lie " I said sitting back down.

" You could allow me pretend in peace " My mom said.

" Of course. " I said chuckling not in the least affected by her attitude. This was something I was used to.

The rest of the family began greeting me warmly, or at least they tried to.

" You look good, Dom. " Regina my cousin said. " One would never think you would after all the atrocities you caused. "

" Well I have no reason to bother my life over something that wasn't my fault." I said picking an apple from the fruit bowl on the table.

" Not your fault???!!! " Regina half yelled. " You were the one who opened your butthole for a man who ended up killing Uncle Cole."

I scoffed " Self righteous Regina" I said. " Weren't you just caught sleeping with your stepdad like three months ago. "

Regina gasped loudly. Not because I was lying but she probably thought I wouldn't bring that up.

" But suddenly I'm the most hated member of the family while y'all be doing bad shit. " I continued. " That's a conversation you all ain't ready for. "

" Oh shut up, Dominique. " Andrea another one of my cousin said. " Just shut up. "

" Oh Andrea weren't you just caught on a plane trying to smuggle drugs and they whole family had to pay millions to buy your ass outta jail. " I said looking at the ceiling and tapping my index finger on my lips like I was trying to remember.

" Okay that's enough " Aunt Hildegarde said. " Andrea and Regina stop it. "

" He started it first " Regina wailed. " You should be cautioning him and not us. "

I rolled my eyes and stood up. I wasn't sure I could spend another second in their midst.

" Well I think I would like to leave now. " I said holding my purse

" Well you should. " Lena mumbled.

" Now calm down y'all " Asher said. " Can we not keep doing this? Can't we all just relax. "

" No one is going to ruin this dinner for me. " My mom said getting up from her seat. " You had better all behave yourselves. And Dom sit your ass back down. I don't want anyone seeing you leave after you just got here. I have a reputation to uphold. "

I grudgingly sat down again. My mom straightened her clothes took a small sip of wine and made her way to the stage. She collected the microphone and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.

" Good evening everyone. I'm overjoyed to see that you all honoured my invitation. Thank you all for being here today. Don't just sit still. Make friends, move around and be merry."

A short applause echoed in the ballroom. Mom stepped down from the stage. Soft music began playing and everyone grabbed a partner and danced.

Bang!!!

The heavy chandelier fell from the ceiling and crashed in the middle of the ballroom. The guests screamed.

Bang!!!

The singer from the live band dropped dead.

I looked at the ballroom entrance.

A man stepped inside.

Then another.

Then another.

They spread through the entrance with the kind of calm that made the room colder. They were all armed and wore black clothes.

Someone screamed.

Douglas grabbed my arm.

I couldn't move.

The man who entered last didn't carry himself like the others.

He didn't need to.

He wore a black coat, his hands bare, his expression unreadable. The dagger he held in his hand dripped with blood.

They had definitely killed everyone downstairs

He stopped just inside the doorway.

For one second, I didn't recognize him.

My mind refused to.

It had been four years.

Four years since I had watched the world bury him.

Four years since I had convinced myself that whatever I had felt for him belonged to a life that no longer existed. Whatever we shared was gone.

But I knew those eyes.

My breath caught. I wanted to scream like everyone else but the sound couldn't come out.

No.

The man slowly lifted his gaze. He had a long ugly scar that ran across his left eye disrupting the flow of hair on his eyebrow.

His eyes found mine across the room. And everything inside me went still.

Nikolai Rozanov was standing in my mother's ballroom.

Alive.