Chapter 5: A Room Full Of Eyes

  I was getting ready for the charity party felt strangely ordinary.

  Almost too ordinary.

 Except I was in a hurry the reason I picked this dress.

  I stood in front of the mirror of my small apartment, staring at the dress hanging on the wardrobe door. It was the red one I had bought recently after receiving my first salary from working under Lucien.

  At the time, it felt like a small reward to myself.

  Now it suddenly felt… too bold.

  Too bright.

  Too noticeable.

 I'm afraid people might find it too much knowing I'm just an assistant.

  Still, I slipped into it anyway.

  The fabric hugged my figure just enough to look elegant without being overly dramatic. I brushed my hair neatly, applied a light touch of makeup, and stared at my reflection one last time.

  It looked fine.

  Nothing special to me.

  At least, that’s what I told myself.

  The ballroom was already glowing when I arrived.

  Crystal chandeliers reflected warm golden light across the polished marble floors, and the soft sound of classical music filled the enormous hall. Men in expensive suits and women in elegant gowns moved gracefully across the room like pieces on a chessboard.

  But the first thing I noticed wasn’t the crowd.

  It was Lucien.

  He was standing just outside the entrance as if he had been waiting. Surprisingly, he's right outside, waiting for me? Must've been his wife, not me.

  He's too much, he look like a supreme alpha. His black suit fit him perfectly, sharp and intimidating as always. Just by staring at him makes me want to walk away and never come back. It's confusing the temperature is rising in me. This is so bad, I might break someone else's relationship. When his eyes lifted and landed on me, something in his expression shifted.

  For the briefest moment…

  Lucien looked speechless.

  His gaze moved slowly from my face to the red dress before returning to my eyes.

  Then his expression hardened again.

  Controlled.

  As if that brief moment had never happened.

  “You’re late,” he said calmly.

 I smiled slightly “I’m on time,” I replied.

  Lucien didn’t answer. Instead, he simply gestured toward the ballroom.

  “Stay close.”

  The moment we stepped inside, I felt it.

  Eyes.

  People were looking.

  At first it was only a few curious glances. Then whispers started spreading quietly through the crowd.

  I suddenly became aware of the color of my dress.

  Red.

  Too red.

  Too noticeable.

 Not gonna lie, I hate this feeling.... I'm starting to feel anxious, this is the first time I felt something like this. I used to love this feeling. But jealousy from other people's faces are tattooed on their faces, specially women.

  A few people began approaching us.

  Businessmen.

  Socialites.

  Lucien greeted them with polite indifference until one of them asked the inevitable question.

  “And who is this lovely lady?”

  Lucien glanced at me briefly.

  “She’s someone who works for me.”

  The answer was vague enough to make people curious.

  Important enough to make them interested.

  Soon more people began approaching.

  Men started conversations with me, complimenting my dress, asking about my work, laughing politely at my responses.

  From the corner of my eye, I noticed Lucien watching.

  He remained calm.

  Composed.

  But something about the way his jaw tightened told a different story.

  I know that look. Lucien was irritated.

 —

  Then the room shifted.

  A quiet murmur spread through the ballroom.

  Lucien’s wife had arrived.

  She entered slowly, holding onto her bodyguard’s arm as if the simple act of walking required effort. Her pale light blue dress made her look fragile, almost delicate, and the crowd immediately turned their attention toward her.

  Concerned whispers filled the room.

  Poor thing.

  She looks so weak. 

  Venice… I reminded myself.

  Watch carefully.

  And I did.

  At first, she played the role perfectly.

  Soft voice.

  Weak posture.

  But the longer I observed her, the clearer it became.

 Something wasn’t right. it's something I see from movies.

  Her reactions were too dramatic.

  Too calculated.

  Every time someone looked away, her expression changed—cold, sharp, almost annoyed.

 Funny way of acting to keep someone interested is not gonna work. 

 She noticed me.

  Her eyes locked onto mine across the ballroom.

  And she smiled. Falsely. I can tell.

  Moments later, she approached.

  “Venice,” she greeted sweetly in front of everyone. “You look beautiful tonight.”

  “Thank you,” I replied politely.

  To the outside world, we looked perfectly friendly.

  But when she leaned slightly closer, her voice dropped into a whisper only I could hear.

  “You seem to enjoy stealing attention.”

  I blinked slowly.

  “I wasn’t trying to.”

  Her smile tightened.

  “You should remember your place.”

  Something inside me snapped.

  So I whispered back just as quietly.

  “At least I’m not pretending to be sick to get everyone’s attention.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “What if,” I continued softly, “you’re not actually sick at all?”

  For a moment, pure fury flashed across her face.

  Then suddenly...

  The champagne glass slipped from her hand.

  CRASH.

  The sound echoed across the ballroom.

  Everyone turned toward us in shock, they saw us very close to each other. People might've taught we've gone into a private fight. I swear. Or maybe I'm overthinking.

  Her hands began shaking violently.

  Her breathing grew uneven.

  “Help…!” she cried dramatically. “Someone help me!”

  The room erupted into panic.

  Lucien immediately moved forward.

  “Call her bodyguard,” he ordered sharply.

  Within seconds the guard appeared, lifting her carefully.

  “I want Lucien to take me home,” she insisted weakly.

  Lucien’s expression didn’t change.

  “I have a speech to give.”

  “But—”

  “Take her home,” he repeated coldly.

  The bodyguard carried her out of the ballroom despite her protests.

  And just like that…

  The attention returned to the event.

  Lucien turned toward me.

  “Are you okay?”

 A question that confused me, he should've asked her wife not me. He sounded like he knew who to blame.

  His voice was quieter now.

  “I’m fine,” I answered, offering a small smile.

  For a brief moment, Lucien’s lips curved slightly.

  A rare, almost invisible smile. But I felt the emotion he wanted to tell me.

  Then it disappeared as quickly as it came.

  He turned back to the crowd and continued speaking with the other elites as if nothing had happened.

 ——

  Later, after Lucien finished his charity speech, we finally left.

  The night air outside the ballroom felt cool against my skin and the car was already waiting outside.

  I instinctively reached for the back door.

  “Sit in the front.”

  I paused.

  “I can sit in the back.”

  “It’s dangerous to drive at night without someone in the passenger seat,” Lucien said calmly. “I might fall asleep.”

 I can see his tipsy. I agreed. I sighed softly and walked to the passenger seat instead.

  The car started moving.

  For a while, silence filled the space between us.

  But the question that had been bothering me all night finally slipped out.

  “What sickness does your wife have?”

 The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

  Lucien didn’t react immediately.

  His eyes remained on the road.

  “I don’t know.”

  I blinked.

  “You… don’t know?”

  “Her family told me she was fragile,” Lucien said flatly. “They said she needed someone to marry so their business wouldn’t collapse.”

  The words settled heavily in the car.

  Slowly, a realization formed in my mind.

  Lucien wasn’t protecting a sick wife.

  He was trapped in a marriage.

  And the more I thought about it…

  The more certain I became.

  His wife wasn’t sick at all.