Chapter 18: Beneath the Mask

Beaneth the Mask

I stood frozen, my eyes darting between Dominique’s cold stare and the songbook he had just snatched from my hands. I tried to calm my racing heart, but the tension in the room was unbearable.

“Why do you have a songbook?” I asked quietly, daring to meet his gaze.

Dominique narrowed his eyes. “That’s none of your concern.”

I could feel the growing heaviness in my chest. Despite his harsh exterior, there was something deeper in his writing, something raw and broken. I wanted to know more. I needed to understand the man behind the mask.

“It’s just ” I began, my voice softening, “the lyrics, they’re... beautiful. I never expected ”

“Expected what?” Dominique cut me off, his voice dripping with disdain. “That someone like me could write something other than orders?”

I bit my lips so hard, but i couldn’t just stop myself from pushing further. “I just mean... maybe there’s more to you than what you show. You don’t have to hide behind this coldness all the time.”

Dominique’s jaw tightened. The room seemed to crackle with electricity as he took a step closer, towering over me.

“You think you understand me, Aurora?” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. “You think you can read a few lines and know who I am?”

I swallowed hard, knowing that any wrong word spells my doom, but I stood my ground. “No... but I think you’re more than just this devil you pretend to be.”

Dominique’s hand moved so fast that I didn’t see it coming. The sharp slap landed on my cheek with a force that knocked the breath out of me. Pain seared across my face, but it was nothing compared to the sting of his words.

“Don’t forget your place, Aurora,” he growled, his voice like ice. “You are nothing but a maid. My maid. The Devil’s handmaiden.”

My eyes filled with tears, but I refused to let them fall in front of him. I held his gaze for a second longer, trying to see through the mask he wore, to find the broken boy I knew was hiding beneath. But Dominique turned away from me, his expression hardening once again.

“Get out,” he said coldly.

Without another word,I fled the room, the door slamming shut behind me. My chest tightened as I leaned against the wall, the tears finally spilling down my cheeks. Deep down, I knew that inside this cruel man was someone who needed help. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break through his walls.

I wiped her tears and hurried down the hallway. No matter how much I ached for the real Dominique to reveal himself, I had to remind myself of one thing: I was his maid, and nothing more.

But deep in her heart, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more dangerous he was hiding from everyone. And that, somehow, that my life depended on it.

***********************

Tiffany's heels clicked on the pavement as she walked toward Alex, who stood by the park’s fountain, his expression conflicted. She greeted him with her usual cunning smile, but her eyes were sharp, calculating every move she made.

“You came,” she said smoothly, her voice like honey. “I knew you’d want to hear what I had to say.”

Alex crossed his arms, his jaw tight. “What do you want, Tiffany?”

Tiffany stepped closer, her eyes glinting with mischief. “I want you to help me bring Aurora down. She hurt you, didn’t she? She rejected you, made you feel like nothing. She deserves to pay for that.”

Alex frowned, his heart heavy. He had loved Aurora for so long, but she had never returned his feelings. When he finally confessed, her rejection had shattered him, leaving him feeling exposed and vulnerable. But was that enough to want revenge?

“I don’t know...” Alex said slowly. “She’s still my friend. I don’t think I could hurt her like that.”

Tiffany’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t owe her anything, Alex. She used you. She played with your emotions and left you heartbroken. Don’t you think she deserves to feel the same pain she put you through?”

Alex’s heart clenched at her words, doubt creeping into his mind. Tiffany could sense his hesitation, so she leaned in closer, her voice soft and persuasive.

“She’ll never respect you, Alex. You’ll always be in her shadow, the lovesick best friend. But if you help me, we can make her realize what she lost. We can take everything from her. Isn’t that what you want?”

Alex glanced down, conflicted. There was a part of him that was angry, that wanted to make Aurora feel the hurt he had felt. But another part of him knew that revenge wouldn’t fix anything.

“I need time to think about this,” Alex finally said, his voice laced with uncertainty.

Tiffany smirked, knowing she had already planted the seed. “Take all the time you need. But don’t wait too long. Aurora isn’t going to stop breaking hearts just because you’re too soft to act.”

As they parted ways, Tiffany slid into her car, the leather seats cool against her skin. She was confident that Alex would come around eventually. He was weak, easy to manipulate, and once he was fully on her side, her plan would be complete.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she answered without hesitation.

"Ma’am," her steward’s voice came through, excitement laced with urgency, "he’s awake."

Tiffany’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected Peter to regain consciousness so soon. But a wicked grin spread across her face as the possibilities ran through her mind. This was exactly what she needed to accelerate her plan.

“Good,” she purred, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “Very good.”

She hung up the call and pressed her foot to the gas pedal, speeding down the dark streets with renewed determination. The game had officially begun now, and what is sure is that there would be only one Love that would withstand the test.

***********

Would Peter remember anything? Would he still be useful to Tiffany? And would Alex fall further into Tiffany’s trap or would his feelings for Aurora pull him back from the edge? The answers would come soon, but one thing was clear: the storm brewing was only just beginning.