Chapter 17

As we walk through the hall, the solemn atmosphere grows more intense, becoming almost gloomy and dark. It reminded me of the time when I walked into that bar not knowing what was going to happen; now, because of it, I have an idea of what party this is.

I lift my head and look at Zach next to me. He hasn't said anything since we got in the car as if he has a lot on his mind. Even the bodyguards around us look wary of their surroundings as if they are on guard for something.

Zach may have noticed my gaze as he looked at me, and he stopped, prompting me to do the same. Even with a mask covering half of his features and only his lips showing, the shadow outlined his handsome face, and his blue eyes appeared darker than usual, filled with deep thoughts.

Zach never gave me a chance to ask him why he brought me here when he told me to forget about it and that I had nothing to do with it. From the atmosphere, I can tell this party isn't simple at all.

But I know that even without asking him, I already have an idea. Zach never wanted to bring me here; he only did it because he had to. And I have no idea what or who forced him at the moment.

"Remember what I told you?" Zach spoke slowly, and the dark shadows added to the solemn atmosphere of the hall. He reached out and touched the mask on my face, almost as if he wanted to make sure it was in place.

I looked at him and swallowed, knowing I had no choice in the matter. “Yes, I should not leave your side,” I answered concisely.

He nods, his features softening slightly. "C'mon, you don't have to talk. All you need to do is be there with me, nothing else, " he said as he grabbed my hand and placed it on his arms as he started dragging me along.

And I have no choice but to follow his lead and do what he says. However, deep within, the pain is beginning to twist my emotions once more. What he said left such a sour taste in my mouth that it's a shame Zach brought me here as his marionette rather than his wife.

Silence fell on us as our footsteps were the only ones making sounds. As we approached the big door, a solemn scene with an ancient feel flashed before my eyes. My grip on Zach's arm tightens; even if he notices, he says nothing else and continues on.

I cast my gaze around as I took in my surroundings; like us, everyone wore a mask with various designs to conceal their identity, though I don't believe it served any purpose other than being the party's theme.

Unlike that night in the bar, while the atmosphere isn't lively and the tension is present in the air, it isn’t as intense, and people converse with each other as if they are used to this kind of atmosphere.

Perhaps, they are. Still, it's darker than most parties, and at a glance, it's not a simple party at all. I didn't give it much thought because Zach had only told me to stay by his side and not interact with others.

With Zach as our guide, we kept going at our own pace. I could feel eyes watching us the whole time, so I tried not to look to the side and only looked ahead.

My gut tells me that looking back at these eyes will only cause me trouble, and fortunately, the mask helps hide most of my expressions.

We quickly come to a halt in front of a circular table, and as I lift my head, I notice that our table is right in the center, capturing the attention of the majority of people.

I look at Zach, who just shrugs off the stares, and then I bow my head slightly to calm myself down. This is still a new situation for me, and I'm still not sure how to act.

Zach may have told me to just stand by his side without saying much else, but he never told me that just standing by his side puts me under pressure.

Zach didn't tell me anything at all, and I can only guess from what he did and what was around us.

The deadlock silence doesn't last long. After a few seconds, people started coming over to our table, and I had to take my hand out of Zach's arms.

And that is the start of my act as a marionette next to him. I stood beside him as Zach spoke with these people, occasionally looking at me. Some of them seem curious about who I am, but none of them ask Zach directly.

It's only then that someone finally asks something about me.

"It seems like you really won this time, Gallagher. Although I don't know how much, it's already a lot." A baritone voice came from a man with a muscular build and mask mostly his covered eyes, and a beard that covered most of his lips. Still, the seemingly congratulatory remark had a hint of sarcastic tone hidden within.

If I can notice it, there's no way Zach can't.

I look at Zach to gauge his reaction, but in the dim light, a dangerous smile appears on his lips, seemingly unfazed by the man in front of us.

"It's okay, some plans don't always go as planned. Some rats running around will make sure of that, right, Beltrad?" Zach responded and sipped on the glass he was holding, as if to mock the man even more.

The man does not respond for a brief moment before looking at me, and our eyes meet. Beltrad cast a glance at me before returning his gaze to Zach. While I kept my gaze fixed on him, I didn't recognize him, but I did recall this name, Zach's presumed competitor with that domain or something.

"So, who is this lovely lady with you?" Beltrad inquires, his tone slightly mischievous.

I hold on tight to the glass I'm holding and look at Zach. The smile on his lips faded and was replaced by a frown.

"I don't think that has anything to do with you," he says, but his tone is much heavier this time, and the air around him becomes dangerous in an instant.

Looking at him and seeing how his expression changed in an instant when Beltrad asked about my identity, I had no idea this question would elicit such a reaction from him.

Instead of being afraid that Zach is clearly upset, the muscular man only laughs, amusement written on his face despite the mask and darkness obscuring most of his appearance.

He smiles, looks at me again

and then says, "Now I'm even more interested in her, Gallagher." With one last look at me, he turned to Zach and said, "I've heard some rumors before, and it looks like they're true,"

I raise my eyebrows and look at Beltrad. Rumors? Even before the man can continue, Zach interrupts him. The dangerous air around him became thicker as he spoke in a darker tone.

"Beltrad, shut your damn mouth, or I'll do it for you," he said seriously as his blue eyes flashed. Even though he wasn't talking to me, the warning in his voice alarmed me.

Beltrad fell silent, but the amusement in his eyes remained as he looked at me again, this time with even more interest.

"I know it's none of my business, but who knows what will happen in the future," he said as he began to walk away from us, not even saying goodbye to Zach.

Zach watches Beltrad's back as he sips on his glass; I can't make out his expression, but the darkness emphasizes his mood perfectly.

I only fell silent as I put down my glass and looked ahead, knowing that asking him about my suspicions would only lead to an argument, so I remained silent as he desired.

After Beltrad, some people still approach our table and talked to Zach. However, only Beltrad seems a little carefree with him, and the rest are if not respectful; they are only there to greet him and nothing else.

Some of them are curious about me but don't ask many questions, while others appear to know who I am. It went on like this for a few minutes until a familiar figure approached our table, and the room visibly quieted down.