The limousine soon arrived at a magnificent seventy-five-story skyscraper that shimmered with the reflection of city lights in the night. Eden, the most famous high-end club, was only accessed by the top one percent most prominent and oldest families in the kingdom. Not even the richest people in the kingdom could buy their way into the club.
"We have arrived at Eden, Your Highness," the guards carefully surveyed the surroundings before opening the doors of the limousine. Eva and Emily gracefully stepped out of the car, one after the other, and made their way towards a private elevator that would take them directly to the 74th floor.
Stepping out of the elevator, they walked down the corridor with their heels clicking on the floor with each step. When they reached the doors, the guards opened them to reveal a spacious double-story area that was neat and not heavily crowded, unlike most clubs. Every person inside the room was an aristocrat belonging to an influential family.
Eva's purple eyes moved across the area and she saw a few people seated at the long counter, sipping vibrant cocktails poured by the bartender. The room was abuzz with liveliness as some people engaged in conversations, while others found themselves swaying and dancing to the captivating music playing in the background.
Since the majority of club members hailed from prominent families, they were familiar with the princess's identity. As a result, when Eva entered through the doors, they greeted her with a respectful nod, acknowledging her presence.
Eva nodded and smiled back at them before walking towards the staircase located at the side of the bar that led them to the private bullet-proof glass rooms on the top floor.
Just as they were about to enter their private room, a drunken woman in a little black dress stumbled out of one of the rooms and accidentally crashed into them, spilling wine on Eva's dress.
The guards immediately raised their guns at the intruder, who stood stunned at the sight of the weapons. When she saw the princess, she was shocked and began to apologize shakily, her limbs going numb with terror.
The woman started to stammer in fear, "I-I'm so sorry, Your Highness. I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay," Eva offered a small smile to the woman before she sent a glare at the guards, making them lower their guns.
"I'm truly sorry, p-please pardon me for my ignorance. Let me help you wipe that off," the woman reached into her dress pocket to retrieve a handkerchief. As she extended her hand, her legs wobbled, causing her to slightly stagger and lean against the wall for support. She felt as though she was floating, her face reddening with each passing second.
When Eva saw the dazed and intoxicated expression on the young woman's face, her eyes narrowed. Stepping closer to the woman, Eva stretched out her hand and caught hold of the woman's wrist.
Eva took the pulse of the woman and the frown on her face deepened. She turned around to look at her guards and ordered, "She has been drugged. Help her get to the hospital and contact her family members. No one inside Eden would dare to do such things. She must have been drugged before entering the club. Find out who did this".
Two guards assisted the unsteady girl out of the club to escort her to the hospital.
"You go inside and wait for Chris. I'll be back in a few minutes after cleaning up these wine stains in the washroom," Eva told Emily, and the girl nodded before entering their private room.
Eva began walking towards the washroom but paused after a few steps. She glanced back at the royal guards who were trailing closely behind her.
"You don't need to tag along. Just stay with Emily," she ordered the guards, but they seemed reluctant to leave her.
"Your Highness, please allow me to accompany you," one of the female guards took a step forward.
Even though Eva was highly skilled in combat, having been trained by her father since childhood, her father was still worried that someone might ambush her when her guard was down. So he had instructed the guards to keep a close eye on her and not let her out of their sight.
"I'm not a kid, alright? I can take care of myself. Let me at least go to the washroom in peace. No one would dare to attack me in this place. So, don't worry about me and return to the private room," she paused and locked eyes with each of them, "Consider it an order."
Reluctantly, they agreed, offering a bow to her, before turning and making their way back to the private room.
Eva stepped into the washroom and used some tissues to blot the wine from her dress. Fortunately, the colour of her dress closely matched that of the red wine, so the stains were barely noticeable. Satisfied that everything looked fine, she walked out of the washroom and started walking. However, her steps abruptly halted when she caught sight of something moving at the end of the corridor from the corner of her eye.
She turned around to get a better look, and all she could make out was the shadowy silhouette of a figure draped in a black cloak, causing her eyes to widen in shock.
Over the years, many people had attempted to harm her, but all had failed. Eva had always suspected that someone in the shadows was protecting her and she often wondered if this person knew the reason behind her mother's condition. After all, this mysterious person had saved both her and her mother sixteen years ago in a terrible accident.
"Wait," Eva quickened her pace and chased after the cloaked figure, who was moving towards the rooftop through the staircase.
Reaching the top floor hastily, Eva swung the door open and was instantly greeted by a chilling gust of air that caressed her skin. Her eyes then landed on the figure standing at the edge of the building, their cloak billowing in the wind.
The next moment, she witnessed the person take a step forward and leap off the edge, causing her heart to plummet into her stomach.
Eva raced towards the edge of the rooftop, trying to reach out for the person. She knew there was no way anyone could survive such a fall, but even if there was a slim chance of survival, she would do everything in her power to not let them go. She extended her hand forward in an attempt to grab onto their cloak, only to discover no one there. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
What just happened? Eva was left bewildered, unsure if what she had seen was real or just her imagination playing tricks on her.
She spun around abruptly when she sensed someone standing behind her. Her breath caught in her chest, seeing the person standing right before her. How did they get here? A moment ago, she had seen them jump off the building, but now they were standing in front of her unscathed. How is it possible? Eva had many questions racing through her mind.
"Who are you? How did you do what you did earlier? Are you an illusionist?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of intrigue and scepticism. The hood concealed the person's face, making it impossible for her to know who they were. Staring at the person in front of her, who seemed to be the same height as her or even a few inches shorter, Eva couldn't quite tell if the person was a man or a woman. And doubt crept into her mind as she questioned whether this was truly the same person who had saved her before.
"Are you the one who saved me and my mother sixteen years ago? Do I know you?" Eva asked again but didn't receive any response from the person.
A loud gasp escaped her lips when she saw the person stretching out their hand to shove her. Terror filled her purple eyes and she extended her hand to grab onto the person but was pushed off the edge before she could reach for something to hold onto.
Everything happened so fast that Eva didn't even have the time to scream. It didn't happen in slow motion like it always happens in the movies. It all happened as fast as a lightning bolt in the blink of an eye.
Cold wind whizzed past her, causing her dress to flutter as she fell faster and faster. Her limbs flailed in the air, and her hair whipped violently in the wind.
Was this how she was going to die? Just like that? Without even saying goodbye to her loved ones? Why? Why would this happen to her? No, she couldn't accept it. This couldn't be the end for her. Eva closed her eyes and a tear slipped from the corner of her closed eyes as every memory flashed before her in a second.
'P-Please help...' she raised her hand desperately trying to reach for something, even though she knew that her attempts were futile. And her silent pleas went unheard as her world gradually plunged into darkness.