Two days passed by, and Viviana hadn't seen Kiera anywhere. She felt a twinge of guilt; despite everything, he had been good to her. Now, feeling slightly sad and abandoned, she occasionally cursed under her breath each time a new man came to inform her about the mission. "He could at least show up once in a while," she pouted. "What is with this behaviour?"
Another man was assigned to give her instructions about the ball. Her navy blue suit arrived, delivered by a new face, and she was given a better room since she was caught two days ago. Things had taken a turn for the better, but for how long was uncertain. The night of the ball was here, and Viviana had rehearsed the rescue mission countless times. She could execute it in her sleep now, ready to save Argon if anyone aimed at him.
Apart from the excitement of going to the ball and meeting her grandpa, a part of her was eager to see Argon. She wanted to know what kind of man he was and how things might have gone if she hadn't died as Viviana and they had met. Her heart held a small curiosity, a desire to see this man for herself.
After a long bath, Viviana dressed up. She bound her chest as usual, swept her hair off her forehead neatly, but it revealed an ugly scar from the bottle incident. Frustrated, she brushed a few strands of hair back over her forehead. She put on a tie, slipped into her shoes, and looked in the mirror, satisfied with the youthful boyish look she had. Definitely a lady-killer, she thought to herself. Closing in on the mirror, she noticed the scar on her forehead again, not completely healed yet. "This is completely ruining the look," she hissed, taking out a small bandage from the kit in the room and placing it on her wound.
Viviana stepped out of her room, seeing a man waiting for her. "Mr. Leo," he addressed her with a surprising amount of respect. She was impressed. Clearing her throat and making her voice as thick as possible, she replied, "What is it?"
"You need to put this on before you leave. Your instructions will be ensured through this." He handed over an earpiece. Viviana took it, placing it in her ear and fixing her hair to hide it. The man remained stationed in front of her, making her wonder if there was anything else left to say. "And?" she asked.
The man flinched and shook his head. "Nothing! This way, the car is waiting." He led her towards the exit door of the mansion.
Leo De Louise, that was the new identity given to her for the ball. Her real status wouldn't get her an invitation; only the highest of the high-class were invited. Leo's identity was not that of an illegitimate son of one of the prestigious families from abroad, interested in doing business in the country.
With that identity, Viviana made her way to the ball in the car prepared for her. The driver awaited, and she was escorted into the car.
Magnus would be attending the ball too, but they needed to avoid interaction to prevent suspicion. 'I am glad I don't have to interact with that man.' A part of Viviana was glad she needed to avoid him. SHe crossed her arms and prayed that she would not come across Magnus at all. Or she would throw up or atleast pass out.
Meanwhile, Autumn stood before her mirror, watching her reflection nervously. Dressed in a mermaid-tail midnight gown, her hair curled up, and a sapphire necklace adorning her neck, she looked stunning but incredibly nervous. "Why did I agree to such a place?" she cursed herself, covering her face with her hands, regretting agreeing to be Argon's date.
'Buzz, Buzz.' She was suddenly distracted by a phone call and picked it up; it was Argon. "Hi!" he said. "H-hi," Autumn replied nervously. "I—I am in front of the café. Where do I come to pick you up?" Argon wanted her exact address, but Autumn quickly rejected it. "Just stay there. I will be there in no time," she said flustered, then picked up her bag before heading out of her house.
It took her a while to walk all the way to the café as it was not very close on foot, plus she was in heels, making it tedious. But she got there in about five minutes. Argon stood in front of his car, wearing a long off-white overcoat as it was cold at night. Inside, he wore an ash-coloured suit that complemented his overall vibe. From afar, he exuded a splendid aura of a charismatic person. He casually glanced down at his watch and looked around. The yellow light of the street lamp fell on him, enhancing his magnificence. The sound of Autumn's heels caused him to turn his head and spot her instantly. He abruptly pushed away from the car and stood up straight, a bedazzled look on his face. He was speechless at the sight of Autumn, who looked nervous.
Argon instantly complimented her without wasting a second. "You look stunning," he said breathlessly, pulling the door open for her of his extravagant car. Autumn smiled at that. "Thank you so much. It's all because of the dress and jewelry you got me." She didn't want to take credit for anything. "Oh no, you are already very beautiful," he said, his lungs filling with nervousness. Autumn nodded and sat in the car before Argon closed the door behind her and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He then proceeded to walk around the car and take the driver's seat.
"Should we go?" Argon asked before starting the engine and Autumn who wanted to say otherwise nodded as her compromising nature didnt let her break the innocent man's heart by telling him that she had just agreed to him on a whim no taking him seriously at all.