With all her strength, Helen clenched the silk napkin placed on her lap, fully determined to carry out her decision. As the last dessert plate was removed from the table, everyone moved toward the large ballroom, where drinks were served to the guests, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying them to the tunes of classical music performed by the orchestra her mother had brought in from Rome for the occasion. However, Helen couldn't enjoy the sweet music nor could she fully engage in conversation with Carl Malcaster and his wife."
She had indeed decided to leave immediately, but she found herself unable to do so. As soon as she attempted to leave after dinner, Mrs. Malcaster caught her by the arm, inviting her to join her and her husband for drinks. Helen couldn't refuse, especially with the gentle look in the woman's eyes, making it impossible for her to decline. While their company was usually more pleasant, today she couldn't find comfort or regain her inner peace, knowing that the man was still somewhere nearby. Even though she didn't know his exact location, she had a strong feeling he was still watching her, making her feel like prey under the eyes of its predator.
As the guests began to dance, and Mr. Carl escorted his wife to the dance floor, Helen was finally left alone. She knew this was her chance to escape.
Without hesitation, she crossed the spacious hall with firm steps, her chin held high. As she walked, she exchanged greetings with some acquaintances with nods of her head without stopping, her goal being to leave the place as quickly as possible.
As she finally exited the hall, she paused briefly to take a deep breath in the wide, seemingly deserted foyer, except for a few servants carrying empty drink glasses in and out of the hall. Despite herself, she hated this house and all the memories it held within its walls, which stirred up the pain of her miserable childhood in her heart. If given the choice, she would never have returned to it in her entire life.
Her gaze wandered once more around the luxurious space, filled with expensive art pieces, ranging from oil paintings to ceramic and silver sculptures inlaid with gold, crafted by the world's most famous artists.
((All cold, lifeless, and heartless... just like her mother.))
She thought bitterly, her lips curling in disdain as she finally decided there was no point in staying in this dreary place. The sooner she left, the better for her. But just as she was about to take her first step, she was startled when she felt a hand grasp her wrist. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was, for the deep tone of his voice and his strange accent unmistakably identified him as he asked:
"May I have this dance?"
'No, this is definitely a bad dream...' Helen thought to herself in complete disbelief. When she finally turned, her eyes met Alexios's gaze, causing every fiber of her being to tremble, and she felt the air leave her lungs in anger.
'Damn it, what is this?!'
There he was, right in front of her when she had hoped never to see him again in her life. But wait? By what right did he hold her hand like that?! Who did this arrogant man think he was?! She felt a surge of anger boiling inside her, giving her the strength to regain her composure and stand firm before him, pulling her wrist out of his grip as she replied coldly, with a voice she struggled to keep calm:
"I'm afraid I can't accept your request, Mr. Vissalis, as I was just about to leave, so..."
She couldn't finish her sentence because he suddenly pulled her toward him, wrapping his arm around her waist, while his warm breath brushed against her face, which she lifted toward him in shock and anger:
"What are you doing?!"
"Dancing,"
His expression was unreadable.
"I told you, I'm leaving."
Her tone was sharp.
"And I'm telling you, we're dancing."
His voice was confident, as were his eyes, which completely provoked her, making her try to break free from his arms by pushing him with all her strength. But unfortunately, all her efforts were in vain as he was physically much stronger than her. He tightened his grip around her waist, extending his other hand to grasp her stiff fingers before raising them to his lips, where he kissed them slowly.
The contact between his lips and her skin sent electric currents through every nerve in her body, sending thousands of charged ions up her spine. At that moment, their eyes locked in a silent battle, and she felt weak as if her legs refused to move away.
"Let's dance, Countess,"
He whispered, so close to her flushed cheek. She wanted to scream at him (No, I don't want to, and don't call me by that awful title), but she couldn't. She was bound by strict restraints that forced her to maintain her public image, so she couldn't raise her voice and cause a scene, especially in this place.
He pulled her body closer to his, and like a puppet on strings, he led her movements in sync with the soft music that echoed through the open door of the hall.
'Is he crazy?! Or has she completely lost her mind?'
She thought about it, captivated by the strange sensation of his scent that overwhelmed her senses. The side of her cheek, pressed against his shoulder, touched the fabric of his jacket, sending a delicious shiver through her bones that granted her an inexplicable warmth! Gradually, her body began to relax as she listened to the rhythmic beats of his heart, which played a tender melody with the chords of her own troubled heart. Something enchanted her soul—was it the music, his presence, his voice, his gaze, even his scent, or something else she could not quite understand...
She remained still in his arms as they danced, and without realizing what she was doing or why, she found herself resting her head against the lower part of his shoulder, near his strong chest, with her eyes closed. She felt his chin rest atop her head, and that sensation infused warmth into every fiber of her being, touching her tormented soul and bringing a lost sense of comfort. In truth, she didn't know why she was overwhelmed by these incomprehensible emotions, but she did know at that moment that she didn't want these feelings to end. They were stronger than her, surpassing mere mad desire. But, like everything beautiful in her life, these moments didn't last long—their magic quickly faded as the music stopped, and they, in turn, stopped dancing.
He gently pulled her away before releasing her hand and lifting her chin to meet his gaze. She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze that seemed to penetrate her soul. She was completely lost in the depths of those mysterious gray eyes, temporarily robbed of her ability to think. All she could do was remain still in his arms and wait.
But that didn't last long. She saw his face drawing closer, inch by inch, until he paused near her lips, whispering in a sweet, intoxicating tone:
"Let Cinderella have her kiss."
That was the last thing Helen heard before his lips captured hers in a passionate kiss that turned her world upside down. The emotions Alexios ignited within her were utterly overwhelming, making her feel as though she was floating on clouds, with every fiber of her being crying out for more.
She had completely lost control of herself, and this terrified her—no, it petrified her to the point of death. She hated his dominance over her and despised the feeling of weakness. She tried to push him away, but... his kiss only deepened. At this point, her lips began to respond, little by little. It was clear she would surrender without return to the torrent of emotions his kisses and the touch of his fingers on her neck unleashed within her. But somewhere, far in the recesses of her mind, a muffled voice screamed, warning her:
'This is dangerous, Helen. Get away before it's too late!'
"No!"
She cried out loudly, suddenly wrenching herself from his arms with all her strength. Without thinking, she raised her hand high and slapped Alexios across the cheek.
Did she really slap him?!
Completely stunned, Helen stood frozen in place and the moments of silence that followed her action weighed heavily on her. She felt paralyzed, staring at him with wide eyes in shock. His face was expressionless, completely devoid of emotion, which only added to her astonishment. But the dangerous look that flickered in his narrowed eyes, and the movement of his hand as he rubbed the clear mark of her slap on his cheek, made her heart sink within her chest.
'Oh God, what have I done?!'
Helen spoke to herself in disbelief as she finally grasped the gravity of what she had done. Yet, she remained unable to understand how things had escalated to this point.
She glanced around anxiously, scanning the area in panic, terrified that someone might have seen or recorded what had happened. The last thing she wanted was another scandal to disrupt the peace of her life. She had to get away from this cursed place and from this man in particular, who had made her lose her composure and calm for the first time in years.
"I'm sorry..."
The words slipped from her lips unconsciously. Without thinking twice, she turned and ran as fast as she could. As she fled, her hairpin fell, releasing her fiery hair, which cascaded down her back like a raging waterfall.
Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't realize that her fiery cascade had captured the full attention of Alexios, who watched her with blazing eyes until she disappeared completely beyond the grand gates.
"Aphrodite."
He murmured, leaning down to pick up the silver hairpin from the marble floor. He examined it for a moment, running his fingers over it before finally placing it in the pocket of his black jacket, his eyes glinting with a strange light accompanied by a mysterious smile.