Silence fell over the room after Alice's words sliced through the tense atmosphere. Even the man behind the counter looked frozen in disbelief.
Vik's face was a chaotic mix of shock and humiliation, his breath still ragged from Alice's punch. "You... You crazy—"
"Want to test me?" she interrupted coldly, the blade gleaming sharply under the light.
The girl beside Vik clutched his arm in panic. "She's nuts! Don't get close to her," she whispered frantically.
To Alice's surprise, Vik actually listened. He stumbled back, clutching his side, eyes wide with disbelief. The trio seemed paralyzed by the scene she'd created.
They looked at her like she was a completely different person.
That's when the realization hit her—she had just punched a guy and threatened him with a knife. In public.
What am I doing? she thought in a panic. Her stomach twisted as the adrenaline faded, leaving only the sickening weight of what she'd just done.
Her gaze darted around, desperately searching for an escape. The washroom. Without a word, she turned on her heel and headed toward it, their stunned gazes following her every step.
Inside, Alice slapped the door shut and leaned against it, her breath coming out in shaky gasps. She hit her head against the wall a couple of times. "What is wrong with me?" she muttered.
She was insane.
She had to be crazy.
She banged her head a couple more times.
Steeling herself, she pulled down her mask and checked the mirror. At least the concealer was still holding up, hiding her freckles. But if she kept acting like this, someone would figure out she wasn't Aurora soon enough.
Pretty soon.
She splashed water on her face, took a deep breath, and tried to steady her nerves. This was no time to fall apart. She had to pull herself together and leave.
Just what kind of chaotic life did that girl lead to put her in this kind of position?
However, this was not the time to think too much. She had to return.
She steeled herself and stepped back into the dining area to make her way out, but the second she did, the scene that greeted her made her blood run cold.
Wailing and chaos slammed into her senses like a thunderclap. The girl from earlier was cowering in the corner, her face pale with terror. The other guy, who'd just been laughing like an idiot minutes ago, was sprawled on the floor, clutching his side and whimpering pathetically.
But it was the sight of Hades that stopped Alice in her tracks.
He had Vik pinned against the wall, one hand around his throat, the other holding a fork. Victor gasped for breath, fighting with all his might to push Hades away but he just wouldn't budge.
He was taller.
Bigger.
Stronger.
Vik's face turned red as Hades's grip tightened. There was a murderous gleam in his eyes, cold and calculating.
As if sensing her presence, Hades turned his head to look at her. His eyes swept over her appearance, hoodie clinging to her frame, and the wild look in her eyes as she stared at him.
"Hi," he greeted casually, lips curling into a faint smirk.
And then—without so much as blinking—he drove the fork into Vik's arm, just beneath his shoulder.
Vik let out a guttural scream, the sound slicing through the room.
Alice screamed too, slapping her hands over her mouth as horror washed over her.
It wasn't only her. Her scream was drowned out by that of the other girl whimpering in the corner.
What in God's name—
Hades let go of Vik, who crumpled to the floor, clutching the bleeding wound. "What the fuck—who the hell are you and why... ahhhh!" he wailed in agony.
"The creepy husband," Hades introduced himself with unnerving calmness.
It took a second for realization to dawn on Vik and his friends. Their eyes widened in sheer terror.
Hades.
The name alone was enough to send them scrambling. The girl grabbed her heels and bolted. The other guy practically tripped over himself in his hurry to escape. Vik, still whimpering, dragged himself to his feet and staggered out after them, leaving a faint trail of blood. As for the man by the counter? No where in sight.
Outside, Devil's ferocious barking echoed louder as Gavin struggled to keep the dog on a leash.
Alice stood rooted to the spot, heart thudding violently. Her gaze flickered between the bloodied fork on the floor and Hades, who looked disturbingly composed—like he'd just finished a pleasant dinner, not stabbed someone in a public steakhouse.
He wiped his hand on a wet napkin and tossed it into a nearby table as if it were a trash can. Then, with deliberate slowness, he turned to face her fully.
"Now tell me," he drawled, voice dangerously quiet, "why a vegetarian is in a steakhouse?"
Alice's heart nearly gave out.
She suddenly began to remember Pricillia's words. Avoid the second son.
Well, that was impossible now as he was married to her.
But then, Suzy's words came to her.
"Hades is... nasty."
It hadn't been a joke.
Her voice wobbled as she stammered, "I—I'm not... I just came to use the washroom!"
Her eyes darted to the trail of blood left behind by the fleeing bullies.
Oh God. Was this a crime scene now?
"Washroom..." He took a step toward her, his presence overwhelming. "And here I thought you were planning a secret steak rendezvous."
She took a quick step backward, away from him.
"No!" She shook her head furiously, her heart beating fast. "I swear, I'm still vegetarian!"
He arched a brow. "Still?"
Her lips pressed into a tight line, her pulse racing wildly.
Why were they discussing her dietary choices when he'd just stabbed someone?
"You... you stabbed him," she whispered, still in disbelief.
He nodded. "With a fork."
That wasn't the point, and he knew it.
"W-why would you do that?" she stammered, stepping back from this maniacal force of nature who kept approaching her.
"A knife was too far away," he answered with complete sincerity. Like she had just asked him why he chose a fork instead of a knife.
"..." she was... speechless.
"You... are insane," she whispered, her voice trembling.
He tilted his head, a playful yet unsettling smile tugging at his lips. "You're the one sneaking around the estate like some low-budget spy. Who's really insane here?"
She opened her mouth to argue but promptly shut it.
If she... pretended to faint, would she escape this right now?
There were a lot of reasons why that sounded like the best option.
She couldn't go back.
She needed to explain things.
There was a dog outside.
And... he was... scary.
Crazy.
So that was what she did. Her legs slowly gave way and she 'fainted' just before he could crowd her entire space.