The party was a whirlwind of glitter and gossip, but Gabriella had only one thing on her mind: sugar and strategy. She moved toward the dessert lounge, her night blue silk gown rustling against the marble floor. The lighting here was soft, designed to make the gourmet treats look irresistible.
Gabriella scanned the tiers of desserts, her eyes searching for her favorite—Red Velvet.
"The Red Velvet is finished, Miss," the chef said with a polite bow.
Disappointed, she sighed and picked up a plain vanilla slice instead. Suddenly, a hand slid a plate onto the table. On it sat a perfect, crimson slice of Red Velvet cake.
"You can take this," a voice murmured.
Gabriella smiled, but the smile froze. That voice... she knew it in her sleep. She looked up and locked eyes with Jake, her ex-lover. He looked handsome in his sharp tuxedo, smiling warmly as if he hadn't broken her heart years ago.
"No thanks," she said, her voice turning to ice as she turned to leave.
"I know you love it," Jake said, his tone dropping. He stepped in front of her, swapping the plates in her hands before she could protest. Gabriella's face softened for a split second. The old Jake was still in there somewhere.
"How are you?" he asked.
"Good," she replied coldly. "Congrats. I heard you're marrying Elizabeth."
Jake's smile vanished. He grabbed her hand, pulling her closer until she could feel the heat radiating off him. "Does it not even bother you?" he hissed, his eyes burning with a terrifying intensity. "You know me, Gabriella. You know who I really love."
"Gabriella?"
A new voice cut through the tension. She turned to see Felix standing there, looking like royalty. Seizing the moment, she ripped her hand out of Jake's grip and stepped toward Felix.
"What's going on here?" Felix asked. Eyes are flickering between the two men.
Jake's face hardened. "As always, you're interrupting us," he snapped.
Felix's jaw set in fury, but before he could speak, Gabriella grabbed his hand firmly. She looked Jake dead in the eye and said the words that changed everything: "He is my fiancé."
Felix's eyes widened in total shock, and Jake looked like he'd been slapped. Without waiting for a response, Gabriella dragged Felix away. Hidden in the shadows, Elizabeth watched them leave, her eyes flashing with a jealous rage. He still can't forget her, she whispered to herself.
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Truth and Triggers
Minutes later, they reached the secluded balcony. Gabriella let go of Felix's hand as if it had burned her.
"Why are you even here?" she sighed.
"They invited me," Felix replied, leaning against the railing. "And I'm glad they did. Let's arrange our next date after this party."
"Not today," Gabriella muttered, her mind drifting to Raina, who was currently across the room talking to their cousins, Selina and Han. Raina looked beautiful, but her words were venomous. "I have to finish something important here," Raina had said, her eyes drifting toward Gabriella.Han smile vanished when he heard Raina words.
Back on the balcony, Gabriella said, "I don't like others meddle with my business".
Felix leaned in, his breath warm against Gabriella's ear. "I know you're not here for the party. But remember... I'm not just anyone. I'm your fiancé. You said it yourself."
Gabriella scoffed and turned back to her cake. A small smudge of frosting caught on the corner of her lip. Felix reached out, his thumb moving slowly, almost painfully gentle, to wipe it away. Gabriella froze, mesmerized by the closeness.
"All girls are like this," he whispered, a strange thought in his eyes.
The intimacy shattered. "Who are those 'other girls'?" Gabriella asked, her voice turning sharp. "Your lover? The one you said wasn't like Jake? two years ago?"
Felix froze, his hand dropping.
"So you remember what i said when you were drugged," he smirked, trying to regain control. "So, you do remember asking me to be your boyfriend?"
"Yes, I remember," Gabriella said coldly, her mocking smile disappearing. "Don't change the subject. Why do you still want to marry me if you love her that much?"
Felix's face darkened. The playful mask fell, revealing a raw, furious pain. "Stop it. Please," he growled.
He turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the dark.
Gabriella stood alone on the balcony, feeling a hollow disappointment she couldn't explain. She began to walk back toward the ballroom, her pace fast and frustrated.
As she pushed through the heavy velvet curtains, a mysterious hand reached out from the shadows. With lightning speed, someone slipped a glossy photograph into her open sling bag and disappeared before she could even turn her head.
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Fire and Falsehoods
The grand ballroom of the estate was a chaotic mix of luxury and tension. Gabriella stood near the marble pillars, her night blue silk gown shimmering like a dangerous jewel under the strobe lights. Her heart was a drum of cold, calculated revenge.
Dona, looking frantic in her shimmering party dress, rushed over. "Gabby, do you have a lipstick? I'm a mess," she whispered.
Gabriella reached into her designer sling bag to grab her lipstick, but she paused. The latch was already unclipped. I know I locked this, she thought, her pulse quickening. As she pulled out the lipstick, her fingers brushed against a piece of glossy paper.
It was the photo. The same one she had received in the courier that morning—the one showing Jake and Raina are standing near dead body of Kevin .
Dona snatched it from her hand, her eyes widening in the dim light. "What?! Who is this? Who keeps acting so mysterious?"
"The person who sent this is in this room," Gabriella said, her voice a low, icy thread. "They are watching us right now. We have to find them."
"But how?" Dona asked, looking at the hundreds of masked and glittering guests.
"Look for anyone strange. Anyone who doesn't belong," Gabriella commanded, her eyes scanning the crowd like a predator.
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The Crowning Moment
Suddenly, the music swelled. The lights dimmed, and a spotlight hit the main stage. Bianca White-ville stood at the microphone, her face glowing with arrogant pride.
"Tonight, I am honored to announce the new era of the Royal Group," Bianca proclaimed. "I give you our next heir—my daughter, Raina!"
The crowd erupted in applause. Raina stepped forward, looking like a queen in her crimson velvet dress, a mocking smirk directed toward the balcony where Gabriella stood.
Gabriella didn't look away. Instead, she pulled a small remote from her clutch, her thumb hovering over the button. A dark, satisfied smirk spread across her face.
"Let's start the real show," Gabriella whispered. "3... 2... 1..."
The Inferno
BOOM!
A series of loud blasts rocked the stage. Within seconds, the massive "Welcome Raina" banner was swallowed by bright, roaring flames. The back of the stage turned into a wall of fire.
The bodyguards bolted toward Raina, shielding her just before the heat could singe her skin. Fortunately, the fire stayed contained to the stage, but the guests didn't know that. Screams filled the hall as the elite scrambled for the exits, tripping over their expensive gowns.
Through the smoke and the screaming crowd, Gabriella stood perfectly still. She was smiling—a cold, beautiful, and terrifying expression.
Raina looked up through the haze, her face pale with shock. Her eyes locked onto Gabriella. She knew.
Bianca grabbed Raina's arm, checking her for injuries. "Are you alright?" she gasped. But she followed Raina's frozen gaze. Bianca saw Gabriella standing there, the fire reflecting in her emerald eyes.
"So..." Bianca whispered, her jaw tightening until it hurt. "It's because of you."
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The Price of a Life
The night air was thick with the smell of smoke and expensive perfume as Gabriella stepped out of the party hotel. She looked iconic in her emerald silk gown, the fabric clinging to her like a second skin, flowing behind her as she walked with the confidence of a queen who had just burned down a kingdom.
She pulled out her phone, a cold, satisfied smile on her lips. "Everything is done," she whispered into the receiver. "I'm outside."
Suddenly, the silence of the street was shattered by the sharp, deafening crack of a gunshot.
Before Gabriella could even turn to see where the sound came from, a powerful shadow threw itself over her. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her, spinning her away from the line of fire. She felt the heavy thud of a body colliding with hers, shielding her completely.
Thwack. The second bullet didn't hit the stone wall—it hit flesh.
Gabriella's eyes widened in horror. Looking up at the towering skyscraper across the street, she saw the glint of a sniper rifle before the shooter vanished into the dark. Then, she looked at her savior.
It was Felix.
He couldn't stand straight. His face was pale, his jaw clenched in agony as he began to sink to his knees. He clutched his arm tightly, blood soaking through his bespoke navy suit jacket, staining the fabric a gruesome black.
"Felix!" Gabriella screamed, her voice trembling with a raw, deep emotion she couldn't hide.
He looked up at her, even in pain, his eyes were intense. He reached up a shaking hand, his finger brushing a stray tear from her cheek. "Why are you crying?" he rasped.
"What?! Do you think I'm some heartless monster?" she cried, her hands shaking as she fumbled for her phone.
Felix let out a weak, pained smirk. "I wondered."
"I'm calling an ambulance!" she sobbed, her fingers flying over the screen.
Felix reached out, his bloody hand gripping her phone to stop her. "Why?" he whispered, his breath hitching. "Why do you want to rescue me, Gabriella?"
"What are you talking about?" she snapped, her eyes burning with a mix of fury and fear. "I couldn't leave anyone in this kind of pain! If it were anyone else in your place, I'd do the same!"
Felix's smirk deepened, though his eyes looked glazed. "Is that so?"
"Hang on, Felix," she pleaded, her heart racing. "Does it hurt that much?"
He gave a dry, mocking laugh. "What do you think, genius? It's a bullet, not a bee sting."
Gabriella glared at him through her tears, her worry turning into annoyance. "Are you really going to joke right now?"
"Are you really going to just watch me bleed out?" Felix countered. "There's a first aid box in my car. Go. Grab it."
Gabriella didn't wait. She turned and sprinted toward his sleek black car parked at the curb.
As soon as Gabriella was out of earshot, Felix's phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out with his good hand. An unknown number.
"Hello?" he breathed, his voice dangerously low.
A distorted, chilling chuckle came from the other end. "Again, Felix? You rescued her again."
Felix's eyes narrowed into icy slits.
"She has escaped death four times now," the voice continued—the voice of Robert, the powerful tycoon. "Three times because of you... and once because of me. But I regret stopping that sniper before. If I hadn't realized she was my son's lover, I would have let her die. Then she wouldn't have been able to humiliate me at that engagement party."
"Robert," Felix whispered, his voice vibrating with fury.
"I won't stop here, Felix," Robert hissed, his tone turning deadly. "You will watch her die right in front of your eyes... just like what happened to your precious Jane."
Felix's world went dark with rage. The mention of Jane—the girl from the lock, the girl from his past—turned his blood to liquid fire.
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To be Continued....
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