Fiona's POV
The club was dimly lit and pulsing with bass that vibrated through my chest, mixing with hushed whispers and laughter from people I couldn't see clearly. The mask covering my face gave me something I desperately needed right now: anonymity.
Freedom.
This place was known for its masked events and indulgence in everything considered immoral by polite society. A month ago, I never would have set foot in a place like this. The former heiress of a respected family didn't go to clubs where people hid their identities and did things they'd never admit to in daylight.
But that girl was gone.
I'd spent my whole life trying to be the perfect daughter they wanted. I sacrificed everything I wanted, every dream I had, molding myself into their image of perfection. And it was never enough. No matter how hard I tried, I was always the outsider, the disposable one they could throw away the second their real daughter came home.
Blood was thicker than water. That was the lesson I'd learned.
And now they wanted to marry me off to some stranger, some man who was supposed to be Serena's betrothed originally. They were using me as a tool again, a replacement for their precious biological daughter who deserved better.
Well, I was done being their obedient little puppet.
The vibrant energy of the club pulsed around me as I settled into a secluded corner, scanning the room for a potential companion for the night. If I was going to be forced into marriage with some decrepit man I'd never met, then I was damn well going to make this decision for myself first. I refused to surrender my virginity to a stranger against my will. I'd give it to whoever I wanted, on my own terms.
My eyes roamed the crowd and suddenly locked onto another pair across the room.
We stared at each other through our masks, and something electric sparked between us. Time seemed to slow down, suspended in the tension crackling through the air.
But before I could even process what I was feeling, an unwelcome hand snaked around my waist with a touch that was all too familiar.
My heart lurched.
I turned to confront whoever had the audacity to grab me like that, and the scent of his cologne hit me like a tidal wave of memories I'd rather drown.
Nathan.
My ex-mate stood there with a mask covering his face and a cocky grin that made my skin crawl. Despite the disguise, I recognized him instantly.
I almost scoffed out loud and blew my cover right then and there. The irony was almost laughable. Here he was, the same man who'd broken my heart for my sister just hours ago, claiming it was all about love and destiny and other absolute garbage, and now he was at a masked party hitting on random women.
The thought crossed my mind to call Serena over and expose him for the scumbag he really was. But then a wave of gratitude washed over me instead.
Gratitude that we weren't mates anymore.
Scumbags belonged with scumbags. And I deserved so much better than the likes of him.
"Are you here alone? Would you like some company, beautiful?" His voice dripped with fake charm that made my stomach turn.
I scoffed loudly, unable to hide my disgust.
The fact that he didn't recognize me beneath this mask, even though I'd known him instantly, just proved how one-sided our relationship had always been. He'd never really seen me at all.
I refused to dignify him with a response because speaking would give away my voice, so I ignored him completely and pretended he didn't exist.
But he kept pushing.
"Do you not hear me? I am speaking to you." His tone turned harsh and annoyed.
I stayed silent and got off my chair, determined to find another spot far away from him.
But before I could take more than two steps, he seized my hands with brutal force and yanked me back hard enough to make me wince.
"Who the hell do you think you are, ignoring me like that?" he spat, his anger radiating off him in waves. "Dressed like a whore and acting like some noble lady? Do you even know who you are giving this stupid attitude?"
His words sliced through me but I kept my mouth shut, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response that would reveal who I was.
I tried to pull away again but he grabbed me by the waist, his grip tightening like a vice. I struggled against him, panic rising in my throat as I fought to keep my mask in place.
His fingers inched toward my face, reaching for the edges of my disguise.
"You think you're invincible, hiding behind that mask, right?" he sneered, venom dripping from every word. "Let's see what happens when it's off. You'll never be able to work anywhere again, never live peacefully once I get to know who you are. I'll make sure of it. You slut-"
Before his fingers could touch my mask, his body was suddenly ripped away from me.
I spun around and found the stranger I'd locked eyes with earlier now standing between us like a wall. In one swift motion, he delivered a devastating punch to Nathan's face that sent him stumbling backward with a cry of pain.
Blood poured from his nose and his lip split open from the impact. He tried to regain his footing but the stranger stepped forward, his stance radiating barely controlled violence.
"She does not need to speak before you know that she does not want you, you pervert!" The man's deep voice resonated through the room and made me swallow hard.
"Do you know who I am? How dare you punch me? How-" Nathan sputtered, trying to salvage his pride as he scrambled up from the floor. But the stranger towered over him, his build and presence so intimidating that Nathan visibly shrank back in fear.
"That's what I thought. Now, will you get lost before I break your hands too?" The threat in his voice was crystal clear.
Nathan glanced around nervously, realized he was completely outmatched, and started backing away while hurling empty threats over his shoulder in a pathetic attempt to save face.
Once he slunk away into the crowd, the tension finally eased and I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
This stranger had just saved me from a disaster, and gratitude flooded through me.
I turned to face him, wanting to thank him properly, but he spoke first. "You alright?"
I nodded and offered him a small smile. "Thank you so much."
"Oh, so she has a voice. I wonder why she did not use it with that man then, uh?" He referred to me in third person, and despite everything, it pulled a smile from my lips.
"Well, not even my voice deserves to be wasted on certain miscreants, don't you think?" I kept my tone low and laced with sarcasm.
"Hmm, you may be right. But what is a beautiful damsel like you doing in a place like this? Even with the revealing gown, you look out of place here. I can't put my finger on it, but you really don't fit. I wouldn't be surprised if this is your first time."
"Well, it is indeed my first time here," I admitted, adding a hint of mystery to my words. "And I am here on a mission."
"Hmm, are you a spy watching a target then?" His eyes gleamed with amusement behind his mask.
"Not really." I leaned in closer, letting my voice drop to something more alluring. "I'm simply a woman looking for a man to spend the night with."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise and a smirk tugged at my lips as I watched his reaction.
"Why the astonishment? Surely you don't believe women should not be able to enjoy the pleasures of casual intimacy just like men?" I teased, my gaze daring him to challenge me.
He stumbled over his words, clearly caught off guard. "Uhm... no, that's not it. I am sorry if I-"
I chuckled softly and leaned back, enjoying the power shift between us. "Relax, darling. You look so shaken."
His breath hitched slightly and his eyes darkened with something that made heat pool in my stomach. "And have you found what you're looking for yet?"
I met his gaze head-on and let a sultry smile play across my lips. "Not quite."
I leaned in closer and let my fingertips trail lightly across his arm, feeling him shiver under my touch. "But I have a feeling," I murmured, my breath warm against his ear, "that you could help me with that."
