CHAPTER 002

The expression on Emily's face was smug, but taking a closer look, I caught something else beneath the surface—something darker.

“I have heard a lot about you, miss...”

“Aveline,” I completed for her. 

"Right," she smiled, pulling a perfectly manicured hand from her pocket and extending it toward me. "I'm Emily, Draven ’s true mate—and soon-to-be bride."

Her words hit like a punch to the gut. My stomach twisted as I glanced between her outstretched hand and Draven , who sat casually in his chair as if nothing had been said. 

 This felt surreal like I was living in a lucid nightmare or a scene from a dystopian horror movie. 

I took a closer look at Emily now, she was tall, with the gate of a runway model. Her nose was long and pointed, her face exquisitely sculptured. The red lipstick across her lips complemented the silver colour of her eyes. 

Was it what drew Draven to her? The beauty? Or was I simply not up to par? 

“I don’t think you’re much for handshakes with strangers,” Emily’s voice cut through my thoughts like a knife. She withdrew her hand slowly, slipping it back into her pocket with a small, knowing smile. “But that’s okay. I just thought we could get along.”

"It's not exactly what you think, Ma'am, it's just..." 

"It's okay if you don't like me now." She said with a small smile. "I just want to commend you for a job well done. My mate couldn't come this far without your help. Thank you very much."

I nodded slowly, feeling my heart snapping and breaking from its tiny threads and breaking in pieces. Tears gathered in my eyes, stinging, sucking day air out of my lungs. 

"Run along now Aveline,” Draven said without looking up from the table. “Bring me my coffee.”

Serving Draven his usual snack of cream coffee and butter biscuits usually made me feel important. But today, I felt like a slave, my legs feeling heavy as I left the room, dragging it to the kitchen. 

When I arrived back into the office with the tray of coffee, Draven was receiving a phone call, his back turned to me as he faced the window. 

Emily was still there, lounging in one of the chairs, her legs stretched out in front of her as if she owned the place.

I carefully manoeuvred around her, trying not to disturb her, but as I passed, her leg suddenly jerked out just enough to catch my foot.

 I suddenly tripped over. Before I knew it, the tray containing the beverage went up in the air and landed on my chest, the contents splattering across my chest and legs. 

A sharp gasp escaped from my lips as the hot liquid seared and melted my skin, but it was drowned out by Emily's dramatic cry.

"Ahhh...ouch, my hands, my legs. Oh my gosh, Aveline! What have you done!"

I looked at myself, the hot coffee already trickling further into my dress but it was Emily who jumped up, clutching her arm as though she was the one who had been burned. 

In a split second,Draven spun around and dashed towards us, grabbing her. 

"What happened!" He bellowed. "What happened to you!" 

"Draven , I'm sorry." She cried, holding her hand for him to see. A few drops of coffee hadd splashed onto her wrist, barely enough to even turn the skin red. But she played it up, mouth widened, eyes dilating in fake crying. 

"She was about to place the joy of coffee on the table, but she tripped over my legs and spilled it." 

Good, I muttered to myself, at least she told the truth, but that was until Draven turned to me, his eyes blazing with so much fury that I thought I would be consumed from the inside out. 

"What the hell is the meaning of this Aveline," he cried out. " Are you now so useless that you can't handle a tray of coffee properly?"

His voice cut through me like a knife, and I looked down at my coffee stained clothes, the hot liquid still burning me. But it was not the pain that hurt me the most, it was the fact that he had not even noticed me even as soiled as was—all he saw was Emily. 

I gathered my frame thoughts and tried to explain.

“I didn't mean for it to... It wasn't my...”

But Draven only led Emily to sit on his chair at the back of the table. Once she settled down, he reached inside the first aid box and pressed a bag of ice on her invisible wounds on her hands as though she were made of glass. 

While I stood there, dumbstruck and bewildered. 

"Aveline," he called out suddenly, not sparing me a glance. “Apologise to her now.”

“What!”

“Yes, you heard me. Apologise to Emily for what you have done.”

I felt the tears return into my eyes now struggling to flood my face, but I forced it back. This isn't worth it, I told myself, this will never be worth a teardrop from my eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing the words out.  

“I am sorry.”

Emily smiled, the corners of her lips tugging upwards as she tapped Draven 's shoulder like a satisfied puppy. “It's okay honey, it's only an accident.” 

I stood there, feeling a sharp, cold emptiness in my chest. It was as if everything I had done for him, every sacrifice, every sleepless night, meant nothing.

“I think you should go to the bathroom and clean yourself up." He said to Emily. “You can use my credit card to order yourself a new dress. Leave Aveline to clean up the mess.”

Emily stood up from the chair, kissed Draven softly on the lips and sashayed out of the office, throwing a knowing glance in my direction as she walked past me. I felt so small, my stomach outside in the open. 

"Grab a mop and a detergent.” Draven ordered as soon as Emily closed the door behind her. 

He didn't spare me a glance, didn't turn around to see the red scars on my burnt legs. Who was this man? I asked myself. Maybe an evil spirit had possessed him, because those were not the same eyes that brightened up in gratitude whenever I won a million dollar bill. 

Of course it couldn't be it. This was not the face that had

Ignoring the tension in the air, he grabbed his phone and was going to turn to the window,when I suddenly called out to him. 

“Draven !”

“What?” He grunted irritatedly, turning from the window, the phone still in his hand. 

I turned to meet with his case, mustering the remaining strength in my veins to stop the wobbling in my legs. 

"It's been 7 years now Draven ,” I said my voice barely steady, my eyes growing blurrier with hot, sour, unshed tears.  

“7 years of giving and hoping. You are closer to me than my own skin. We have fought battles you know, the two of us,waded through numerous storms. But...”

"Where is this going to Aveline? What are you trying to do?”

“My mind has been besieged by doubts lately.” I answered slowly, lowering my gaze to hide the pain in my eyes. "I have been having doubts. What am I to you Draven . What do I mean to you? What name shall we give this relationship of ours.”

The expression on Draven 's face showed that he was equally prepared for this question, but I would never be prepared for the response I received. 

"What am I to you, Draven ?” I asked again, my voice barely above a whisper. “After all these years…what am I?"

He glanced at me, cold and indifferent, his eyes devoid of anything that resembled the bond we shared.

“You’re just my pleasure in bed, Aveline. Nothing more.”