Chapter 4

Brenda's POV

The moment Vanessa stopped her dad from calling the police on me, albeit I felt a pang of relief, I knew she was up to something.

“Are you sure you don't want me to report her to the police?” Mr. Grayson asked, his face mirroring the surprised look of his wife.

“Yes father, I will teach her a lesson myself. Trust me to handle her.” Vanessa replied.

Vanessa's smirk was enough to tell that she was trying to frame me for something I didn't do. But just as I had expected, her parents pretended they didn't see it.

They were birds of the same feathers, after all, so I shouldn't expect less cruelty from them.

Her mum looked unsatisfied. “And what penance do you intend to give to her which she won't get in the police custody?”

“First, she can't leave this house until she pays for this expensive glass cup that she broke,’’ the spoiled brat answered.

“I didn't didn't break that, you...” I tried to protest, but a sudden resounding slap across my face killed the last word left for my mouth to spill.

A loud gasp escaped my lips as my eyes dilated in utter disbelief at what Mrs. Vivian had done to me. She just stood in front of me with her hands folded around her bosom, staring at me as if trying to tell me that I got what I deserved.

For a moment, I hoped it was nothing but a dream, but the stinging effect the slap left on my face reminded me otherwise. And then, Mrs. Vivian spoke up. “If you dare call my daughter a liar again, you'd hate yourself.”

Did she just say hate yourself?

I couldn't hate myself more. I've lost my mum since I was a baby. Now my dad was gone too. It felt like hell in here, yet greater danger lurked outside if I stepped out willy-nilly.

My eyes stung with unshed tears that I tried to fight back as my helplessness broke me, but I couldn't afford to exude more vulnerability than my plight had made them see.

Vanessa wore a proud look, directed towards her mum. “As I was saying, before that interesting part, her second penance would be to double the work that she's doing for me henceforth.”

Fine, then,” Mrs. Vivian said, finally concurring with her decision, just as Mr. Grayson nodded too.

Days rolled into days as I worked like a slave in Grayson's house. I only had the nights to myself, and each night, I only slept after I had bawled my eyes out from the ill-treatment, and most especially, my dad's death.

It was only on recent occasions just like this evening when Vanessa had gone out that I had the chance to sneak out and visit Mrs. Elizabeth, an elderly woman who I recently bumped into while running an errand for Vanessa. She had become my confidant.

From Vanessa's dressing, I was certain she went on another date and I was almost certain she would return late as she had been staying out late.

The Graysons were hosting a ball tonight and Vanessa had been anticipating this night. From the way she kept talking about their family friend who recently arrived from a business trip abroad and was invited to the ball, one would think he was her only boyfriend.

But the way she had been going on different dates these days despite her anticipation to see this family friend, showed how promiscuous she was.

Well, it's her life after all. In fact, I wished she'd keep going out like that, allowing me to have time for myself.

Surprise! Surprise!” Mrs Eleanor exclaimed as she stepped back into her living room, jolting me out of my train of thought as I sat on her couch.

I was wowed by the vintage gown that she held in her hands.

When I told her how I wished to attend the masquerade ball secretly, she had promised me she'd sew a dress for me. She had told me she was a lover of art and a fashion designer just like I'd always aspired to be, but I never knew she was this talented.

“Wow,” I finally found my words, “this is so beautiful. Thank you, Mrs. Elizabeth.

My smile degenerated into a worried expression when a sudden realization hit me and the infectious smile I had passed to Mrs. Elizabeth was nowhere to be found too.

“What's wrong, my dear?” She asked.

“Or you don't like the dress?”

“Of course not, I love it,” I quickly said. That I didn't like the dress was the last impression I wanted her to have.

She had done enough for me, so I didn't want to burden her with my concern, but I had to tell her now that she insisted.

“I'll still be recognized even if I use a small mask.”

Suddenly, she smiled again. “So you think I'll just let you waltz into the ballroom with a small mask, or even worse, no mask at all, and be like… Hey bitches, I'm a fucking fugitive, call the cops on me now!”

I found myself laughing and I admired her vivaciousness as she strode back into the room to retrieve the full mask.

As I stepped into the ballroom with my vintage gown and full face mask and blended with other people, I was wowed by the grandeur of it as my gaze flicked from one place to another, admiring the beautiful setting.

There were drinks, chatter, music, and people who were having fun. I was lost in my world of admiration until I realized that I was the center of attraction.

I saw Vanessa, her mum, and her dad staring at me as well. My heart skipped a beat, thinking that they had somehow seen beyond my mask and they had figured out that I was the one—when they shouldn't find out that I came to the ball party at all.

Suddenly, Vanessa started to beeline towards me and I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. When she got near me, I closed my eyes, wishing I could just disappear into thin space.

But nothing happened.

By the time my eyes fluttered open, I was shocked that Vanessa wasn't in front of me. Even her parents were not looking in my direction now. They resumed their drinking spree and we're having fun.

Then I heard Vanessa's shrill voice from behind me, despite the music. “So good to see you again, Lucian!”

I turned back to see that Vanessa was hugging a man. Relief swept through me in a huge rush as I realized that it was my beautiful vintage gown that gave me the spotlight effect and Vanessa was actually striding towards the man behind me, and not me.

If Vanessa and her parents truly did recognize me, I was sure they would have made a scene.

Gradually, people took their eyes away from me. Only a few hadn't snapped out of their admiration and I knew it was only a matter of time.

We were only a few in the ballroom that had a full masquerade face mask on.

It was so obvious that Vanessa was throwing herself at this man because the man was obviously not reciprocating her energy.

I tried to take my eyes off them when I realized the man was among the few that still had their eyes on me. Taking another glance at him, I remembered his face. He was the same man that allowed me to sleep over at his mansion the other night.

When the music volume was tuned up and Vanessa had left his side, to my surprise, he strode towards me and stretched his hand. “Do you mind a dance?”

I was so lost in those deep blue eyes that accentuated his handsomeness that I didn't realize my mouth was hung open.

“I will take your silence for a yes then,” he said as he took my hands. Before I knew it, we were on the dance floor.

As we found our rhythm, I couldn't fathom why my heart was beating fast, despite the slow dance and the fact that he didn't recognize me.

No matter how much I told myself that it was just a dance, and it was just my waist his hand connected with, I didn't understand why the moment felt so special. That simple touch did something inexplicable to my body.

Finally, the dance ended and Mr Grayson was about to make a speech. That was when I remembered that Vanessa even existed. She had been watching us the whole time and was shooting daggers at us—me especially.

Well, I ignored her.

Seeing that the clock struck midnight, I knew I had stayed more than intended so I quietly made for the exit.

I heard someone follow me behind and I didn't even look back, hoping the person would stop but to my dismay, the person didn't.

I looked backward to see the manly figure following closely behind me with a full mask on his face, making me unable to discern his identity.

As I quickened my steps towards the final exit, so did he. Before I knew it, our quickened steps became a race and the only thing I could discern was that I was in danger again.