Aselia’s POV

"Haww! Xiran I like her. Where did you find her? She is one of your girls, right?" She turned back to look at Xiran for confirmation who simply nodded at the woman in black.

"She came to me," Xiran said keeping his gray orbs focused on me, they held a sinister look.

"Of course, she did. Who can deny the pleasures only you can provide? Thinking of that I was so surprised when you called me yesterday. You don’t even attend my calls anymore." The woman pouted at him as if she was asking for confectionaries in a sweets store. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"I have been busy," Xiran finally shifted his gaze and gave her a breezy smile, as if he held all the affection in the world for her.

"I hope you are not busy tonight, because I have got all the time in the world today. Let’s have some special fun." She winked at Xiran, her face curved up in a seductive smile. Her hand reached out to take Xiran’s arm as she leaned on him and whispered something in his ear again. Ignoring Rivan and me, completely.

My heart thumped so loudly that I thought it would jump out of my throat. Clenching my fists I dug my nails deep into my palms but quickly let them go. I knew he was listening to my heart. ’Stay calm, Aselia.’ I advised myself and waited for his answer with a smile, never letting it falter.

"Sure," and he looked straight at me with an unreadable expression. The one word was all it needed to pulverize my heart, one word was what it required from him to burn my world down, I felt so dizzy at that moment. My heart screamed in agonizing pain it felt, and the back of my eyes scalded with tears, ready to brim. But I held them back and kept my head high, and maintained that polite smile.

I had no right to feel jealous, it was his life and he was free to do whatever he wanted. He offered me his heart, but I didn’t accept it, now what did I expect? For him to wait for me all his life.

Maybe he was only making me jealous or he could have decided to move on. Either way, I shouldn’t be feeling like that, for I didn’t own him. Neither could I provide what the woman in black offered.

Then why did I feel like punching the woman and breaking all her perfect pearly whites? Wanting to grab her by the hair I wished to throw her far away from Xiran. So she could never touch him again.

The air in the dungeon hall seemed to be turgid with tension. What Xiran had said seemed to echo in every corner, at least for me. Rivan stared at him, obviously in shock. While I felt all the energy has been drained from my body.

Rivan sensing the ominous atmosphere, tried to take things in his hand and spoke: "Why don’t we cut the cake, first?"

Hearing what Rivan had said, Xiran spoke loud and clear. "I am not a kid who needs to cut the cake. Frila," He called her over.

"Yes, Señor," She quickly replied.

"Cut the cake and serve it to whoever wants to eat." He told her indifferently. Rivan’s gaze dangled between us. He had no clue how to handle what was happening. I was being humiliated, or so I felt. I wasn’t needed, not today.

Xiran then focused his attention on Amelia, who had taken out a cuboid box from her purse. It was golden yellow with a ribbon tied to it.

"Here, my demigod. A gift for you." She offered him and he gladly took it with a smile. I was speechless today. No words came to me.

I had seen enough, it felt like I wasn’t existing for him today. I was invisible to him, he had showered me with so much attention lately that I had become spoiled. Forgetting why I was here, I had brought my walls down and treaded where I wasn’t supposed to. It was time to build the walls back up.

Pulling myself out of the misery I was drowning in and gathering up my strength to make my way to the bar, leaving them to their shenanigans. My heart felt so heavy so I sat down on the bar stool. I was suffocating, the hall lacked oxygen today, at least for me.

"Hello! Ma’am, how are you?" Rumail greeted me in his beautiful yet cheerful voice. I smiled at him.

"I am fine, and call me Aselia." He nodded with a smile.

"What will you like to have?" I didn’t drink, my job needed me to be vigilant 24/7 so I only drank once in a while at parties. Here, I was on a mission and certainly shouldn’t be drinking but I knew this night won’t pass. I was hurting and the pain in my heart was becoming worse.

"Strongest drink you can make," I whispered so Xiran won’t be able to hear. For a second Rumail’s eyes went to Xiran and I saw his smile disappear but then he composed himself and plastered that smile back on his lips.

"Coming right up. Can I indulge you in a fun story?" I couldn’t help but smile at the young boy, who was trying to distract me. He reminded me of Yuri again and again.

"Absolutely," He placed all the ingredients in the shaker, added ice, and began to shake. He then started to tell me a story of how he once tried to use frog legs to make a new drink but ended up poisoning himself because the frog was poisonous and he had no clue. That made me laugh so hard.

"Who uses frog legs though to make a drink," I asked him while trying to contain my laughter.

"Well I am always trying new ingredients and you will be surprised how many ingredients come from animals and even insects. So I thought why not frog legs too." He stopped shaking and placed a coaster in front of me, then a glass on top, and added my drink. He placed a straw in it and dropped a few olives.

"It’s a martini but with some special ingredients of my own. It will calm your nerves." He offered me a hearty smile. He knew I was trying to calm myself down.

"I hope no frog legs." I tried to keep myself distracted with a light conversation.

"No frog legs, I promise." He crossed his heart with a serious expression making me laugh.

I picked up the glass and had a taste. It was perfectly made and I never had such a drink before.

"Thank you! Rumail. This has a very distinctive taste."

"My pleasure," he offered me a small bow and began to clean the already clean counter.

I didn’t want to turn around and see what was going on behind me. Frila brought Rumail and me some cake. But my stomach revolted at the sight of it, I didn’t want to even look at food right now. Only wanted to drink and forget what was happening, it was affecting me more than it should.

"Aselia, you doing alright?" It was Rivan, he had occupied the seat next to me and was staring at me with concern.

"I am fine, just enjoying a drink." I picked up the glass and took a sip.

"He is doing it on purpose, ignore him. It’s not what it looks like." Rivan tried to explain to me the actions of his friend.

"Rivan, I don’t want to talk about it. Nor do I care. It’s his life, he can do whatever he pleases. I am not his girlfriend or wife." My words came out angrier than I had anticipated but he got the message and sat quietly after that.

Frila offered me more food and on any other day, I would have eaten it with zeal and zest. But not today, today I only wanted to wallow in the pain he caused me.

I had one more drink and decided to head back to my room. The wretched party was over for me. I said good night to Rivan and Rumail, thanking the latter once again for the amazing drinks he fixed me.

Without glancing in Xiran’s direction I made my way to the door which lead to our rooms. Turning the doorknob I discovered that it was locked. Damnit, I cursed under my breath. Now I had to turn around to find Frila so she would unlock the door for me.

I slowly turned around and glanced around the hall. Frila was nowhere to be seen but my eyes fell on Xiran. His gaze was focused on me and it held hostility, there was no kindness in them, not today. He had decided to burn my existence down to my very bones.

Amelia was clinging to him like a leech as they slow danced to the light music being played. Suddenly, I felt like choking, I couldn’t breathe. Was there something stuck in my throat? Why was I feeling so hot? Why was I trembling?

The mountain of emotions that passed between us made me want to burst into tears. But I would never cry, I would not give him that satisfaction, I was stronger than that.

So I just stood there with my back against the door, watching him.