Page 277 of Fatality

His hand slams against the wall beside my head while the other settles on my hip.

I can feel the warmth of his palm through the silk of my dress.

I gulp.

“You think I give a fuck?” His hands cup my jaw. “You think blood scares me?”

I blink in surprise, my brain refusing to process what he just said.

Of course he doesn't give a fuck about blood, I forgot who I was dealing with.

Maybe it's because of the black suit, his hair slicked back with a few unruly strands falling over his forehead.

He almost looks normal—if you ignore the scar splitting his lip, the bruises on his eyebrow and jaw, and the dried blood coating his knuckles and forearms.

The elevator dings and the doors slide open, I bolt out, heading straight for the ballroom entrance.

Behind me, I hear him chuckle darkly before following.

The guard stationed outside the ballroom gives us a slow once-over.

“What are you looking at?” Evren barks, subtly stepping in front of me.

I roll my eyes and move around him.

The guard doesn't even react to Evren, pulls out a scanner and points it at my face.

A slow red hologram scans my face.

The scanner beeps.

“Miss Laordie, please proceed.” The guard says, stepping aside and gesturing toward the doors.

I take a slow breath and glance at Evren, who's still glaring at the guard like he's deciding whether to tear his throat out.

“Evren.” I call.

His head snaps toward me, and he closes the distance without another word.

Inside... It's exactly what I hate.

Not an ounce of authenticity.

Soaring ceilings, polished marble floors, cascading crystal chandeliers, and suspended holographic installations create an atmosphere of immaculate, cold luxury.

An AI voice echoes through the ballroom, announcing my arrival to everyone.

“Miss Riven Laordie, heiress to the Laordie Empire and her plus one.”

I wince.

I hate this, I hate being announced.

“Smile, troublemaker,” Evren says. “You're here with your plus one.” His voice drips with mockery, though the annoyance beneath it is unmistakable.

“At least no one knows who you are.”

“Better for them, don't you think?”