Mask

PROLOGUE

"You killed her... to be with me?!"

Klaude's voice ripped through the hotel suite like a blade, every word a wound. The chandelier above cast long, trembling shadows on the marble floor as his chest heaved, veins pulsing at his temples, ready to burst.

Anastasia froze in the middle of the room, barefoot in her silk nightgown, an angel in appearance, but a murderer in his eyes.

Her lips quivered, but she forced the words out anyway. "You're right," she hissed, though her voice shook with guilt and something she couldn't name. "I killed her because I love you. She didn't deserve you, Klaude."

His laugh erupted, cruel, bitter, the kind of laugh that burned more than it mocked.

"And who do you think deserves me, huh?" He took a step closer, his shadow swallowing her whole. "You? You, Anastasia?"

She flinched but didn't move.

"Don't be a stupid bitch." His words cut sharper than any knife. "Put this in your empty little head, it's not you I love. It's Olivia. It has always been Olivia." He spat the words out like poison. "You ruined everything."

Her throat tightened. She wanted to scream that she hadn't meant to. That she didn't even remember pulling the trigger. That everything had gone black, and when she woke up, Olivia was already gone, her blood on Anastasia's hands.

But she couldn't.

Because maybe... maybe it was true.

Maybe she really did kill her.

"I swear to you," Klaude's voice dropped to a growl, each word a dagger. "You will pay for this. Just wait."

He didn't wait for her to speak. Didn't look back. He just slammed the door so hard the walls trembled, leaving Anastasia alone in the ruins of what was supposed to be their honeymoon.

He left me.

On our honeymoon.

The man I bled for. The man I destroyed for. The man I killed for.

Crazy?

Yeah, I know.

But I did it because I loved him.

Even if it makes me a monster.

The shrill ring of her phone sliced through the silence. Mommy.

She swiped to answer, forcing a hollow laugh. "Yes, Mommy? What's with the sudden call? I'm with Klaude, you know... honeymoon, haha."

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" Her mother's scream nearly shattered her eardrum. "Why did you kill that girl?!"

Anastasia's grip tightened on the phone. "I... I don't know, Mom." Her voice cracked. "It happened so fast."

The image of Olivia's lifeless eyes flashed in her mind. Blood. So much blood.

"She wanted to take Klaude away from me... I couldn't let her!"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR REASONS, b***h!" her mother roared. Chaos rumbled in the background, reporters at their gates, the sound of flashing cameras and shouting voices. "People are outside asking where you are!"

Anastasia smirked through her tears. "You're my mom, right? Then handle it. You don't care about me, I know that. But you care about our name. You won't let it be dragged through her blood."

There was a sharp scream of frustration from her mother before Anastasia ended the call.

1 NEW MESSAGE

From: Klaude

"WTF HAPPENED, ANASTASIA? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU DID? WAIT FOR MY COMEBACK. I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL MAKE YOU PAY."

She smiled faintly. Oh, Klaude.

He really believed she did it.

And maybe she did.

To: Klaude

"I bet you saw the news. Don't worry, Mom and Dad are cleaning it up. They already hired someone to take the fall for me... and that someone is already paying the price. Isn't it amazing? Now we can be together. See you soon. Kisses."

1 NEW MESSAGE

From: Klaude

"I'll make you pay, Anastasia. BIG TIME. You want to be with me? Fine. Now you'll face my wrath. I'll remind you every single day of what you did until you beg me to kill you."

She stared at his message.

"Do your worst, Klaude," she whispered to the empty room.

Because if she couldn't live as an angel anymore...

She'd learn how to survive as the devil.

END OF PROLOGUE