Marked by the Billionaire Vampire

CHAPTER 4

Cassandra Williams

I felt hungry because, ever since I left Aurelios’s hotel room, that was also the last time I ate today. In short, I still hadn’t had lunch or an afternoon meal, so I decided to eat first at the hotel restaurant.

Anyway, no one would recognize me. All I had to do was act normal, sit at a table, and wait for a waiter to approach me.

Before the waiter even arrived, an elderly person called out to me.

I walked over because it looked like they needed help. I noticed they were struggling to lift a container filled with water.

“Miss, could you pour me some water?” the elderly person asked. I smiled, took the container, and was about to step beside them to fill their glass, but—

“HOW DARE YOU?” a woman screamed at me, crashing into me. I was about to move away, but she was the one who bumped into me, causing the water from the container in my hands to spill onto her dress.

“S-sorry, miss…” I apologized, even though I didn’t want to. The woman’s eyes widened and she looked at me with disgust from head to toe.

“Sorry? Do you know how much my dress is? Your life still wouldn’t be enough to pay for it!” she shouted irritably. I looked at her dress and noticed it wasn’t even original. I held back an eye-roll and forced myself to stay calm before speaking.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I already apologized, and can you not? That dress doesn’t look original—it looks like a Class A copy. Besides, it’s only water that spills on you and nothing more,” I said bluntly, forcing my voice to stay steady. I didn’t want a scandal here—especially now that my stomach hurt from hunger. Tsk.

“YOU b***h!”

Out of shock, I couldn’t dodge it in time. She grabbed my wig and was about to yank my hair—but the wig came off instead. The moment it did, my long gray hair fell loose.

I froze. s**t. Even with this heavy makeup, I’d be recognized the moment my real hair showed. I lowered my head and tried to cover my face with my hair to hide it. I was panicking. I could clearly hear footsteps rushing and people whispering.

I was practically praying to every saint that an angel would come and save me from getting trapped by reporters.

“Ms. Cassandra!” I heard a reporter shout. I covered my face even more with my hair.

Little by little, I started losing hope. Maybe it was a mistake to come here just because I was hungry… but I didn’t expect what happened next.

I felt a heavy, solid arm wrap around me and pull me against my chest.

“You owe me a lot…” he whispered softly.

Before I knew it, he was already blocking the cameras aimed at us.

“Ms. Cassandra, we just have a few questio—”

“Ms. Cassandra—”

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, but my girlfriend is already tired. Just wait for the announcement of the press conference,” I heard Aurelios say seriously. I slowly glanced at the female reporters, who looked like their jaws nearly dropped as they stared at Aurelios.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, then started walking while keeping an arm around me—more like holding me close.

The reporters seemed stunned by what he said, so they didn’t notice we were already gone. Even I couldn’t walk properly because only then did his words finally sink into my mind.

When we got away from the hotel restaurant, I immediately pulled away from him. I quickly noticed we were now standing in front of his hotel room.

How did that happen?

“Go inside, before they follow you to my room,” he said. I had no choice but to nod—then I looked at the door.

“Are you messing with me? How am I supposed to go in there if it’s locked?” I asked sharply. He smirked at me.

“Easy. Open it with my card—the one you took.”

My eyes widened. How did he know that? Maybe there was CCTV in his room.

“Hurry up. I can feel they’re looking for you already,” he said. That snapped me back to reality. I quickly took his card and swiped it. The door opened immediately and I went inside. I felt him follow me in and make sure the door was shut.

“Why did you come back to the hotel when you know the media is all over you, Ms. Cassandra?” he asked calmly, staring at me seriously.

I swallowed and looked away. His gaze was suffocating, like I might melt right where I stood. I took a deep breath before meeting his drowning stare.

“Be my boyfriend.”

I wasn’t asking—I was ordering him.

He smirked, then stood up and walked toward me. Time suddenly felt slower, and so did the way he approached me.

“What if… I don’t want to?”

I snapped back to myself when I heard his voice from behind me—almost a whisper near my ear, sending a tickle down my skin. I ignored it because my attention was fixed on his answer.

He can’t refuse.

“Get. Out. Of. Here.”

His voice was icy and sharp, and it sent fear through me—not for myself, but for him.

I grinned, turned to face him quickly, then smiled sweetly. I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer.

“Come with me, Aurelios, and let’s play the game together.”

Now I was using my acting skills. If he wanted to play with me, then I’d give him the best game—though my knees still trembled every time our eyes met.

From the very first time I saw his face, he felt familiar. I just couldn’t confirm it because something in my memory felt missing.

“Playing a game with me is like committing a sin, Ms. Cassandra… but you still play brave even when you’re—”

He stopped, then smirked. “You humans are pathetic.”

After saying that, he walked away from me and went into his room, leaving me standing outside, stunned. Weakly, I sat on the single couch. How was I supposed to get out of the hotel now?

Then my friend suddenly came to mind. Right—she could help me.

I quickly grabbed my phone and was about to dial Khaila’s number when a message came in—from an unknown sender. I opened it immediately.

‘Want to see your mother? I know you want that’s why I messaged you. Go to this place, @Densan and you’ll see another clue.’

My grip on my phone tightened. I had received a text like this before. Maybe it was yesterday—I wasn’t sure—but the first one told me to go to the Black Night party because a clue there would lead to where my mom was.

I knew the texter might be messing with me, but I couldn’t stop myself from following what they said. It was terrifying, but I knew Mom was alive—and I would find her.

After reading the text, I called my friend. Good thing she answered quickly.

“Hello, Cassy? Where are you? Why aren’t you here at the mansion?” she demanded.

“Is Manager Cha not there?” I asked, confused.

“Duh, there’s literally no one here, that’s why I’m asking where you are!” she replied dramatically. I could only shake my head and take a deep breath.

“Um, Khai… can you pick me up here at the hotel? Room 666,” I said hesitantly.

I already braced my ear for her screaming.

“WHAT? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, CASSANDRA WILLIAMS? YOU KNOW THE MEDIA IS WAITING FOR YOU THERE—AND YOU STILL CAME BACK?!”

Her voice was so loud I almost threw my phone away.

“Just pick me up, Khai. Room 666, okay? Bring me something to wear—another disguise. Bye!” I said quickly and ended the call before she could complain more.

“Haayy…” I sighed, leaning back against the soft sofa.

When I looked up, I noticed a large portrait of a man hanging on the side. I straightened up and stood. I walked over and examined it closely.

A man in a dark red tuxedo, with jet-black hair falling neatly, and eyes that were just as black—deep enough to drown in. His face was emotionless, and his posture was strange… different.

“Who are you?”

“It doesn’t matter. The only thing I want to know is whether you’re her.”

“Don’t come near me!”

“Not you—her. Listen…”

“This day never happened. You were swept to the riverbank and no one saved you. You didn’t see me.”

“ARRGGHHH!” I screamed as flashbacks burst inside my mind. I collapsed onto the carpet, clutching my head. It hurt so much—like something was forcing memories I couldn’t fully grasp.

I looked up at the portrait again and swallowed hard as I realized who he was.

What happened thirteen years ago…

Hunter Aurelios Blood

Hunter Aurelios Blood

I was simply staring at the CCTV monitor that showed where Cassandra was.

Her name suddenly entered my mind… Cassandra. Good thing she wasn’t named Alliya. I would’ve cursed fate itself if the woman who looked like my beloved also carried the same name.

I stood when I saw her suddenly collapse, holding her head as if she were in pain. I was about to leave—until I noticed she calmed down a bit, but her gaze locked onto a picture.

I quickly adjusted the camera angle on the monitor and saw that she was staring at my portrait. She wouldn’t look away, like she was remembering something. There’s no way she was the woman I was searching for—she was probably recalling what happened on the island thirteen years ago. Maybe she thought those memories would return even after I erased them.

I sat back down in front of the monitor. A moment later, I heard the doorbell. I saw Cassandra stand and check who had the audacity to step into my territory.

I straightened up when a woman entered. Judging by her posture, she seemed gentle—though I wasn’t sure.

I continued watching the two of them. The woman handed Cassandra a paper bag, and then something happened that I didn’t expect.

Cassandra took off her top, and I immediately shut my eyes and turned away from the monitor.

That woman really has no caution. What if someone else was watching too—someone other than me? But I didn’t look, did I? I didn’t see…

I listened carefully. When I sensed she was done changing, I faced the monitor again. Right as I looked, the two of them were already leaving.

I let out a deep breath. Good. Cassandra would finally be out of my sight.

Tsk.