Asmo's Love

First: Prince Of Deceit

Two months ago...

 "It's all simple, isn't it? All you've got to do is to make her fall for your charms and then, you'll marry her, seal all of her assets and leave her out to dry. Just discard her after you've finally gotten what we need from her. That's the only good use we'd be getting out of her. All we ever really want is that damn trust fund of hers and the signed promise of her father's financial support to our side, Asmo."

That was what Charles Devine wanted, not what Asmodeus wanted. But it never really mattered what Asmodeus felt. Yet saying all of that so carelessly was not really going to make it all that too simple. It was stupid and cruel and ruthless, but Asmodeus could not just simply say what he had thought about it, could he? He was practically just a mere pawn, the old Charles Devine's little naive slave, who can never say no to him. And when he had heard the plan of the old man, about the luring of the senator's daughter, and the way he should play the charming role of a lover so everything would fall into place, Asmodeus figured he was really going to ruin someone's innocent life. And he was still going to do it anyway. It was no longer just some sort of a question, it was a clear command.

No reason for him to turn it down at all because Asmodeus did not have the privilege to even say no.

And he looked across the room, to the devil-looking old man staring at him expectantly from afar, it still did not stop Asmodeus from thinking otherwise of the possible what-ifs in his head and the faultless hope for the end of this all. He needed to relieve himself from the pressure and to forcefully recall the very reason why he was here, as he thought of the very day when he could finally be free from this sickening and tight rusty chain wrangled around his neck, keeping him from doing what he had always wanted to do ever since he had met Charles Devine when he was seven: to escape this hell.

oOo

Present...

He really did not want to do this anymore.

"Ash, you better do the job," was the only very persistent push of Daniel Gates, his dear friend who was now worrying about the hesitation drawn on Asmodeus' face as he stood impatiently beside him with a hardened jaw and squinted eyes. "I know she's not particularly appealing, but we need the money too."

Of course, it was not just the pressure of the old man's word, what really got them reeling over this was the amount of money they could get. They needed it. Lily needed it. And the very thought of Lily and her sad-pleading face of desperation got Asmodeus immediately shutting his eyes closed and heavily sighing. He can't back down now.

"Ash?" Daniel called him out again, and this time Asmodeus finally faced his friend, his face voided of any form of emotion. It was blank and empty. Then Asmodeus said, "I'll go."

Daniel's face shifted into a look of utter relief as he grinned back to Asmo, saying, "Good, good."

"Enjoy yourself tonight, Dan," was all Asmodeus could say as he placed a warm hand over his friend's shoulder, merely giving him a fleeting look, "Wish me luck."

But he knew he needed more than just luck, he was going to battle greatly against his morals. But he did not want to admit it, he was trying to be optimistic. And Daniel was looking at him with nonchalant regard, oblivious of the dark sentiments hidden beneath the stoic face that Asmodeus was perfectly wearing.

"Try to enjoy the night too, pal," Daniel uttered back, after a moment, giving his friend a slight sympathetic gaze as he let him go, "You deserve that at the very least."

oOo

He crossed the distance right away, looking very determined and it only took him not that very long before Asmodeus shortly stopped again, just a few mere steps away. He needed to breathe first. The rush of adrenaline had been overwhelming so he decidedly took an abrupt turn and snatched a champagne flute from a passing tray coming his way. Asmodeus tried to relax his mind and waited for a few more minutes to think over his plan. It's alright, no harm from trying tonight. It might really be just too easy. He casually turned his head around to take a quick peek in the direction of the green target. She looked too easy. He deduced. She had a very dreamy look on her face and she would probably just let him lead the conversation. He would just have to go there and say hi to her, and she'll immediately sway.

But could he really manage it well enough to keep a pretense? He felt guilty instantly. It was one thing to steal from a man's pocket, get some insensible stuff like the cash he got on that day, and discard everything else that would not even matter. Like what he always did for most of his life. But it was another thing when it came to manipulating a person long enough to get a money's worth for a freedom he had desperately coveted. Asmodeus was deeply conflicted. But despite the strong sense of conscience holding him back, he was not really taking a step back at all. 

He turned around to finally get his feet moving but when he did, she was no longer there anymore. She had already walked away. He began searching for that familiar green dress across the hall, which had never been really that hard to find when he, just almost as if it had automatically stopped there, landed on her again. She was now talking to an older guy, an acquaintance perhaps, and it was not her father (Asmodeus knew what her father had looked like) and he stared at her. Again. 

For a brief few seconds, he focused on her image. Just watching, silently observing, reading the movements of her hands, the way her eyes flicked up and down from the glass that she was holding to the smiling face of the person she was talking to. Every now and then, she would speak a little, her lips softly opening, barely uttering words that must have been just redundant affirmations and agreeable responses she might have thought was good enough to look engaged in whatever kind of conversation they were having at the moment. But Asmodeus knew she was very bored. She looked like she had been wanting to flee at any moment, but she seemed to be too polite to excuse herself. The man must be someone she was very familiar with, someone she respected enough to endure her boredom. And Asmodeus smiled to himself. She's very pure.

He continued to keep his watch for much longer, and he surprisingly found himself getting too engrossed in putting all those details about her in his mind. For future references. It was not like he was ogling her or idling anyway. He was merely trying to come up with a plan while he tried to observe her actions to make a good impression once he finally introduced himself to her. But for now, he wanted to wait for the right moment and he wanted to keep a good eye on her. She was now briefly shaking her head, slightly chuckling to whatever that man she was talking to was telling her. She waved a hand and lightly tapped the arm of the other person. Then she turned her head and looked away, still wearing that smile until her eyes met his...

And she paused.

It was like time had suddenly stopped between them. There were no more other noises in the background, it got drowned out the moment their gazes connected. He was not near enough but he could hear her sharply intaking her breath. Her eyes widened a little, and he was still staring intently at her. His eyes deep and penetrating, hers all but wondering and partly startled.

He got her.

But not that close enough to settle a good impression. He wanted to walk to her right away, but he knew it would be too forward. So he took his time, moving a hand as he slowly raised the half-filled glass of champagne he was holding and slightly tipped his head at her. He smiled warmly, eliciting a look of mild interest that almost signaled her for an invitation. But she remained unfazed. Though she was still looking back at him. He knew.

He really got her.

She might be too good in carefully masking all of her emotions with that well-practiced blank expression but just one look at how her cheeks had flushed when he smiled her way was proof enough that he, indeed, finally made an effect. And he was going to win this game. He was going to get her. She would want him, provide him everything that he must need to complete this mission, and everything else that had been required from him to collect his reward. And after when he finally gets what he wants from her, he will leave. She would hate him, indefinitely. But that would just be another cost for the consequences Asmodeus has been already quite aware of and had prepared himself for in the near future. He never really cared about the shortcomings once all of this is over but he would surely regret it eventually. Even now that he had been feeling guilty, he wanted to retract his intentions. But that was nothing short of what was going to wait for him after all this messy arrangement finally comes to an end.

Because this was not really a fairy-tale at all. Not the love story anyone would have wanted it to be. This was all just a play pretend. A game for the price of freedom. And he was never really going to consider losing the game as another option. He came here to win it all.

And he must definitely win.

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