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1096 Words
Veronica's heart pounded hard in her chest. She felt as though the sound alone could deafen her. Her palms were pale, as were her lips. Thanks to the good brand of lipstick she wore, no one would notice the nervousness she felt inside.
She glanced at herself again. She wore a simple white maxi dress, but it looked so elegant on her. Her makeup was light, and her hair, styled at a high-end salon, was down. From every angle, her entire appearance screamed "luxury."
It was as if she had her own ring light, thanks to her bright skin, cared for by a top-tier derma clinic and expensive body care products. Her complexion was completely different from when she was still Veronica Albert. No one would ever suspect that behind this beautiful face was merely a mask, and the real person underneath was an abused human.
"You have nothing to worry about. Everything is perfect. You will be alright," she took a deep breath to relax herself.
She hadn't noticed Javier's arrival. He was already standing behind her, dressed formally as if he had a client meeting at the company. The outfit suited him perfectly. His hair was neatly styled, and he had shaved, making him look even more youthful.
She saw the admiration flash across his face. "Wow, you're stunning. I can't believe it," he said.
She smiled at his compliment, but she couldn't help but wonder to herself—who was he truly admiring? Beatrice, or her?
"Are you stupid? Obviously, he's admiring his wife. You're using Beatrice Romanov's face, aren't you?" screamed a part of her mind.
She grimaced. Why was she even thinking about that? Why should it matter to her if he wasn't truly admiring her but rather his wife?
She wasn't here for Javier's compliments anyway. And no matter how much the world turned upside down, from now on, she would embrace the entire persona of Beatrice Romanov. She had to act like Beatrice. That compliment was as good as hers now, or so she should think.
"Thank you. Your suit looks great on you too," she replied, returning the compliment and turning to face him.
She was startled to realize they were only a couple of inches apart. She gasped, catching the scent of his natural fragrance mixed with cologne, which was intoxicating. Without meaning to, her gaze landed on his slightly reddish lips, looking all too kissable.
Dear God! What was she even thinking?
To distract herself, she fussed with his necktie, adjusting it to make it look even neater. His eyes sparkled at her gesture, and to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer.
She hadn't expected that, and her entire body nearly collided with his strong, broad chest. It felt as though their lips were only a breath away from touching. Her face flushed, she knew that much. But she hoped he wouldn't notice with the blush she already had on.
She could feel his warm, rough hand resting on her back, and it annoyed her how safe she felt in his embrace.
"J-Javier, are you... hugging me?" she stammered.
He grinned at her, but she knew he was just being playful. "Isn't it obvious? Well, we need to warm up. We've never been touchy with each other before. I want us to be comfortable with this—so that gestures like this are normal for us. You’ll be my Luna and my wife in everyone's eyes. And it’s normal for two people in love to be touchy and affectionate, right? Everyone will notice if we’re not sweet. You understand, don’t you?"
She knew he had a point. So, she nodded. They couldn't afford to give anyone a reason to doubt. "Of course."
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for understanding. You've really nailed it. From every angle, you are my wife. Even your voice—it's like you've become one with her."
A pang of sadness hit her, as if her identity as Veronica Albert had vanished into thin air. But she shouldn't feel sad. Veronica was weak, an abused victim. She didn't want to be Veronica anymore. She would embrace being Beatrice Romanov, a wealthy, beautiful, and strong woman admired by all.
"We need to go. The Black Moon Pack is waiting," Javier offered his hand to her.
She didn’t hesitate to take it, but she nearly screamed when they turned and saw Jordan standing there, staring intently at them. How long had he been there?
His face was serious as he stared at them, so she was surprised when he bowed in respect. "I'm speechless. You truly are Luna Beatrice."
She didn’t know how to react. Should she thank him? Should she grimace?
Javier guided her as they walked out of his mansion. Nick was already at the garage, preparing the car they would use. He also bowed when he saw them.
They got into the car, with Javier opening the door for her. She had no idea what was running through her mind as they traveled. All she knew was that her emotions were all over the place.
According to Javier, the meeting would be held at the big dome in Valle Verde City. He had told her that Valle Verde, the capital city of the country, was home to two packs.
One of them was Javier's pack, the Black Moon Pack. They weren’t the original residents of Valle Verde, Javier explained. His ancestors had decided to take a chance in the city for more opportunities. Living in rural areas had been tough, with limited business opportunities, competition for resources, and far-away hospitals. Food and jobs were scarce. Fortunately, his ancestors had luck on their side and succeeded in Valle Verde.
Javier said that the Black Moon Pack was now considered the strongest pack in the country. In addition to that, most of its members were professionals and wealthy. That’s why the Midnight Fall Pack held such resentment toward them.
The Midnight Fall Pack were the original residents of Valle Verde. However, they had fewer members, and most of them were weak. Only a few of them were wealthy. Because of this, they considered Javier’s pack as enemies, believing that they had stolen their territory, which wasn’t true at all. Valle Verde was large enough, and the Midnight Fall Pack controlled the north side, while the Black Moon Pack dominated the south side.
The most interesting part, though, was when she found out that the Fuentebellas were part of the Midnight Fall Pack!
- Writer
