PRLOGUE
"Are you sure we're invited to the party?" I asked, my voice barely hiding my uneasiness.
We stood before the towering entrance of a luxurious hotel, its glass doors glowing under golden lights. In the parking area, sleek luxury cars lined up one after another vehicles worth more than anything I had ever imagined owning.
Lyka squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Let's go inside and find out," she said with a small smile.
Lyka had been my best friend since childhood. We came here for her friend's birthday. I had expected a simple celebration cake, music, laughter. But the moment we stepped closer, I realized how wrong I was. Famous faces filled the entrance. Celebrities. Influential people. People who lived in a world far from mine.
We handed our invitation card to the security guard, and he let us in without hesitation.
My chest tightened.
"Lyka," I whispered, leaning closer to her, "I think we're at the wrong party."
"This is it," she replied with certainty.
She gently pulled me into the crowd. Guests moved elegantly around the buffet tables, helping themselves to expensive dishes arranged like works of art. The air smelled of perfume, wine, and wealth.
We filled our plates and searched for an empty table.
"Who is your friend? Where is he?" I asked again, my fingers tightening around my fork. Something about this place made my skin crawl, as if at any moment someone would recognize me.
Lyka glanced around, then smiled. "My friend Viel. I haven't seen him yet."
My breath caught.
"Who?" I asked, hoping I had heard wrong.
"Viel Domingo."
The name hit me like an explosion.
Of all people… why him?
"I'm going home," I said abruptly, standing from my chair.
"Where are you going, Xheree?"
Then I heard it.
"Viel," I whispered, the name escaping before I could stop it.
My entire body froze. That voice… it was the same voice that had once lived in my dreams and haunted my nightmares. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing the ground would open and swallow me whole.
"Will you leave me again?" he asked quietly.
I lowered my head. I could feel eyes on us curious, watching, judging.
"I'm sorry," I said coldly. "I don't know you."
I turned to leave.
But suddenly, his hand caught my arm. In one swift motion, he pulled me against him. His hand gripped my waist firmly, and before I could react, his lips crashed against mine.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
My eyes widened in horror.
What would they think? That I belonged to him? That I was nothing more than a secret… a mistress?
Strength returned to my limbs. I shoved him away and slapped him across the face.
The sound echoed between us.
"Rude!" I snapped, my voice shaking.
Shock flashed in his eyes.
"Xheree," he said softly.
I stared at him with all the hatred I could gather. "I don't know you."
Then I ran.
I ran out of the hotel, out of his reach, out of the past I had buried.
I took a taxi home, but heavy traffic trapped me in the city’s endless noise. Every second felt like punishment. By the time I arrived, the sky was already dark.
I stepped inside the house quietly.
"Why did you take so long to get home?"
My heart stopped.
I turned slowly.
"Viel…" I whispered.
He stood there, as if he had never left my life.
He walked toward me, his eyes locked onto mine. Instinctively, I stepped backward.
"W-Why are you here?"
He lifted a key between his fingers. "Did you forget? I bought this house for you and your brother."
My back hit the wall.
There was nowhere left to run.
He placed both hands against the wall beside me, trapping me between his arms. His presence surrounded me, familiar, dangerous.
"Do you know how much I missed you?" he murmured.
His fingers traced my face, down my neck, along my arm, leaving fire in their wake. His hand slid behind me, resting against my back.
"Viel… stop," I begged weakly.
I was afraid not of him, but of myself. Afraid that my heart would betray everything I had fought to forget.
"I still love you," he whispered.
Then he kissed me.
My body froze.
This is wrong, my mind screamed. This shouldn't happen.
But my heart… remembered everything.
