[BOOK 1]
"We played with the devil at midnight, but masked by who we really were with charming smiles."
Heirs of the richest families come back to the Wellington mansion for a reunion. The Wellington mansion is where everything happens to the bigges...
"Vivian, we're gonna be late if you don't come out, we don't have all night for this" Chase says, slipping on his suit jacket and fixing his cuff links.
He looks up in the wide mirror and turns around to look at me, gives a curt nod towards me then back to the mirror.
"You look nice by the way" Chase pauses. "I would take you to the ballroom, but to avoid suspicion I'll let you go first then I'll come there a few minutes later."
I nod while putting on my heels slipping on my promise ring and stroll out of his room making my way to the ballroom seeing flashes of a camera also rich laughter in the distance.
"You look stunning tonight, Vivian" Bridget says, hooking her arm in mine and making her way towards a reporter.
The cameraman pans his camera towards us and slowly back to the reporter as we walk on the red carpet giving friendly smiles and waves.
"And here comes the most stunning woman of the hour, Vivian Hawthorne with beloved Bridget Victoria," the reporter says, flashing her best smile and holding out the mic to the two of us.
"Hi, I just wanna thank everyone for coming out to the Charity event tonight and for Vivian being so stunning this evening," Bridget says, blowing a kiss to the camera and giving a friendly smile towards me.
Bridget slinks her arm away from mine and heads into the bustling ballroom with strings playing, and flutes of champagne full to the brim on this special occasion.
"Honestly, I want to shout out to my Dad and say Hi, Dad, and to my younger sister please get out of my closet" I pause. "Thank you all for supporting tonight's cause."
After looking into the camera and bidding the reporter farewell for the evening, heading into the ballroom with black & gold balloons all over staring at the amazing decor — accidentally bumping into someone.
"Seriously, miss you should watch where you're going next time" The older gentleman pinches the bridge of his nose and scowls across his face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sir" I reply, with an apologetic expression on my face but clearly, he didn't care about it.
The older gentleman and two women erupt in a fit of laughter, sipping on flutes of champagne, whispering things for them only to know.
Swiftly looking around the room for an empty seat at a round table, immediately find one in the middle of the room. Pushing through those who would rather crowd the floor than sit at a table.
"Boo, haha I scared you, Vivian," Daniel says, laughing at me hysterically and handing me a napkin.
"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital? What are you doing here?" I ask, wiping off a few stains of champagne.
Daniel nods at my question and smiles, rocking on his heels with a faint scar on his right eye the scar tissue fairly new.
"My doctor said I was good to go and everything else is fine, but I can't believe someone would attack me I'm too handsome for that," Daniel says, in full confidence never wavering.
I chuckle at the last line he says as the lights turn down and Mr. Wellington makes his way up to the podium with the camera crew following his movements, also Daniel grabs my hand and leads me to a nearby table.
We finally land on a table near a glowing red exit sign up above, while Ashton gives Chase a sly smile but it's too dark in the room to see it.
"See, I found my friend Vivian and she'll be joining us for tonight" Daniel pause. "So be nice to her or else."
Ashton watches Daniel with a small smile and pokes fun at Chase, giving me a curt nod.
Loud feedback comes from the microphone on the podium causing people to cover their ears, and before Mr. Wellington even speaks a word gunshots ring out into the crowd.
"Everyone get down!" the bodyguard tells into the crowd of people, but it's too late people are rushing out of the ballroom trampling over people.
People's hands pushing me around and cast me aside, disregarding my heels and running without time to think about what could happen. Until, a voice calls out to me amid the chaos.
"Vivian, you're being selfish only saving yourself" Catherine pauses. "C'mon, doing a good thing will do you good since the cameras are watching you after all."
Catherine's silver dress sparkles under the brightness of the chandeliers in the entryway while many heirs rush to safety in hopes of surviving tonight's horror. Watching her eyes watch me in speculation and waiting for me to do the right thing.
"Oh, Catherine, I'm not anyone's savior tonight and honestly it's every man for themselves" I respond, giving her one last look and leaving her to fend for herself.
Already rounding the corner of the west wing and following through a narrow tunnel ending up in the Wellington family wine cellar, I saw Chase's eyes tracing bottles of wine until stopping on a familiar one.
"I hope you're not planning on getting drunk here tonight, because you should know what happens when you do," I say, setting down my heels, rubbing my aching feet, and sinking into the plush deep red velvet chairs.
The yellow hue lights shine on his face looking close enough to a scar on his right eyebrow with a story that's never told. He smiles revealing those sharp canine teeth.
"Don't worry, tonight is not a night to get drunk anyways and I plan on being sober for my sake and yours" Chase says, resting his suit jacket on the chair, loosening his tie, and rolling up his sleeves.
His eyes watching me silently and feet on the soft carpet, scanning the wine collection and then back at me wanting to say more.
"Especially when you gave a drunk love confession here" I pause. "But, did you mean what you said that night?"
"Yes, Vivian of course I meant what I said to you that night" Chase pauses. "Vivian — I"
"All residents, staff members, and fellow heirs please stay inside the moment at this time, we will be going on a lockdown for the rest of the night until this incident is resolved," the announcer says, on the intercom with faint crackling with words being said into the manor.
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A/N
Hi! Everyone I'm so pleased with being able to finish writing this chapter!
Does anyone want to know what Chase said in his drunken love confession to Vivian?
What's your favorite moment or scene in this chapter?
