RAVENS #1: THE DARKNESS

Chapter 3 - Headache

Alyssa Takada

This is my first official appearance after five years working in Paris. People knew my arrival at the event because some press had asked why I returned while working as a fashion designer under Melina Constantine.

I excused myself because I was overwhelmed by the attention and needed to be alone. I walked into the ballroom, and some of my dad's friends greeted me, and they were asking about my plans here.

Suddenly, my eyes caught Liam entering the ballroom. I was going to wave at him, but then Thea showed up beside him. As if he knew I was watching, he turned to me but didn't even bother to greet me.

He was holding Thea's hand and walked further inside. I excused myself and decided to follow Liam. Thea was giggling at something he said, and she linked her arm. My heart was hurting to see it.

I thought after five years of not seeing each other, he would be fond of me because of what I achieved in Paris. I thought he would see me differently after trying to prove that I could do more than just being a billionaire's daughter.

"Liam," I called him, and he turned around. They also turned around, and she smiled.

"What?"

"Who is this beautiful woman, Liam?" They asked while looking up to Liam.

"Just my dad's friend's daughter." Ouch.

"I'm Thea Williams. You are?" Thea put her hand before me, and I took it, "Alyssa Takada."

"Aeri." I turned my head to see none other than Matteo Thomas. "How are you?" He went for a hug, and he picked me up, squeezing me.

"I'm good," I said as he put me down. His attention went to the two people behind me.

"Thea and Liam." Matteo greeted me, and I was surprised he knew Thea.

"Matteo." Liam nodded.

"Matty." Thea smiled.

"So the two of you are dating now?" Matteo asked, and when I was about to say something, Liam cut me off. "Yeah." I turned to Liam in disbelief, and it seemed Thea was also shocked hearing what he said.

"Fucking boring." Matteo chuckled, and he grabbed my arm.

"I have to take Aeri away." Matteo dragged me away, but I still thought about what Liam had said earlier.

He's dating Thea when he's married to me.

I can't help but want to cry. Tears filled my eyes, and when Matteo stopped, "Aeri, I— what's wrong?" He looked confused as he saw tears coming down from my eyes.

"Aeri, what the?" He looked around and led me out from the ballroom through the door on the right side. Since no one was there, he waited for me to calm myself down.

"What happened?" He asked, and I shook my head. I can't tell Matteo anything because Liam made sure that no one knew that we were married.

"I think it's that time of the month. I won't need to go to the toilet." I said and left Matteo there. I ran to the toilet and looked at myself in the mirror.

I looked so fucking sad, and I ruined my makeup before the event started. I grabbed a tissue when I suddenly realized the toilet was filled with mirrors. Every wall and every corner were mirrors.

I could feel my lungs rejecting the air that I breathed, my head started to spin, my whole body started to go numb, and I found myself crying for help. Blood slowly dripped from all the mirrors, and I tried to crawl towards the door, but I couldn't feel my body anymore.

Then everything went black.

Liam Hastington

I was busy talking to some doctors regarding the medical expo next week in LA. They also joined the conversation because she will be one of the speakers there. After our encounter with Alyssa earlier, Thea asked me about our relationship status, and she confessed that she'd been waiting for me to ask her to go on a date.

I was going to tell her that everything was just for show, but people interrupted us.

Suddenly, I heard an ambulance siren outside, and we could see doctors running out.

My phone rang, and it was Rocky.

"What?" I asked.

"Mrs.Hastington fainted in the bathroom. Someone found her and called 911." I ended the call and immediately walked out of the ballroom. I pushed people away to see Alyssa. Rocky waved at me and pointed at a group of doctors and nurses carrying Alyssa out.

They put her on the stretcher, and she's unconscious. I stopped the doctors and told them I was one of them. She looked so pale, there were scratch marks on her arm, and her knees were bruised.

"Find the person who did this," I told Rocky, and he nodded. They came out and gasped when they saw Alyssa. They put her in the ambulance, "I'm her friend." I said, and they let me in the ambulance.

The doctor quickly checked their vitals and put an oxygen mask on her. There was not enough oxygen in her body, and her body was cold.

"Where did you find her?" I asked the doctor in front of me.

"Toilet. She was laying near the door with her face facing down, and she was alone." I leaned my body back and looked at the scratch on her arm. My attention shifted to her nails, and it looked like she scratched herself in the process.

My phone vibrated.

Rocky: She's alone.
Rocky: She was found by the first person who walked into the toilet and found her already lying there because that person called 911 right away.
Liam: Transfer her to my hospital and watch her.
Liam: I don't have time to take care of her.
Rocky: Yes, sir.

When we arrived at the hospital, I told them to check everything because I wanted to know what caused her to faint. I sat in front of the emergency room and sighed.

It's been a day, and she's already giving me a headache.