Kingdom of isolation - you can't hide

Twenty Four ~ Aurora

"What are you reading, honey?" Aunt Clara's voice startles me from my depressing thoughts.

I minimise the window with all the articles, switching over to my university portal.

"Just doing some research for my assignment." I smile tightly, brushing back my wild hair.

I've been blessed with her company for a few months now. After Levi was born, she decided to quit her teaching job so she could dedicate all of her time to the little guy.

Said little guy is sitting in his little crib and watching something ridiculously stupid on YouTube. She gives me a pointed look, seeing through my bullshit. My aunt is quite perceptive, always the first one to figure something out.

"That doesn't look like academic research. Why are you looking into HRU origins and..companies?" Her voice quivers ever so slightly at the end, a deep furrow between her brows hinting at something I could only hope to find out.

I've done stupid things and I've done reckless things, there's no doubt about it. What I'm about to do might be considered suicidal.

But I need to know.

I just have to know before I can continue this cat and mouse game I've been handed out. I smile at her but it looks like a grimace.

"Just curious, that's all."

Three Weeks Later

New York. The last place I want to be. But also the only place where I'll find the answers to my questions. Or at least have a fighting chance of finding a semblance of truth. I've never had the opportunity to visit the states.

The closest I got to it was Canada and that's been fairly recent. Now, here I am, all alone and about to get lost. There's a gala happening in less than 24 hours and to say I'm not nervous about what I'm about to do would be the greatest lie ever told. I'm terrified. It's nothing crazy.

Okay, maybe it is a little crazy and will land me into deep shit if something does go wrong. I'm infiltrating the gala as part of the catering crew and hoping to find some answers as I mingle around the crowd. A very rich, affluent, royal crowd.

It wasn't even that hard to secure a spot, they were recruiting anyone and everyone on their official website. I guess I got lucky. My neurotic uncle doesn't have the slightest clue about my latest escapade and the reason is pretty straightforward.

He's attending the gala himself and he's brought Aunt Clara and Levi along with him. It's how I found out about it in the first place, that man really needs to keep his personal documents well hidden.

All I had to do was wait until they were gone and then I booked the next available flight. It'll be fine, I tell myself for the umpteenth time. I'll be like a fly on the wall. Rich people don't look at us common folks let alone those serving them their food.

And the best part? Masquerade themed. It's like the stars have finally aligned for me.

I smile awkwardly at an elderly couple walking by to appear polite. They do not smile back. Matter of fact, they don't even look at me as they carry on walking.

Clutching my backpack with both hands, I hop from one foot to another as I wait for my uber. I've been watching too much of Law & Order: SVU lately in preparation for my trip to this city and it's done nothing but make me feel extremely paranoid. More so than usual.

I've heard about this place and how busy it really is, but seeing it with my own eyes is a completely different experience. People just don't..care.

"Oh, Liv..how do you live here?"