Chapter 21
Glam or Scam 2
Precious pushed Koruna off her and turned red in anger as she stood.
“Youuuu…” She fumed, Koruna stood and adjusted her gown while she grinned at Precious.
“Not the kiss I was hoping for the night but this wasn’t bad either.” Oni held her hand while she wore her shoes properly.
R’ao removed his suit and covered Precious who had been glaring and pointing her finger at Koruna.
Koruna reached out and covered her finger with a grin and shook it dramatically “Awwwnnn, such sweet lips. You are a lucky man, I must say R’ao.”
Precious icily glared at
Koruna and growled. “Since that is the case…” She turned and kissed R’ao.
Precious eyed Koruna victoriously after the kiss, Koruna smirked and whispered to her ears “You know since I kissed you and you in turn kissed him, in an indirect way, he has kissed me, can I kiss you again so that I can taste him?”
Precious froze and was led away by R’ao.
The crowd pretended not to be interested in what was happening, this filled the hall with whispers and murmurs. Koruna wondered what rumors would come of the incident.
“You have a mean streak, I did not expect that.” Oni led her to a quiet place where the sounds from the party faded into the background.
“I like it.”
“Hmmmm… I know I have no hold on R’ao, but she makes me want to choke her until her guts come out to play.”
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long has it been? You and R’ao?” He continued.
“Not that long.”
Oni sighed “Are you in love with him?”
“I don’t know, to be honest with you. I don’t know, I know he is engaged to be married but…”
Oni scoffed “They would never get married, her father would not allow her get married to anyone with connection to the Flames.” Oni stared at her blankly. “How much do you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“I know R’ao sneaked in to see you. There is not much that goes past me Koruna, I would advise you not to lie to me.” His demeanor changed and she understood that however she answered would determine if she left there alive.
“Will you kill me if I have any information that might endanger your family?” She peered at him.
“Without a second thought.” He replied without missing a beat. A shiver went through her as she swallowed.
“Ouch, I respect that but ouuchhh. I thought we were friends.”
“We are friends but I will always pick family over friends or lovers, so would R’ao. What do you know?” He stood and sat across her, their knees touched and he ensured she could not escape his gaze.
“Not much.”
“I would be the judge of that.”
“Do you enjoy killing people Oni?”
“I am asking the questions here.”
“Oh… I am not that easy. Let’s call this exchange of information.” She grinned at him but her eyes reflected how wary she was of him.
“This is the first time I’ve seen fear in your eyes.”
“This would also be the first time I’ve seen coldness in your eyes.”
Oni leaned towards her “I would make it quick.”
“Lucky me.” She rolled her eyes.
He held her chin and asked again.
“What do you know Koruna?”
“I know that the engagement is a means to an end and apparently based on what you have said, it is from both sides. The only person playing with their heart is Precious, she is being used by her father and your family. I almost, almost feel pity for her.”
“Is that all?”
“So far so good.”
“Why are your friends here?” He continued.
“It is a party, it pays well.”
Oni maintained eye contact “There was a little gang that robbed our house when we were younger, a girl with features very similar to yours was the only one R’ao was able to catch until she escaped from his grasp. For some reason, he was unable to forget this thief and tried all he could for years to find her until he stopped recently. Just when you started at St. Meen.” Oni smiled slightly at her.
She swallowed hard and laughed nervously “There is no need to rehash past memories. I have told you everything I know.”
“It isn’t everything, is it?” He brought out a small slim knife from his pocket.
“Okay, there is no need to get excited. Put the knife down!” She held his hand and directed the knife into his pocket.
“Why are your friends here?”
“To eat, have fun and make money"
"Don't push me Koruna" he glared at her fiercely.
"I was just sitting here mannnn" she raised her hands in surrender.
"Playing dumb? Doesn't suit you."
"Maybe I'm just dumb." She shrugged then paused and crossed her legs. "Quick question though, did you kill my father?"
Oni widened his eyes in surprise, “Why?”
Koruna sighed deeply. “Did you kill Charles and Joanna Ballan?”
Oni paused for a second and laughed, he leaned back into the chair and laughed again.
She took a deep breath and tried to stand up but was pushed down by Oni. “Where did you get that idea from?”
“Where do you think?”
“Betsy… No wonder she looked at me like that, why did you ask me? What if I did? Do you really believe that you wouldn't die by my hands?”
Koruna laughed and shook her head. “Not really.”
“What do you mean?” Oni frowned at her.
“I have this covenant with God that I would not die young and I am still pretty young.” She grinned.
“Sometimes, I think you are genuinely crazy.” Oni shook his head and brought out his knife again and aimed it at her throat. “Are you still so certain?”
“First, this dress is a classic and it would be a shame to see it drenched in blood and secondly you are very sexy when you have your murder on.” She blinked slowly.
“I would miss you.” He muttered.
“Are you really going to kill me?”
“Why do you keep doubting me?”
“Uggghhhh, because I don’t want to believe that you would do that.”
He removed the knife pointed at her throat. “Stay away from R’ao and my family, maybe you might have a chance at being alive for much longer.”
He stood and left her there, when he was about to turn a corner, she stopped him.
“Did you?”
“No, I didn’t and you shouldn’t pursue this anymore or the next time we meet, I wouldn’t be so polite.”
Telih came from behind a pillar.
“You should have allowed me take the shot.”
“This was a warning and not an assassination. He wouldn’t kill me at a party, he prefers a cleaner method. This was to scare me.”
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you, why can’t Telilah be more like you?”
“Do not mention her to me.” He walked away.
Koruna joined the party in time to see R’ao and Precious exchanging rings. She took a glass of wine from one of the servers and swallowed. Even though she understood that the engagement was not real, the thought of R’ao with another woman sent her heart racing and she could feel the sharp blade of jealousy in her gut. She wondered if R’ao cared about her as much as she did him. Oni had shown that they valued family, she had never understood the concept. The people she referred to as family are her friends who would turn her in to save their own skin and that was alright, it was the survival of the fittest.
She thought about the fact that there could be more to this life than surviving, R’ao was engaged to a woman he did not love for family, Oni would kill her if it meant protecting his family, Betsy sent her here to find the truth about what happened to her family even if it was at the cost of her life. As she stood there in the midst of all these people, she felt unbelievably lonely. Most of what she had ever known was how to survive, she had never experienced a mother’s love or a father’s adoration, she pretended that it didn’t get to her and so she buried those feelings deep inside but they threatened to burst out tonight as she understood that for once, she wanted to be the chosen one and not the person people threw away when they were given a choice.
R’ao caught sight of her and had to control his expression, he had never seen her look so lost and confused. He had an inkling that he had a big part in what she felt tonight. If it were up to him, he would gather her in his arms and leave Nige for good. R’ao and Koruna locked eyes from the distance and she waved him goodbye and turned to leave the party. People were dancing to the music, her sight grew blurry and her eyes heavy, she felt a tear about to drop when a strong arm enveloped her on her way out.
He smelt like clean soap and felt like a good break from the scents of perfume and hypocrisy. She had no idea who he was but she was afraid to raise her eyes and expose her tears to the people who would use it against her. The man glided with her and patted her back in comfort.
“It is alright, you can cry, there is no one here to see.”
She looked up and gasped in shock…
“Ati?"