**Cover made by : Helloitsme1984_xxx
Candles of various shapes and sizes illuminated the entire venue, their twinkling lights suspended from the ceiling. Silk drapes concealed everyday items, and the tables sparkled with sequins and glitter. Feathers and beads adorned the glasses, and the color scheme of the ball revolved around gold and red.
The atmosphere exuded an air of mystery and secrecy.
The people surrounding me were adorned in exquisite designer gowns, suits, and elaborate masks. It was exactly what I expected at the billionaire boys club.
Only the privileged elites who were members of this exclusive club were granted access to parties like these.
And everyone sought to outshine one another.
"There you are!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed behind me, causing my heart to skip a beat. I turned around to find my brother standing next to a stunning blonde beauty, her face concealed behind a black and gold glitter mask.
"Yasmin!" I greeted the blonde before me. She planted kisses on both my cheeks and clasped her hands together, giving me an assessing look.
"You look absolutely stunning!" she squealed, glancing at my brother for confirmation, but he merely shook his head. "Have you met Zane yet?" she inquired when my brother neglected to offer any compliments. Little did she know that Milan and Dad had argued about my dress earlier.
"No, not yet," I replied, scanning the room with my eyes. "Is he...is he already here?"
"Yes!" Yasmin exclaimed excitedly. "We've already had the pleasure of meeting him, right babe?" Milan nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, we ran into him in the elevator."
"Oh... well, um, enjoy your evening. I'll go look for Angelica," I quickly said to the pair in front of me, eager to distance myself from them. Being around them would only increase the chances of encountering Zane, and I was actively trying to avoid him like the plague.
Instead of actually searching for Angelica, whom I was absolutely certain was engaged in a rendezvous with Alex in the bathroom, I headed towards the bar to order a drink. I hopped onto a barstool, and the attractive bartender promptly made his way over to me.
"What can I get you, beautiful lady?" he asked, pouring vodka into a glass for the person sitting a few stools away from me.
"A margarita, please," I replied, smiling.
"And a martini for me."
My gaze immediately shifted to the person next to me, and I couldn't help but stare at him in astonishment. Clad in an expensive Givenchy suit and wearing a simple black mask, the stranger next to me shamelessly scanned me from head to toe.
He extended his hand towards me, a smirk dancing on his lips, as he introduced himself. "Ivan Preston, and you are?"
I nearly toppled off the stool when he mentioned his name. If it weren't for Ivan swiftly catching me, I would have landed on the floor.
"Hey, take it easy there," he chuckled, releasing his hold on my waist. "I know I'm irresistible, but I didn't expect you to fall for me so quickly."
I scoffed and adjusted my mask before refocusing on him. "You don't recognize me?"
"I don't recognize anyone here, darling. It is a masquerade ball, after all."
The attractive bartender returned with our drinks. "A margarita for the lady and a martini for the gentleman."
"Thank you," I murmured, taking a sip of my margarita.
"So, care to introduce yourself?" Ivan flirtatiously inquired.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Amari Vasilios, you dimwit." Ivan, this time, was the one taken aback. He sat there, completely shocked upon hearing my name, his eyes widening and his expression priceless. "Amari, is that really you?"
"The one and only."
"Jesus, you look... different. Hot, sexy, breathtaking," his gaze wandered from my body to my face. "He's going to be in so much trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing," Ivan said, flashing me one of his dazzling smiles. "How have you been? It's been a while since I last saw you."
"Yeah, I've been busy with the company, you know," I replied. "And what about you? Still enjoying the company of strippers?"
Ivan laughed and shook his head. "Nope, only dating the famous and wealthy now. Seeing you from across the room, I thought I might get lucky tonight," he chuckled. "But I was mistaken. First of all, we're friends, and secondly, you're completely off-limits."
"Off-limits? What are you talking about?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.
"You know," Ivan took a sip of his martini. "Bro code and all."
"Heeeyyyy!! Prestoooonn!!" Alex shouted as he approached us with Angelica by his side. Judging by his disheveled hair and Angelica's smeared lipstick and mask, I knew they had just been intimate in the bathroom. Disgusting.
Angelica came up to me and pinched my upper arm. "What do you think of the party so far?" she asked.
"It's fun," I replied, grabbing a tissue from the table and handing it to her. "Wipe that lipstick off your face. No one needs to know you gave him a blowjob in the bathroom."
Angelica's face turned a deep shade of red, and she hastily snatched the tissue from my hand. "Is it that obvious?" she whispered, horrified.
"Yes, next time, just use the bathroom mirror to freshen up, okay?" She opened her mouth to say something, but Alex cut her off.
"Hey, I'm Alex. Angelica's boyfriend. And who might you be?" Alex looked at me, awaiting my response.
I glanced at Angelica, who simply shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Babe, this is Amari."
"Amari!" Alex exclaimed, his eyes widening. "Damn, you must be enjoying that Californian dick, huh?"
I nearly choked on my own saliva. "What?!" I blurted out.
"Alex!" Angelica gave her boyfriend a stern look. "Do you always have to make everything about sex?"
He winked at her. "You know it, baby. Being around pussies all day, every day gets to me."
"What?!" I interrupted, staring at Angelica in disbelief. "Is he cheating on you?"
"No, I forgot to tell you. Alex actually changed career paths. He's studying to become a gynecologist."
"A gynecologist?" I gaped at Alex, who grinned and nodded in confirmation. "So, when did you decide to... spend your days examining vaginas?" I asked, causing Ivan to choke on his drink.
"Well..." Alex shrugged. "I found it fascinating, and just so you know, I don't spend my entire day staring at vaginas."
"Alright, let's talk about something else, okay?" Ivan interjected, clearly feeling uncomfortable. "So, Amari, you'll be attending Milan's wedding, right?"
"Yes, that's the only reason I'm here," I replied, my attention shifting to someone on the dance floor.
Wearing a red suit jacket and a black mask that covered most of his face, leaving only half of his nose and lips visible, he certainly stood out among the crowd. He was tall, his red tie matching his suit, as he gracefully maneuvered through the dancers.
"Who's that?" I asked Angelica, pointing at the attractive man in the center of the room.
"Huh? Who?" Angelica looked around, clearly confused, her gaze fixated on the dancers.
Just as quickly as he had appeared on the dance floor, he vanished into the sea of people. He's gone. I gently placed my glass on the table and hopped off the barstool. "I need some fresh air. I'll catch up with you later."
Navigating through the bustling dance floor, I made my way to the back balcony. The night air was chilly, but the solitude away from the crowd was revitalizing. The balcony offered a stunning view of the transformed backyard.
During my last visit, the backyard was nothing but mud and grass, but now it had been adorned with paved walkways, vibrant flowers, a charming water fountain, and a bench in the center.
It was truly breathtaking.
"You're here for the moon as well?" A melodious voice broke through my thoughts. I turned around, and my eyes widened in surprise as I recognized the same captivating man I had seen earlier on the dance floor. Unfortunately, his face was still partially concealed by that infuriating mask.
"And what about the moon?" I inquired, a touch of confusion in my voice, as he approached me.
"There's going to be a lunar eclipse tonight," he replied, walking past me and leaning on the balcony, gazing up at the sky. "Why are you out here in...that?" He glanced at my outfit. "It's chilly tonight."
"Just needed some fresh air," I explained, observing him as he became lost in his own thoughts, fixated on the sky. The scent of his cologne wafted towards me, tempting me to bury my face in his suit jacket.
"Same here." He redirected his attention towards me, offering a crooked smile. "Lunar eclipse," he murmured softly, yet audibly enough for me to hear. "What I've heard about it is that it's a time when we're compelled to change internally. For instance, if you've been yearning for a relationship to improve by waiting for the other person to change, the lunar eclipse will reveal the truth: you must either accept the other person as they are or change yourself."
"Wow," I breathed, unable to tear my gaze away from him. "That's... quite profound."
The stranger chuckled. "Yeah, I guess. Despite having no significant relationship history, I do offer some decent advice."
"Really? No serious relationships? I would have thought someone like you had no trouble finding a girlfriend."
"Is that so?" He laughed and turned his head towards me. His laughter faded as his eyes locked onto mine, as if peering into the depths of my soul.
"Your eyes," he murmured, his voice filled with a mix of awe and nostalgia. "They remind me of someone. Whenever I see someone with beautiful blue eyes like yours, it triggers memories of someone I loved... and still do."
"She must have held a special place in your heart."
"Yeah, she did. But I was foolish, you know?" He let out a deep sigh and ruffled his hair. "Anyway..." He opened his eyes again and chuckled. "Why am I burdening you with my life story?"
"No, it's fine. Actually, I think I'll head back inside. It's getting colder out here," I informed him, and he nodded in understanding.
"See you around, beautiful."
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