Rose couldn't understand what the lady had spoken. Dominic's appearance changed? A beast?"Is this a joke?" Rose can't help but ask. She could feel it was real as she saw Lady Ashley's face was filled with a genuine horror.The silence woke Rose that the lady wasn't joking."What do you mean? I don't— I don't understand," Rose said and the lady opened her lips, covering it with her hands to hid her grin."Dominic began to change his appearance when he was fifteen. All that happened was unknown and we never discovered how the curse had affected him but it always happens during the full moon. You might not believe me, dear but what I say is the truth."Rose shook her head, her green eyes darting to Lady Ashley and narrowed faintly, "What do you mean by changing? What did he changed into?""He—"A knock rang across the room of Lady Ashley's room and Rose heard a sharp click of tongue coming from the lady. Rose's eyes went to look at the lady who had a faint smile, "Go and see what it is
Rose noticed how everywhere Dominic had invited to, the place would be shrouded with danger and mystery. Oddly, she didn't fear where she was going with him. There was a trust between them that she acquired after she saw by her own eyes how Dominic had always saved her from the dangerous moments around her.They went through a short carriage ride and stopped by the time it was dark to a large, luxurious mansion. From inside the carriage, she sneaked out her head from the window to look at the mansion and noticed a few carriages outside the tall iron gate.Was it a private party? She wondered to herself, not noticing the magnetic gaze from the man sitting across of her.Dominic grinned when seeing her curious expression. Throughout the ride, he had done nothing but entertain himself in watching Rose's expression and her actions.Like a little mouse let out open to a new world, her brilliant green eyes were filled with many emotions as she discover her surroundings. Other than her expre
Dominic looked down at the smotheringly noisy old woman. He showed her a smile, a cold one that cause her to shudder in fear. "I would like my midnight to be with her alone."The elderly woman's eyes fell on Rose with a slight startle as though she finally noticed her. "I see she is your compan—""Leave," Dominic dismissed her. His smile had fallen from his lips and the woman know better not to press Dominic or the consequence would fall to her hands. She curtsied and Rose could feel the woman's glare toward her and Dominic despite behaving politely.Rose felt his large hand tugging her, leading her toward the upper case of the stair before pulling out an object toward her. It was a mask. A white mask and a black one."I didn't know it was a masquerade party," she said, about to take the black one which was less conspicuous when Dominic handed the white and golden mask that would cover half of her face to her dainty fingers."It's not but it is a party where you would need this mask.
Rose gulped down her nervousness. Her whole face feel hot despite how cold the room was. Every sound rang on her ears and there came the urge for her to bite on Dominic's hand that held her chin and make a run for it.She held it down, "W- Why are we here?!""As an entertainment," Dominic replied without letting go of her chin, keeping her face to look at all the scene of people making love toward each other. "Was this too much for our poor Rose?"He is crazy! That was no mistaken on this!Rose wanted to bolt out from the place at once! But she was afraid to go alone after understanding what kind of place this mansion was.""How is this an entertainment… this… this is too indecent!" Rose had grown up in a community where the whisper of sex was considered as taboo. The villagers shied away from teaching their children about the action that only married people would do. Rose believed the idea since she was young, thought everything she saw now was too vulgar. "This is not an entertainme
The rules Dominic gave to Rose was simple. He only wanted her not to lie to him and she know that through some ways, Dominic could tell whether it's lie she uttered of the truth.Rose's option was to tell the truth or lie. She swallowed her breaths, "She told me about you and seemed worried about you?""But you are not naive," Dominic sat down and looked at her like a predator to the prey. "You must have noticed how we're not on a good term, don't you?"Rose wasn't blind to the discordance that occurred between Dominic and Lady Ashley. The lady had always showed an open concern, care, and even love to her step son but Rose had also seen those people who could act differently to how they show themselves to be.However, she thought in her mind while looking at him. The room was silent when neither him or her had talked, her voice echoed. "I do. But while I may not be naive, you never told me anything about yourself… how can I trust you?"Dominic hummed as if he agreed but he had no inte
Rose stared back at the woman whose gentle eyes had turned sharp with skepticism. Rose didn't allow herself to be deterred but maintain her politeness, "I know Dominic and he had brought me here."Veronica's eyes widened in shock as though she had just saw the dead coming back to life."He did?" There was suspicions still in her eyes.Rose didn't know why but the woman's suspicions on her made her a little annoyed, "It is rude to accuse a person without knowing the real truth, don't you think so?"Veronica still frowned while looking at her, "I am sorry for that but I know, for a fact, Dominic wouldn't let anyone inside this place. He had never and would never to do so."Rose sighed, "A person can change. I don't why you believe that Dominic wouldn't bring anyone to this place, but he did. You could ask him when he comes back, I wouldn't leave as a proof."Startled Veronica pulled herself back, covering her lips as Rose heard a faint whisper from her lips but it wasn't loud enough for
Rose looked at the woman. Indeed she had the pride similar to other nobles that Rose had seen but the woman was kind and polite despite her first reaction when seeing how she was inside Dominic's room. Now that Rose knew she was Dominic's cousin, she could tell the woman's reaction being more of worried and concerned rather than jealousy as she would have expected."The Duke's mess?" Rose watched the woman smiling gently."The Duke is my uncle, but step uncle. My father was adopted to the Duke's family. He has now relish the name of the family and although I don't know much about the Duke and my father's relationship, I can tell it wasn't good," explained Lady Veronica. "You had seen the Duke before, do you think he is a good person?"Rose was silent as the woman asked for her opinion. She couldn't tell much about the duke as the only time she had seen him was during the breakfast and the man had not spoke at all even since they first met."I don't know," she responded honestly.Veron
Dominic appeared undeterred even though what he spoke of wasn't at all a light matter. He knocked the back of the carriage as though it was to cue the coachman before then looking back at her.His smile appeared on his lips now, "It is as it sounded.""B… by the duke?" Rose questioned apprehensively, feeling her heart thudding aloud against her chest for an unknown reason."He was someone who wanted everything to go on his way. In his life it should be his way," responded Dominic as he stared outside the window. Rose continued to watch him and heard his words while feeling knots tying in her stomach. "When I was born, my mother didn't want to look at me. Of course, to her eyes I was a cursed child," a smile then adorned his face— a smile that was bitter.Rose looked at his face, feeling his ache when his eyes went to her and widened."I have never cried for it for I know it was my burden to shoulder," Dominic pushed himself and narrowed his smile with a helpless smile as his hand went