The Blood Contract
Chapter 40: Behave yourself

Chapter 40: Behave yourself

"I need to use the restroom," Serena whispered to Lucian, her voice barely audible over the hum of the event. She signaled for an usher to approach her, a young woman in a crisp uniform who moved swiftly to her side. Serena leaned in and whispered a question to the usher’s ear, and the woman nodded, pointing her in a specific direction with a polite smile.

Serena stood up from her seat, smoothing the satin fabric of her dress as she made her way toward the restroom. It wasn’t that she was really pressed, but the hall had become quite stuffy, even with the air conditioning on. The combination of the crowd, the heat from the lights, and the tension of the evening had left her feeling suffocated. She needed some fresh air and a moment to herself.

The auction was done, the first course of refreshments had been served, and they were currently in the entertainment session. A live band played soft jazz in the background, their music blending with the murmur of conversations and the occasional clink of glasses. Serena felt it was the perfect time to give herself a short break from it all.

When she walked into the restroom, there were already a few people inside. The space was elegantly designed, with marble countertops, gold accents, and soft lighting that gave it a luxurious feel. Her sharp eyes instantly caught on to a group of women huddled in a corner, their heads bent together as they whispered and nudged each other. Their voices were low, but Serena caught snippets of their conversation: "That’s her, the daughter of the outcast," and "Look at her finger," among other hushed comments.

Having no energy for drama, Serena didn’t linger. She pretended she couldn’t hear what they were saying and ignored their very obvious body language. She simply washed her hands under the cool, running water, the sound soothing in the otherwise tense atmosphere. She checked her reflection in the mirror, ensuring her makeup was still intact, and then walked out of the restroom, heading in the opposite direction of the event hall. She had noticed a large open balcony earlier, and that was exactly what she needed at that moment.

The balcony was spacious, with a wrought-iron railing and potted plants adding a touch of greenery. The night air was cool and refreshing, a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside. Yet again, there was a couple being all lovey-dovey on one corner of the balcony, their laughter soft and intimate. But there was an unoccupied corner where Serena moved to, leaning against the railing as she took a deep, calming breath.

The view from the balcony was breathtaking. The city stretched out below her, a sea of twinkling lights and bustling activity. The distant hum of traffic and the occasional honk of a car horn reached her ears, grounding her in the moment. She set her gaze on the horizon, where the sky met the cityscape, and let the cool breeze wash over her, soothing her nerves.

"Tired already?" Serena heard a voice echo from behind her, and she turned around to find Vincent approaching. His face held some tension, but there was a softness in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Just needed some fresh air," she responded, flashing him a small smile as he came to stand beside her. "I’m sorry about the earlier misunderstanding," she apologized, her tone sincere.

"There’s nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t offend me, Serena," Vincent uttered, his gaze lingering on the ring on her finger. The diamond sparkled under the soft light, catching his attention. "Lucian should be the one apologizing, but I know he won’t, and I’m cool with it because I know that’s who he is. Don’t bother yourself about it."

Serena nodded, and silence reigned for a while before Vincent broke it.

"I couldn’t help noticing the ring on your finger. Did he propose to you?"

"Propose?" Serena laughed, the sound light but tinged with irony. "This is just a cover-up. There’s nothing to it," she confessed in a hushed tone so the other people around wouldn’t hear what she was saying.

Vincent let out a sigh, one that portrayed all the heaviness he was feeling inside. He needed no one to tell him he had made a huge mistake trusting the Council of Vitae. Instead of achieving the woman of his dreams, he had ended up pushing her far away—into the hands of his enemy.

"Don’t fall for him, Serena," Vincent suddenly said, his voice low but urgent.

"Huh?" Serena asked, confused.

"Don’t fall for him," Vincent repeated, gently picking up Serena’s right hand, which was wrapped around the balcony railing. He squeezed lightly, as if trying to emphasize his point in the most emotional way he could. "Don’t fall for his games and his charms. Don’t believe anything he says. They’re all lies."

Serena looked puzzled. She didn’t understand why he was saying those things. She had no intentions of falling for Lucian. What was there to fall for? His arrogant nature? His cold attitude? His controlling spirit? Or was it his annoying habit of bringing his call girl to the house without any iota of respect for her, while restricting her from doing the same? There was absolutely nothing to fall for.

"You’re worrying yourself too much, Vincent. There is nothing, and there will never be anything between us," she spoke freely, noticing that the couple at the other end of the balcony had left, leaving them alone.

"I believe you, but I know Lucian. That’s why I’m speaking like this," Vincent said, his tone serious. "If he ever tells you that he loves you, believe me, that is the biggest and most glaring lie you will ever hear. Lucian can never love anyone except himself."

A chuckle suddenly echoed from behind them, and when they turned in the direction the sound came from, they found Lucian leaning against the wall opposite where they stood, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. His arms were crossed, and his posture was relaxed, but there was a dangerous glint in his gaze.

Unconsciously, Serena retrieved her hand from Vincent’s grasp, bringing it back to her side.

"You continue to test my patience, Vincent," Lucian uttered, pushing himself off the wall and taking slow, deliberate steps toward the duo. "I have given you every opportunity to stay the hell away from my business, but you insist on testing me. Do you really want a piece of me?"

Vincent scoffed, turning to face Lucian squarely. "Don’t threaten me. I’m not scared of you."

"You should be," Lucian said, moving closer until he was standing right in front of Vincent. His presence was imposing, his height and broad shoulders making him seem even more intimidating. "You should be scared because what you think you know about me is just the tip of the iceberg. Stay away from my wife, Vincent."

"I met her first. She was my friend first before you came into the picture," Vincent pointed out, his voice rising slightly.

"Then you should have married her first. But you didn’t, did you?" Lucian shot back, his tone cold and mocking.

Vincent wanted to retort, but he held his tongue, clenching his jaw hard. Of course, his goal had been to marry her, but he had been played, even after all his meticulous planning. But how was he supposed to say something like that out loud?

"Guys, please, no fighting," Serena chimed in, already tired of the back-and-forth and the tense atmosphere. Seeing how the two men were not relenting, she fixed her attention on Vincent. "Please, Vincent. Can you drop this?"

Vincent shifted his attention to her, his gaze lingering on her face for a while before he finally relented and took a step back.

Fixing his collar, which needed no fixing in the first place, he flashed her a smile. "Call me," he said to her, then walked away from the balcony without sparing Lucian a glance.

"I thought I made it clear that you were not allowed to be with other men," Lucian spoke, turning to her once Vincent left.

"You’re crazy," Serena commented, facing him squarely with a deep frown. "Was I in bed with him? Or did your stupid rule include me not talking to other people simply because I live in your house? Listen carefully, Lucian. You have absolutely no right to dictate who I talk to and who I don’t. I’ve been behaving myself simply because of this stupid act we have to put up. If you push me too much, I’ll drop everything and give you a piece of my mind. So you better behave yourself as well."

After saying this, Serena walked away from the balcony as well, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she made her way back toward the hall. But when she arrived at the restroom area, she decided to make a stop there just to calm herself down before joining the others.

As soon as she arrived in front of the large mirror after walking in, she heard a lock clicking into place, which made her frown. Walking back toward the entrance to check why anyone would want to lock a public restroom, she came face to face with a masked man armed with a knife.

Serena took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest as she opened her mouth to ask a question. But she didn’t get the chance because the man wasted not even a second before he attacked her.