Miracle Mirage (Draft One)

Behind the Curtains

Tws for this chapter (hooo boy it's a lot): Domestic violence, infertility, miscarriages/stillbirth, dying in childbirth)

The moment was so powerful that for a moment, Max forgot about Julius and what she needed to tell him. The air around her smelled of Ray's rose-scented perfume. It was as if the smell of her perfume had enchanted Max, clouding her senses and making her focus completely on Ray. Max was a little embarrassed as she clumsily stumbled in an attempt to dance but Ray was patient, gently leading Max back to the correct position. Ray's touch was firm yet gentle, and Max was eager to feel more of it. This blissful moment was ruined when Max remembered that she would have to break Julius's heart pretty soon. This, coupled with the fact that her feelings for Ray only continued to grow, made Max feel extremely guilty. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to stop dancing with Ray. She couldn't bring herself to stop this moment, not yet. Even at this moment, when Max was overcome with worry and unease, Ray was somehow able to calm her. 

"Are you alright?" Ray asked, gently raising Max's chin, "I promise it'll be alright. I know there's a lot of pressure and everyone expects you to be with Julius, but you still have no obligation to."

"I am. I just don't want to break his heart. He's such a kind person, and he truly did make me feel special."

"It's for the best. I'm sure that Julius would rather you be happy, even if it meant that the two of you wouldn't be together. I know him, he is one of the kindest people I know. He will understand."

"I know, but he still will feel upset about it. I know it is the right thing to do, but it feels so wrong to break his heart. It feels so cruel and I almost can't bring myself to."

"I understand. But you must. I'm sure he will move on quicker than you'd expect."

"I really do hope so. I really appreciate him so much for all that he's given me, for all the time that we've spent together."

"I'm sure he feels the same about you. You are such a sweet person, Max. Sometimes to a fault, but I admire you for it nonetheless. I'll be here for you if you need me."

"Thank you." Max hugged Ray tightly, "I'm so glad that you're here right now."

"Do you want to keep dancing?"

"I do," Max smiled, "I'd like to keep dancing for a while longer."

The ballroom seemed to get a little bit louder. Mixed in with the sounds of classical music filling the room were faint mumbles and whispers, gossip spreading amongst the partygoers. Guests began to stare at Max and Ray as they danced. As word had already spread throughout the room that Max would be dancing with Julius, this shocked the partygoers. The two dancing did not necessarily mean anything on its own, as it could be taken as platonic or just the two of them not having anyone else to dance with at that moment, but the guests were already waiting eagerly for Julius and Max to dance. They were waiting for the rumors to be confirmed and for their prayers to finally be answered, for the Prince to finally find another wife to birth an heir. The Prince hadn't even arrived at the party yet, and his expected future wife had already found another dance partner. Max was ignorant of this, too enamored by Ray to pay much attention to her surroundings. Ray already knew that this might happen, but was indifferent to their gossip. The two were enjoying each other's company too much for it to matter anyway, and rumors were bound to spread as soon as Max rejected Julius's offer to dance. Despite the situation, Max felt that this moment was picture-perfect. She hoped that this moment could last forever, or at least a little while longer, but this moment came to its conclusion when Julius finally arrived at the party.