The Past and The Present

Chapter Five: Familiar Faces (1)

"Sit still."

"Ouch!"

"I told you to sit still!"

I'm currently wrestling with a very pissed off Francia. Who knew doing someone's hair could be this much of struggle? I'll take a duel over this any day.

"Enough! It looks fine."

I manage to insert the flower pin into Francia's bun quickly, right before she slips away from me.

"Gorgeous, I have to hand it to myself I am skilled."

"This stupid banquet is already doing my head in, and I'm sure I've lost half of my brain cells with you pulling at my scalp. If it weren't for the company's sake and the free alcohol I  really wouldn't go."

I chuckled at Francia's complaining, "yeah, and you're forcing me to go with you to suffer as well."

Francia stared at me, "I refuse to suffer alone, plus you're also an employee at the company so it's natural you'd come too."

I rolled my eyes at her, and finished off my makeup, making sure everything was in place.

I was wearing a floor length black maxi dress that had a slight slit on one side. It was held off my shoulders with dainty straps that crisscrossed in the back. I had thrown on some heels, a simple necklace and some earrings. My hair was mostly down with a half bun on top secured with a jewelled barrette. I wasn't overdressed, but honestly this is the best I could do. I've never truly enjoyed dressing up for parties.

Francia was wearing a short off shoulder white dress. She was also dressed pretty plainly, with simple heels and a dainty necklace resting nicely between her collarbones. I had done her hair and made a cute side bun for her with a flower pin inserted. We both looked slightly under dressed but thanks to our cough figures, we still looked pretty fucking good.

"Stop staring at yourself."

"If I don't stare at myself then who will?"

Francia rolled her eyes, and grabbed my hand rushing us out to grab an Uber.

We arrived at the venue a little late due to traffic, but it's not like we're the guests of honour anyways. I doubt it really matters.

The banquet was being held in one of the large event centres downtown. It's a gorgeous venue, you get a beautiful view of the lake, since the walls are essentially giant windows stretching from the floor to the ceiling.

We gave security our invitation cards and headed into the hall excited to get some free champagne, and maybe meet some key industry figures.

As we entered the banquet hall, my heart fell down into the pits of hell.

Standing in the middle of the room was my ex fucking fiance, Leon von Has. He had his arm snaked around a blonde girl's waist. Jenna Multz. The crown princess of Averia. The bastards who killed me were standing right in front of me.

I staggered as rage coursed through my body. I could hear a ringing sound in my ear, as Francia looked at me and asked me if I was okay.

Then, all of a sudden a flood of memories rushed at me. Leon Has was my fiancé in this life as well. We were betrothed due to the fact that his father had served in the military with my father for a short period of time. Leon's father left the army to take over the family business, and expanded the Has group into a multinational conglomerate that it is today. Bitch was rich and powerful.

However, the arranged marriage was set and decided upon regardless of how rich or unhappy the bastard was. However scum is scum, and he dissolved our engagement at a public event similar to this one when I was haha nine fucking teen, hmm doesn't that sound familiar. The reason? He hated me, and was in love with Jenna Multz a young and upcoming actress. The same bitch from the novel.

Fuck. It happened here too then. My life is such a mess.

My father was overseas so he couldn't help me. However, thankfully instead of harassing the bitch out of revenge, I had decided to escape to another city for university.

I came back to my senses and realised I was holding onto Francia's hand a bit too tightly.

"I remember."

"Fuck, are you okay? Remember what? You scared the shit out of me."

"I remember what happened in this life Francia." I pointed her to the centre of the room with my eyes, "the bastards that killed me in my last life, had a similar role to play in me leaving Balia in this life, and they're right here in the middle of this room."

"Leon Has? dear god, I had no idea he'd be the same bastard as the crown prince."

"Francia, what do I do? Should I leave? I just want to live peacefully, and not interact with those people." As Francia and I contemplated leaving the venue, I saw something in my peripheral vision that violently yanked my soul out of my body.

Shit. shit. shit. shit.

I froze.

There in the corner of the room was a man staring at me. Archduke Noah Thrasys. The villain and second lead from fated for you. A psycho son of a bitch that was obsessed with Jenna. He was fighting Leon for her love, and honestly the bitch lead him on multiple times. But what was more terrifying was how that piece of human waste tortured me.

Noah Thrasys was insane, and cruel. He was constantly experimenting with poison, and other forms of torture. When I was imprisoned in the imperial jail for a year before my execution, this sick fuck fed me a slow acting poison that dissolved my organs overtime. It also psychologically fucked with me as it induced hallucinations. The nightmares, the pain, the feeling of hot acid burning me from the inside shattered me completely. It was worse than death. And to make matters worse he used to visit me in jail and whisper threats that would exacerbate my hallucinations. All for his precious little Jenna. Honestly I don't know if I died from poison or from getting my head chopped off.

In this life, however, he has no presence. I'm sure he's related to Jenna and Leon, but I can't seem to recall anything about him in relation to me. Thank god.

But why is he staring at me then?

I really shouldn't have come to this stupid event.

Character Aesthetics:

- Archduke Noah Thrasys -