~CHAPTER III~

Casino Monte Carlo,

Monte Carlo, Monaco

Due to a sudden stun, I answered him "I'm not a thief," which is far from his question and continues explaining, "I got lost here after finding my way back from the comfort room." my body begins to quiver. Out of fear, I swiftly turn my back on him. I can't let him recognize me. He might end up reporting me to the security. I was just too proud of myself in front of him moments back and now I couldn't even glance back. I need to think of a way to scape him.

And then, he made a few steps toward my direction as I could hear the sound of his feet coming closer. The sweats around my forehead are beginning to accumulate.

A moderate tune came from him saying, "you seem fascinated with this one," his quite husky yet inviting voice drew me to where he is pointing at, the two red dice.

My body impulsively stiffened, I could already feel the warmth of his breath over my spine. A tickling sensation jolts me when he imperceptibly sniffs within the narrow space between his face and my nape--it's as if he intentionally smells me. This time I am not visualizing it anymore, he did just smelled me. The sound of it stirs me, and then I heard him barely exhaling a chuckle after my abrupt reaction.

I shook my head and faces him, "I have no intention of taking any kind of stuff here. As I said, I'm no thief so stop insinuating." I strongly reverted, shoving him aside. Then I instantly headed my way back to the auction hall. Finding my way back took me quite a while until I accidentally come across Mrs. landers, who just came out of the hall, and this stops me in the spun of the moment.

Mrs. landers took both my hands into hers, "I was worried, you took too long and missed almost half the auction. I didn't know you were just meeting with your husband, I should've known." she said as her eyes moved and her face angles upward to my side as if looking at someone taller than me.

I look behind my right shoulder and there he is, the same man from the vast room. His deep-set eyes nonchalantly stare at me. And I abruptly gulp the lump on my throat as if I've been cornered by a notorious decoder.

That glimpse moment of silence was interrupted by Mrs. Landers as she passes by me to move closer to the man behind. And then she suddenly said, "It was no wonder you had the utmost interest for the perfume." Mrs. Landers lean back at me. "Your husband indeed knows you well." she delightfully expressed.

"You mean the perfume was sold by--" I'm suddenly cut out of the scene when the man suddenly chimes, "I thought the scent was too familiar to ignore. I just couldn't let it get away from me," he mockingly leers on me as if referring to my brisk escape and then he continues saying, "most especially after knowing it is my wife who made it." giving more emphasis on 'my wife'.

I'm still surprised someone really took fancy for it but at the same time, I'm also in great shock that it has to be this man before me who bought it. The short meeting came to end when an event facilitator meddled to take Mrs. Landers back inside to receive her check from the perfume sold, which of course left me with this ill-breeding man.

My feet are ready to follow Mrs. Landers when he stops me, "I think I at least deserve to know the perfume's maker, right?" he said.

"It's Mrs. Landers who did it." I lied.

"Well then perhaps the host was good at marketing, saying the perfume was made by a lovely housewife for her dear husband. I wonder what would your husband say if it was another man who got his supposed gift?"

I know his game. Is he trying to provoke me? he is just wasting his time since I don't really have a real husband to worry about. I turn my back on him once more and just when I am about to move, he abruptly said, "Or would it sadden Mrs. Landers knowing how she trusted you so much yet you lied about your husband." He is one clever sick in the ass mongrel.

This mockery has gotten in my nerves, I quickly walk towards him until we're inching apart, I tilted my head to reach his gaze, "You think you know enough to control me. Dream on it." I said.

A corner of his mouth lifted and the next thing I knew his hand caught me, swiftly heaving me on top of his left shoulder like a sack bag. His feet began to move and I tremble in fear knowing he is now taking me with him and I don't even know where the hell he is taking me.

I struggled to get off him, never-minding how short my dress is that my skin-toned shorts might already be exposed by now.

"Put me down! Where are you taking me?" My heartbeat is racing with fear, I am being carried like dead livestock by a complete stranger.

And he answers, "Finishing a good show." as we come near to an open function area filled with random people I have yet to familiarize with since they are all wearing masks. I suppose we are now at the after-party masquerade ball that Mrs. Landers is looking forward to.

He conscientiously settled me back on my feet upon arriving. I am ready to run away but I saw Mrs. Landers arriving with the other guest. Now I realize this man wants me to go along with this play-act I have started. I don't want to end up being indebted to him, I mean what is going on with him? Why is he doing this all of a sudden?

I am still fixing the crumpled lining of my dress when he suddenly grabs my right wrist. Before I could even complain, he is already dragging me to walk around with him. No one pays us too much attention, after all, we are wearing masks. We have no complete idea of who is who.

I just composed myself from creating further arguments and commotion with this man as we continue to walk around. We suddenly stop by a cocktail table, he took two drinks from a roaming waiter then handed me the other, "You should thank me for doing you a favor you know." he said after taking a sip from the glass.

I rolled my eyes on him, "Don't get too cool on me," I snap.

There goes a smirk on his face once more, "So you think you are wise enough to use her for your own benefit and yet you are here, used and still unaware you are being abused." He backs on me.

I got confused about his words and so I ask, "Excuse me?"

His grin horrified me. He settles the glass on the cocktail table, then leaves me behind. My whole body is shaken, I can't let him leave me just like that. I need to know what he knows about Mrs. Landers and so I followed him.

I wasn't mindful enough to notice until he stood still and grabs me closer with his left hand as his other hand envelopes my waist, pressing it to him even closer. He leans over to my side and in an above the whisper tune he reveals, "The old woman is a known tourist opportunist. She has plans to sell you out tonight and she successfully did."

My eyes widened in terror. What I just discover just now is beyond my comprehension. I couldn't even muster my strength to struggle from him. And now I'm here standing lifelessly with him along with the other pairs.

He placed his hand at my back as his other held my right hand, then he began leading the steps for me as the music burst out from the hall. We were dancing in this open hall.

I saw how Mrs. Landers look at eyes, her cheerful eyes were deceitful gaze of a heartless woman selling our tourist she befriends. Can she really do that to me? Maybe this is the payment of my initial intention to use her. Bad Karma boomeranged me too quickly.

"She sold you through the fragrance, that's how it works. You and the fragrance are just the same." he continues to tell. The whole revelation is hunting all throughout me as we move across the dance floor.

Dancing wasn't even a thing of mine, I know I keep on stepping on his feet but he doesn't mind it. My soul slowly abandoned me, and I feel as though I am a lifeless being. He keeps on leading me all the way until the music stop and we both end up staring at each other's eyes.

His hand held my waist again, he swiftly pulled me closer. My hands pressed on his chest as his lips angled on my neck to sniff me, then he whispers, "And this scent belongs to me now."

I suddenly became blank, All I could see now was just him and me and the Moon above us. I remember Mrs. Landers telling me about their practice here, those couples who dance under the full moon stays forever. Well, she is right, I'm unknowingly sold to someone I don't know. I got victimized in a woman trafficking, all because I was stupid enough to think about taking advantage of someone else's weakness. Not knowing it would only drag me closer to my own grave.

My visions went from blank to normal once more and as I saw him angling closer towards my neck, I immediately push him off me. I forcibly slap my right palm on his face, leaving a red mark on it.

I strongly step forward to him and after fully retrieving back my senses, to finally utter, "the show is over." right in front of his face before running heading outside the casino as fast as I could to escape him. I only just hope he wouldn't dear to run after me anymore--I just hope.

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