177: PARTY (4)

PARTY (4)

"Are you angry?" Torak tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He was amused by her genuine, raw expression that she couldn't hide from every inch of her face right now. 

"No." She gazed at Torak stubbornly. "I am upset."

Hearing her honest confession, Torak laughed out loud. This was not like any other occasion. No one would have thought that Torak was even capable of laughing that way. But fortunately, there was no one in the corridor to witness such momentum. Or else, it would absolutely be a sight to behold. Witnessing the cold-blooded CEO of Donovan's Company laughing like that, was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime thing. 

"Why are you laughing?" Raine hit his arms. 

"Alright, I got it. You're not angry, you're just upset." Torak put back her mask, and kissed her forehead. "Do you want to stay for a little longer?"

"No." Raine didn't want to stay there, not even for a second longer. She was incredibly pissed already after what just happened between those women, and herself previously.

"Don't you want to dance with me?" Torak offered. 

"Dance?" Raine frowned. "But, I thought you don't dance…? At least that's what they said." She said. 

"Why would you believe them? It's me that they are talking about, you'll be finding out the truth about that information from me, and only me." Torak took Raine by her hand, and he led them back to the party room. 

"But, I can't dance…" Raine suddenly shrieked, trying to pull her hand off his hand. But, he was gripping her hand too tight for her to escape. He was apparently in a good mood.

"Don't worry, I'm good enough for both of us." Torak said reassuringly.

Raine was a bit nervous, and too hesitant about this whole dancing idea. "Have you ever danced before?" She didn't mean to doubt his capability of doing things, she just didn't think that someone like him would actually dance in public.

"Not in public." He said, and his answer was just like what she thought.

"Why?" She asked curiously. So does that mean that he would dance with Jenedieth in private?—she wondered, and that thought alone turned her mood down immediately. She was sour thinking about what was most likely to be the answer to her question, that she was about to find out.

"I guess I would only dance with someone that I like." Torak said.

"Like Jen?" Raine was too upset to mention her name. Without her knowing, her words came out so unexpectedly that she sounded harsher than how she initially intended to. She realized it shortly after saying it. Then, she got embarrassed of herself for saying it the way she said it. 

"Of course not." Torak rubbed Raine's head when they arrived at the door. Two people pushed it open. Behind that door revealed a grand scene where the crowd gathered in the middle of the ball room to start the dance tonight.

The light in the room was dim, the music began in slow, and an enchanting melody suddenly was playing. The atmosphere started to feel pleasant. The various sweet smell of floral fragrance was in the air, as if it was meant to lit up the romantic ambience around.

Torak led Raine straight to the middle of the room. The both stopped amidst the many pairs of couples around them. He put Raine's hands gently on his shoulder, as he rested his hand on her waist. 

"I don't know how…" Raine whispered nervously, but she just couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was so dashing under the faint yellow light, with his blue eyes staring back at her with so much love. 

Torak took a slow step that was easy enough for Raine to follow. He moved side to side with a simple movement. Thinking about how they moved, that dance wasn't exactly what one would call a dance. She still felt her heart skipped a beat nevertheless, knowing this was their first dance. 

Torak's first dance in public. 

These simple steps, and that exact moment they shared felt lovely for Raine.

Until a moment later, when a bright light shined on them. It followed each and every move that they took, as if they were the main character of tonight's party. The music was like a spell that hypnotized her, that she didn't even realize when suddenly many couples around them started to leave the dance floor, giving some room for her, and Torak. 

Time passed without them knowing. When the music came to an end, as the final move, Torak bent his knee in proposing stance, and kissed Raine's hand heartily. This action incited waves of shock among the guests, there was a loud gasping sound, and mumbles among the women. They couldn't believe what they just witnessed.

The haughty Torak Donovan actually lowered himself in front of many people for a young woman? Was that even possible? The ruthless man who would never take a second glance toward his opponent or when he executed a cruel plan, bend down to a woman?

Who exactly this woman is?—must be one of the questions that they've been keeping inside their head.

She hadn't removed her mask since the beginning, so no one could see her face. This mysterious woman must've been someone extraordinary to end up being Torak Donovan's woman.

Not only was those people surprised with the scene, even Raine shocked that moment when Torak bent on his knee. She felt a sensation of adrenaline rush that went down from her face to her neck. 

She could feel that many people's eyes were fixed on her. Even so, this was the first time ever in her life when she paid no mind to the people around her. Because her focus was now solely on the man in front of her.

Torak's black mask covered his expression well. But Raine knew exactly the face he made behind it. Torak must've teased her again. And just like any other day, she was left speechless by his every action. Slowly, Torak stood up, and kissed her forehead. He didn't even care if people around them were starting to take a picture of him doing what he just did. 

Afterward, Torak gently put her hand on the crook of his elbow, and led her away from the spotlight. Big round of applause was saluted to them from the other guests. Raine was so dazed when she received a bottle of water from Torak, that she drank half of it in one gulp. 

"How do you feel? Still upset?" Torak asked, while resting his chin on Raine's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around his waist as if no one was around, ignoring the fact that there were at least a dozen pairs of eyes staring at them curiously. These people wanted to know so badly that it could kill them.

"I… I am fine now." Raine stammered. She knew Torak did this to avenge her. Those women from the restroom earlier would not miss the moment when Torak danced with her.

The dance was somehow like an announcement that he was taken now, and it was also an open declaration that Raine was the lucky girl. Even though nobody saw her face, Raine was beyond satisfied, and happy nevertheless.

"It's good to hear that." Torak said. 

"Can we stay until the fireworks?" Raine asked, she suddenly remembered what Sunny told her about. There would be a grand fireworks show at midnight, and since it was late already, they only had to wait a little bit longer for that?

"Sure, if you want it." Torak agreed. His anger had subsided, he just wanted to hold his mate like this. 

Seeing the intense affectionate act between Torak and Raine at that moment, making people around who had been trying to come close to him, a bit reluctant about approaching. They just didn't want to bother the couple by doing so.

However, not everyone had that kind of consciousness. There was this one particular person who came closer. At least the person wasn't a human to begin with.

"What a nice view to see." A gruff, and rough voice sounded from behind them. A man stood there, taking a glass of wine from the waiter. "But, I prefer if you stop flaunting your love everywhere you go."

Knowing who that man was, Torak turned around. He hid Raine behind his back. The mood suddenly turned gloomy when he met the devil's golden eyes. 

"Belphegor." Torak mentioned his name with derision.

"This is Reiz for you Mr. Donovan." Belphegor said, he gave Raine a lazy smile while waving his bony fingers. "We're partners now."

Raine remembered him, he was the devil who she met in the hotel back when she met Torak for the first time. It was the devil who was trying to take her life, he hurt her before this. 

"What are you doing here?" Torak remained calm with the way he sounded. But anyone could tell, he was scarier that way than when he growled at his opponent.

"This is an open party, and I am invited." Belphegor said lightly, as he sniffed the glass of wine in his hand. "It's been a long time since our last encounter. I heard you were missing a few months ago. Did you know that this Alpha of yours was looking for you like crazy when you went missing? By any chance, have you found out what your power is already?" This time the question was addressed to Raine.

Torak closed his eyes, and clenched his jaw to keep his anger contained below the surface. He was clearly getting close to the edge. How so easy it was to mess with an Alpha like Torak. Anything threatening could trigger his wrath, especially if it was involving his mate.

"Or, would you like me to help you to find it out?" Belphegor took a gulp of his wine. "If your man doesn't mind, of course." He nodded towards Torak's direction.

Without wasting another word on the devil, Torak took his mate away. This wasn't the right place, nor was it the right timing to be getting out of control by some petty provocative words coming from one devil.

"Well, she will find out sooner, or later." Belphegor said, talking to a man who approached him, seemingly having a little conversation with that man as if he was a real human. 

"Why do so many people make a fuss about my power?" Raine tugged Torak's sleeves. "What am I supposed to do with my power?"

"To protect yourself." Torak answered her curtly, and dismissed the topic immediately. "Let's go outside, the fireworks will start soon." He glanced at his watch, it was almost the time.

For some reason, Torak's answer didn't satisfy Raine's curiousity enough. But she nodded anyway when Torak took her to the balcony. There were many people already around. But lucky them, because there were two men who had gotten a nice view, generously gave up their spot and gave it away to Torak. They gave their spot away not because for the sake of being decent, it was done rather to impress him.

Sometimes Raine wondered, how far people would go to impress someone else in order to get what they wanted. It was strange, but somehow that was how this world worked...

Torak took off his coat and draped it on Raine's shoulder to keep her warm. 

Raine smiled ever softly, basking under the moonlight. She looked so heavenly, and Torak lost for words just to describe her. He loved her painfully, the kind of love that he had been waiting for centuries. 

"You looked so beautiful, my love." Torak whispered to her ear.

Raine lowered her head, grinning upon hearing his words. "Thank you." She said timidly. "I'm sorry for doubting you earlier… I was just a little upset after what happened earlier, their words really had gotten into me for a while."

"No, you don't have to apologize." Torak stared at his mate with adoration. "I'd be more than willing to convince you again, and again every time you doubt me."

"I will not doubt you again…" Raine said sheepishly. "I will make sure to come and ask you myself, if ever there's something bothering me…"2

"Yes, you can always do that." Torak traced his finger along Raine's jaw lines. 

Raine was relishing their moment, when suddenly she felt someone was watching her.She looked around and there she found, the woman named Alice Harper. Alice was looking at her along with the same two women from the restroom earlier. They scoffed at her.

Just like Raine had thought, they must have seen her with Torak on the dance floor earlier. Torak's way of getting back at them, apparently worked as it was intended. It got on their nerves in the most irritating way possible.

"May I be excused for a while?" Raine asked, and Torak frowned.

"Where are you going? Restroom again?" They just encountered Belphegor, he was there somewhere. Torak didn't want Raine to be out of his sight, not even for a second, while knowing that the devil was still nearby. 

Raine nodded to the direction where the three women were standing. In their face, they still had this scornful look for her. But then, Torak stared back at them. And when he did, they weren't quick enough to hide the derision on their expression.

"What do you want to do with them?" asked Torak, he was curious about this sudden request. He wondered—what would she do to them exactly?

"Having a chat, woman to woman." She said, attempting to sound arrogant, but failed miserably. 

Torak looked at Belphegor. He was still standing at the exact spot where they left him before, having a chat with the man who approached him. "Don't be too long." Torak said.

Raine nodded, and walked towards the three women with a new energy, and full of confidence. The dance not only affected them, but also Raine. She could feel the love that Torak had for her.

About his past with Jenedieth, whether there was a special relationship between them or not, she would ask him herself later in time. But the important thing was that Torak was with her now. 

Not Jenedieth, nor any other woman.

Raine would make sure that they got this point too. If they couldn't get the point, then the problem was on them, not her. Whatever it was that happened between Jenedieth, and Torak in the past, it was strictly between them. Raine came to realize that it had nothing to do with her.

And it went the same way with whatever these gruesome things that Torak had done in the past, Raine just didn't want to be bothered with all that. Including his relationship with any other women before her. As long as Torak was with her, all that she wanted was as simple as to cherish that moment to the fullest. 

Raine walked straight towards them, and she stopped two steps away.

"Do you need something?" Alice asked while the two women slightly moved behind her. They were afraid because they were caught red-handed staring at Raine viciously by Torak. 

"Yes." Raine followed Alice's arrogant attitude, and folded her arms in front of her as well.

"What now? Are you here to complain about what we said to you before?" Alice said with a smirk on her face. She was no longer wearing her mask, and now Raine could see that Alice was quite beautiful for a girl her age regardless of the amount of makeup that she put on her face. "Or, do you want to brag about what happened earlier on the dance floor that Mr. Donovan asked you for dance?"

"Both." Raine said coldly. It seemed like she was trying to mimic the way Torak would've talked in most of the heated conversations she had witnessed. Turned out the outcome didn't even come close to the time when it was Torak who was talking in such a manner. But Raine was already good enough to pull off this bit of attitude. "Don't spread a nasty rumor about my man, if you know nothing about it."

With a lycan remarkable hearing ability, Torak could hear Raine's voice, and the going-on scene between the girls so clearly. A smile grazed on his lips, he was proud when he heard Raine addressed him as 'my man'. That simple word made him extremely happy. The fact that Belphegor's presence was bothering him not too long ago, now forgotten as if it never even happened. 

"Me? Knows nothing about him?" Alice pointed to herself. 

How long had they been together? Two years? Three years?—Alice wondered inside her head. She stared at Raine again. Although her face was covered with a mask, she was sure that Raine was too young to have a five years relationship with Torak. 

Alice, with her exceptional upbringings, grew up with Torak's name being mentioned in almost every conversation in her family. All because her family's business was a competitor to Torak's giant corporation. So technically speaking, it was fair enough for her to think that she knew better about Torak Donovan, than this mysterious girl named Raine would ever will.

"I know everything about him!" Alice hissed in irritation. "You are nothing compared to Ms. Jenedieth." 

"Why do I have to compare myself with her?" Behind her mask, Raine raised her eyebrows. "I am a way better person than her." She said confidently.

"Oh really? Well, don't cry later when Mr. Donovan and Ms. Jenedieth gets back together in the future. Because we'll see, when that time comes, you will—" Alice didn't have a chance to finish her words when Raine cut her off.

"No need to worry about it, because Torak had kicked her off for good. She will never come back." After saying that, Raine turned around. She was about to leave when suddenly she remembered something. "Don't ever speak about my man, ever again! You don't even deserve to speak his name."

After that, she walked back straight to Torak's embrace, leaving Alice behind. That girl was clearly fuming mad because Raine didn't give her a chance to retort.

"Where did you learn how to do all that?" Torak whispered while hugging her soft body, he knew regardless of her progress, she wouldn't come up with those harsh, and sarcastic words just yet.

"Remember that I didn't have anything to do after the entrance exam? So while waiting for the result, recently, I have been watching many dramas. When the main character used those words, she looked so cool." Raine giggled. 

"You look cool as well." Torak complimented her. 

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