Once, my paranoid love

Behaving in this manner is quite upsetting. How could a father do something like this? I’m in a bad mood. So I took a walk from there. Seeing her father in this state makes my heart break. I put my hand on my belly. I know that Derek is not the father of my child.

Can he love this child? I’m not sure what I’m thinking. I’m sure he’ll adore this child. He also desires for me to give birth to this child. Someone unexpectedly grabbed me from behind.

“Derek.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t feeling well and came here,” I said.

“I get it. That dude was a little strange,” Derek said. I didn’t say anything and simply rested my head against his chest.

Derek abruptly stated, “We will never do this with our child, okay?” I was taken aback when I heard him. Is he able to read my thoughts? I nodded yes right away.

“Let’s go. Mr. Kai must be waiting for us,” he said. When we entered, we noticed that everyone was wearing a mask.

Is this a masquerade ball? Derek didn’t mention anything about it to me.

“What’s going on, Derek?” I asked.

“I don’t know honey, it’s a masquerade party,” he replied.

Nikita appeared out of nowhere, handing us two masks and saying, “Elena, wear this. It is our party’s rule. Now we can see how your lover can find you in any condition. Soon, the dance will begin.”

I checked the mask.

“No, I’m not going to do that. Elena isn’t going to wear it,” Derek stated.

“Are you afraid you won’t be able to find her? Elena, you see, your husband doesn’t have faith in him,” she added sarcastically.

“You,” Derek was going to continue, but I stopped him off.

“Let’s do it, Derek,” I responded, smiling.

“I believe in your love. You’ll find me in a flash,” I stroked his cheek.

“I will, Elena,” Derek said with a smile and a kiss on my palm. As a result, I followed Nikita and put on the mask.

The dance starts after a time. We got up and started dancing. First, a man took my hand. After a minute, everyone, including myself, was switching positions and partners. Derek isn’t it.

The masked dance continued, and I found myself spinning and twirling with different partners. The anonymity added a sense of excitement, but my eyes were constantly searching for Derek.

I turned around to see whether he was still there. That man abruptly let go of my hand, which was immediately taken by another.

“Thank you, Mr.,” I expressed my gratitude, my voice barely audible over the lively music that filled the ballroom. The room was adorned with glittering chandeliers, and couples twirled gracefully across the polished floor.

I was on the verge of losing my balance, having stumbled during a particularly intricate step. This man, on the other hand, merely grinned and, with surprising agility, placed his arms around my waist.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I smiled in return, appreciating his skill as a dancer, and began following his lead. The rhythm of the music swept us along, and for a moment, all that existed were the swirling melodies and the gentle pressure of his hands guiding me through the dance.

“He is a good dancer, I must admit,” I thought to myself, momentarily forgetting the chaos that had led me to this stranger on the dance floor.

The music reached a crescendo, signaling the moment to switch partners once more. However, to my surprise, he didn’t release my hand; instead, he clutched it firmly, his fingers interlaced with mine.

“Sir, any problem?” I asked, my expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.

He remained silent, his gaze fixed on mine, and without a word, he resumed dancing. The intensity of his grip made me uneasy, and I began to wonder if something was amiss. Glancing around the crowded ballroom, I tried to spot Derek, but he was nowhere in sight.

Is that Derek there? I strained my eyes, searching for his familiar face in the sea of masked attendees. But no, it wasn’t him. Panic started to set in as I realized I was entangled in a dance with a stranger who seemed unwilling to let go.

I struggled to free myself from his clutches, my movements growing more desperate, but he insisted on keeping me close. The music continued to play, oblivious to the silent struggle between us.

“Elena, stop moving,” I overheard someone say, the voice barely audible over the music. Confusion and fear gripped me as I tried to make sense of the situation.

With my eyes enlarged, I gazed at him. The mysterious man who had held me captive on the dance floor finally let go of my hand, only for it to be immediately seized by another. I recoiled, a mix of confusion and fear painting my face. Who was this new captor, and why did the touch and voice feel so familiar?

“What did he say?” I wondered, the music still playing in the background, a haunting melody to the unfolding mystery. The room seemed to pulse with a hidden energy as I struggled to comprehend the events transpiring around me.

Is he here?

I looked to my side, expecting to find Derek, but he was nowhere to be seen. A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. Where had he disappeared to? Questions flooded my mind, and panic threatened to overwhelm me.

He isn’t here.

Feeling sick to my tummy, I came to a hesitant halt. Something wasn’t right, and I needed to make sense of it. I began to glance around the crowded ballroom, desperately searching for Derek.

I took a shaky step forward, determined to find answers, but the air felt thick, and breathing became a struggle. The abrupt dizziness overcame me, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead. What the hell is wrong with me? I couldn’t bear it any longer. My surroundings blurred, and I was on the verge of collapsing.

Just as the world around me seemed to spin out of control, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, providing a stabilizing force. I opened my eyes slightly; the room still a hazy blur. A man’s figure came into focus, but the details remained elusive.

Then, I heard a familiar voice cutting through the fog of confusion.

“My love, Elena.”

The words resonated with a mix of affection and urgency. Everything went dark, and a sense of surrender washed over me.