Not alone

"Enough. Mother." Suddenly, a deep, cold voice, simmering with annoyance, reverberated throughout the room.

Gwyneth clenched her hands into fists, shivering as she attempted to stop tears from welling up in her eyes.

"Hmph!" Clarissa folded her arms across her chest.

As Gwyneth raised her head, she saw a man whose tall, slender form and caramel-kissed skin could only belong to one person—Kai. Worry etched his handsome face, confirming her suspicions.

"Gwyneth," he called, his voice burdened with concern for her.

"Kai." She inhaled, forcing a smile.

Kai Whitworth was the youngest son and last child of Duke Gerald and Duchess Clarissa Whitworth. At five years old, Duke Gerald took him into the family, following the tragic loss of his parents during the growing war between vampires and demons, a war that was slowly spilling into human territories.

"I am going to the charity party." Clarissa stormed out of the room, leaving the atmosphere tense.

Pouring herself another glass of wine, Gwyneth sat back in her chair, finishing it all at once.

"I don't think you should drink that much wine." Peering through his glasses, Kai's steady hazel eyes bore into her, unblinking.

She filled up another glass. Again and again, until she had finished three bottles.

"Heavens! I'm going mad!" she cried out, her midnight blue eyes dancing with hints of insanity and a flaming anger that made her scream. Her manic laughter pierced eerily as she swept the table clean, sending dishes and bottles crashing to the floor.

"Gwyneth!" Kai went running over to hold her, but he stopped, his hands hovering just inches from hers. Reluctantly, he balled his fists, stepped back a little, and straightened up. "Do not let mother's words affect you."

Gwyneth burst out laughing. "She called me a whore. His whore! I... I am not his whore. I am not his!"

Kai's eyes widened with confusion. "His?"

"What an insult." She stood up, dusting her dress sluggishly. She was not intoxicated. Actually, she had a high tolerance for wine.

"Do you honestly believe that I'm ignorant of the fact that everyone despises me?" A deep furrow appeared on her face as she asked. "My status as the fairest in the land only serves as a mask for their deceit, hiding their true hatred for me beneath smiles and gestures of feigned goodwill."

"I never asked for that title. I have been lying to myself. I keep lying to myself. I am nothing less than Charlotte Wallace. The Wallace family's marionette. Tch!"

"May I call your handmaid?" Kai suggested with concern. He was deeply confused, but he also understood her. "You should rest."

"No." Gwyneth tightened her lips. "I am leaving." Then she strolled by him. Her demeanour perfectly normal, her gait graceful and composed.

Kai trailed behind her. He wanted to follow her wherever she went with the intention of keeping her out of trouble. She was clearly not in a good mood.

As they walked out of the manor, he dashed ahead and positioned himself in front of the carriage, provoking her to stop abruptly and arch her brow in surprise.

"You came here to look into my father's disappearance, did you not?" He asked, keeping his voice low to prevent others from listening.

"Uncle is alive." Gwyneth frowned and then moved to meet the coachman who was checking on the horses.

"Bring me to the manor of the Lord." Telling him, she entered the carriage.

"Certainly, Your Highness." The coachman bowed.

Kai stared at the carriage. His hazel eyes narrowed with skepticism.

"What is she up to?" He let out a long, heavy sigh and followed into the carriage, keeping his eyes glued on her.

"How do you know my father is alive?" He asked, drawing Gwyneth's attention to him.

"Why?" She asked, raising her brow. "Do you think he is dead?"

Kai shook his head and nervously scratched the back of his neck. "It has been six months."

Gwyneth's eyes darkened. "He's alive."

Kai laughed. "You are so tenacious. Are you trying to find him to prove that you were not involved in the deaths of the vampires or humans that evening?"

Gwyneth scowled, deeply offended by his words. "Do I seem like the type to commit such an act? Murdering those bloodsuckers who could kill me in an instant and my own sister?"

Kai sighed deeply, a wry smile on his lips. "Wasn't your sister meant to wed the vampire prince? A union between the vampire and human races, only for it to end in tragedy."

"How do you know that?" Gwyneth asked, completely taken aback. Except for her family and the council, nobody knew about that. "The council. The Lord. You are acquainted with him."

"I suppose you could say that." Kai eased his back against the chair, his smile widening slightly.

Gwyneth gave him a hard stare. Kai had never seemed normal to her. He was the quiet type who wore glasses due to his poor vision; he was the type who spent the day in his chamber and wandered around the manor at night.

This exchange of words was the longest they had ever had.

Nonetheless, she found him strange and was deeply unsettled in his presence.

Sirius. He was unusual beyond measure. He was psychotic! However, she did not feel as uneasy around him as she did with...

Wait!

Her eyes dilated.

Why was she comparing?

"Neither the body of the vampire prince nor any trace of him was found at the scene, which means that you must have encountered him. Unless, of course, he vanished?" Kai went on.

"That day, every member of the council died." Gwyneth breathed.

"Not the Lord." Kai chuckled, stroking the back of his neck slowly. "Luckily, he decided to spend the night with a few women instead of attending an honored ceremony that, regrettably, was destined to end in bloodshed."

Gwyneth swallowed. "I'm aware of that " She wanted to question the Lord of Northern Calidra first because he wasn't at the ball.

"You did not murder anyone. Not half of Descaera's population, nor the attendees at the ball." Kai continued, pushing the bridge of his glasses.

Gwyneth bit her lip, uncomfortable at his intense attention to her.

"That does not, however, imply that you are not connected to these incidents. There is something about you."

"Perhaps I am a witch?" She deadpanned.

"I do not think so." He chuckled. "Let me join your investigation. Let's support one another."

Gwyneth shot him a disapproving look. "Help is not what I want."

He would only end up dead. She was sick and tired of having blood on her hands. Not even her cousin could escape Sirius's wrath.

The carriage came to an abrupt stop. Her face dulled.

"Do you really think you do not need my help? This is not something you can accomplish on your own. You do not have any friends, and everyone is painting you as a murderer. You are completely alone." Kai grinned, observing her closely. Anticipating her answer.

The carriage door opened. Gwyneth got up and left without even giving him a sidelong glance.

They were at the Lord's Manor.

"Gwyneth." Kai called.

She turned to face him. A blank expression on her face.

"You are all alone." He spoke with a calm smile on his face.

Gwyneth's eyes narrowed into slits. And with a confident smile, she said, "I promise you. I am not."