CHAPTER 1~SHE IS INDEED A DIVA

There she was, seated in a long red sundress, her golden-brown hair falling over her shoulders and ocean-blue eyes that could take one's breath away. She sipped her cocktail as the sun kissed her gleaming caramel skin. Her lips were perfection.

At a secluded, dark corner of the bar sat a figure cloaked in mystery, exuding an undeniable aura of power. His presence seemed to warp the very air around him, as if reality bent to his will. Eyes glowing with an otherworldly light, his gaze pierced through the souls of those he fixed upon. Every detail of his appearance, from the gleaming shine of his polished shoes to the subtle gleam of his watch peeking from under his cuff, spoke of a life lived in luxury and refinement. His cologne, a sophisticated blend of rare spices and florals, lingered in the air, adding an olfactory note to his aura of affluence. His gaze was fixed on the muse a few meters away.

"She is indeed a goddess," William said, smiling at the mysterious man.

"What do you mean?" the man asked.

"You can hide from everyone else, but not me," William teased. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Stop talking nonsense and listen. I need you to go meet her and…"

Before he could finish, William interrupted, "You don't need to worry. I know what to do." He walked toward the damsel.

"Hey, pretty, could you please excuse me for a minute? My boss wants to meet you."

"Hi, I'm sorry, but I don't know who your boss is. If he wants to meet me, then he should come himself," the girl replied, sipping her cocktail.

"Looks like little Miss Damsel has some attitude," William muttered to himself.

"Did you say something?" she asked, looking up.

"No, I didn't. I'll go tell my boss your feedback," William said, walking away hurriedly toward his boss.

"She wants you to come meet her yourself," William said as he sat down.

"She is indeed a diva," the man said, standing up to meet her.

He emerged from the shadows. His movements were deliberate and graceful, each step resonating with the weight of unspoken authority. Whispers followed him, tales of his feats and enigma spreading like wildfire, yet no one truly knew his name or origin. He was a living legend, a being who transcended the mortal realm, leaving an indelible mark on all who encountered him.

He pulled out the chair and sat in front of her. The girl lifted her gaze to meet the man who had sat down. Their eyes met in an unspoken exchange—the girl's ocean-blue gaze intertwining with the man's golden-brown eyes, as if the very tides of the sea and the warmth of the sun had come together in that moment. A silent connection was forged between them, but she flinched slightly, as if his gaze held a force too powerful to bear.

"Hi, can I help you?" After mustering up the courage to speak, she asked, intending to break the silence.

"Hello, is there something you want?" she asked again when she received no response.

"He—" As she was about to say something, she heard a voice speak.

"You need to come home with me," the man said, his voice carrying an unmistakable aura of authority.

The girl looked surprised and confused at the same time. "What do you mean I need to come home with you? I don't even know you," she asked.

"My family is hosting a party, and I need you to accompany me as my wife," he said.

The girl smirked, not at all intimidated. "Do you honestly think I'm going to believe that?" she asked, her voice laced with mockery. She set her cocktail down, eyes glinting with something darker. "You're not the first man to try and make me an offer, but I'm not one to be bought."

Her words were a challenge, and the man noticed the shift in her demeanor. This was a game, and she was the one controlling the rules.

The man's eyes darkened as she rejected him. His smile faded, replaced with a cold, calculating expression. "I'm afraid you don't understand the consequences of refusal," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Before she could react, a shadow loomed over her, and she felt a hand on her wrist. "Come with me now, or I will make you."

The man stood tall, his expression unreadable.

"I'm not asking you to come with me to simply play a part in some family affair. I'm giving you a chance to prove yourself—to show that you can handle what's coming next." His words were a challenge, and the girl felt something stirring inside her. This wasn't about a party. This was about her proving something to herself.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked, her voice steady now.

The man's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. He studied her for a moment, as though gauging the depth of her resolve. Slowly, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low, commanding whisper.

"You'll find yourself tested in ways you can't yet understand. But first, you must leave this place with me. There's something waiting for you—something you've been chosen for, whether you believe it or not."

He straightened up, stepping back as if giving her space to breathe, yet never taking his eyes off her. His gaze was like a storm—constant and intense—daring her to accept what he was offering.

The girl's heart raced, uncertainty battling with an inexplicable sense of intrigue. She hadn't expected any of this. A simple meeting had turned into a whirlwind of danger and allure. The weight of his words hung heavily between them, and yet, despite the confusion swirling in her mind, there was a spark of curiosity she couldn't suppress.

"I don't even know who you are," she replied, her voice tinged with defiance, though beneath it, there was a flicker of something else—something deeper. "How can you expect me to follow you into… whatever this is?"

His expression softened just slightly, a trace of respect in his eyes. "That's the point," he said, his voice calm yet unwavering. "You don't need to know. You need to trust yourself. And trust me when I say, this is a chance you won't get again."

He paused, waiting as if allowing her to process his words. The air around them seemed to thrum with an unseen energy, as if the universe itself was holding its breath, awaiting her decision.

The girl took a deep breath, considering her options. She could refuse, walk away, and return to her life as it was. But a part of her—something she couldn't quite identify—was telling her to take a chance, to step into the unknown.

She looked up at him, her ocean-blue eyes steady, meeting his golden-brown gaze without flinching this time. "I don't know what you want from me," she said slowly, her voice laced with determination. "But if this is truly a test, then I'll take it. I'll prove myself."

A flash of something—approval, perhaps—flashed across the man's face. Without a word, he reached out, offering his hand. She hesitated for a moment before taking it, her skin tingling at the contact, as though a spark of something dangerous and thrilling had ignited between them.

"Good," he murmured, his voice a low growl of satisfaction. "Then follow me."

The man turned, leading her out of the bar with fluid grace, as if every step was a calculated move in a game she hadn't yet fully understood. She followed, her heart pounding in her chest, as the weight of the unknown loomed large, yet the pull of whatever awaited her grew stronger with each passing moment.