Chapter 73 - The Farther They Were, The Closer They Were.

It was not magic or someone helped Aries figure out the person sitting on the emperor's seat wasn't Abel. Despite the mask covering everyone's faces, Abel would always stand out. It was not that Isaiah, who sat on Abel's seat, didn't give an intimidating aura, but it was just different. 

Perhaps it was because she had spent so much time with Abel that she could tell. That was why when she looked around, despite the sea of crowds and varieties of masks, one figure instantly caught her eyes. Aside from his towering figure and a mask covering his entire face, her heart knew it was him, Abel.

"Found you." She grinned bewitchingly, waiting for him to take her hand. "Easy."

"I'm flattered," came out a deep voice, reaching for her hand before she guided him in the middle. "Just… how?" he asked as soon as they were in the middle, facing each other while waiting for the rest to join them.

Aries shrugged. "I just know," she answered proudly, holding his hand to the side while the other was on his shoulder. Abel wrapped an arm around her waist, settling on her back. 

He carefully bent over and whispered in her ears. "You have no idea what's in my head right now."

"Heh... I think I do." She bit her lip to suppress her sneaky waves of laughter. "But I don't care. You said to choose you, so I did. You put this upon yourself."

"What a cruel woman." He laughed in a low tone, rocking his head. 

Shortly, the orchestra played, and the people in the middle of the hall danced gracefully. Abel never took his eyes off of her, smirking behind the mask. She was thrilled to find him among the crowd, despite his proxy. But for Abel, he was neither excited nor displeased about it. 

He felt conflicted. 

Abel already expected to watch her dance with someone else. Although there was this small part in him, he hoped she would find him, he didn't expect much. But Aries knew with just a glance. No words needed or the slightest hint. She just knew. 

The sound of the orchestra faded in his ears, replaced by the drumming of his heart. It was beating so fast, to the point it was already painful. Abel pulled her waist closer, moving slower than the music whilst lowering his head. He hung his head low, resting it on her shoulder. 

"Huh?" her brows rose, lagging from the dance as he slowed down. She gazed to her side, blinking twice, wondering if he was alright. 

"Are you poisoned? Why are you suddenly slowing down?" she inquired as the two of them was breaking the pattern.

Since she was the swan for tonight's ball, Aries and Abel danced in the middle. The other guests, who were dancing the usual dance everyone knew, formed a circle around the two of them, changing partners with every spin. 

Listening to her questions, his eyes behind the mask softened. "Mhm," came out a low hum, squeezing her waist lightly.

"Oh, my god..." Aries gasped, panic swelling up in her chest. Seriously? Even during this occasion? Some people were still trying to poison him to death?

Aries calmed herself down, watching her steps and letting him use her as his pillar. She couldn't act out of the ordinary. Being mistaken as the two of them showing intimacy was better than letting others know Abel was using a stand-in to accompany the empire's guests, and now he was poisoned!

"What are you feeling? Do you feel like you will collapse?" she asked in his ear, crawling her hand from his shoulder to his nape.

"Mhm." His voice was unfamiliarly low and vulnerable, making her panic even more. As she thought of a reason to take him somewhere and tell others about it, Aries thought of something. Her necklace!

"My necklace...!" 

"Don't." Her brows furrowed at his immediate reply. "I'm alright. Just stay like this for a moment."

She frowned, glancing at him. Because of the mask, she couldn't see what type of expression he was wearing, but she could feel it was unusual. She didn't even consider he was trolling her — although she had fallen for that trick many times already. 

"Why are you being like this, Abel?" came out a muffled voice, biting her inner lower lip. "I don't like it."

Aries was worried, and yet he didn't want her to do anything. What was he trying to do now? For someone who could drop words as if they meant nothing and acted arrogantly, she shouldn't wane. But times like this… left a bitter pang in her heart. 

"And why did you find me?" he asked in the same low tone. "Even if you knew where I was, you should've pretended you didn't."

"Why are you so difficult? You told me to choose you. So, I did."

"Don't you have free will?"

"Do you think I have that? Here?" she scoffed, gripping his shoulder tighter. "You know better than anyone, Abel. You… know."

A time when things should be magical was replaced by nothing but silence, slow dancing in the upbeat orchestra. It would've been perfect, honestly. Aries thought they would tease each other and maybe humor each other by looking for potential replacements together. 

That assignment had become an inside joke now since they were both cool about it. But he didn't let that happen. Instead, he was evidently ruining the mood whilst being 'poisoned'.

Little did she know she was his poison. 

The things she would do for him, the words she would speak to him, the way she looked at him… were his poison. Because at the end of the day, Abel was aware this was her survival method. 

She was right.

He knew better than anyone… but he wished he didn't. He wished he was blind, a blockhead, and just as heartless as he thought he was. 

"I regret it," he whispered after his prolonged silence. "I should've slit your throat that night."

Her breath hitched, grinding her teeth. "You should've," she whispered back, breathing growing heavy.

Shortly, the orchestra stopped playing, and the two of them paused. This time, Abel straightened his back, taking a step back. Aries also took a step back, performing a curtsy while he beckoned a bow. 

"It was a delightful dance," he said, and she nodded in understanding. 

"It was." 

With that being said, Abel pivoted on his heel as he strutted away as if nothing happened.. Meanwhile, Aries also walked in the opposite direction with a heavy heart.