Page 5 of The Devil's Fire

As soon as we entered the mansion, a wave of nostalgia hit me as I looked around. I made so many memories in this house, and even though most of the interior had been changed, there was still a sense of familiarity.

The staircase had been remodeled into a glossy beige that led to two small separate staircases on either side to get to the top floor. A sparkling crystal chandelier was suspended from the center of the staircase and small spotlights lit up the rest of the ceiling, giving it a nice, elegant look.

I guess my father was too busy with the mansion to phone me back.

I mentally scoffed but forced myself to think of the good times. The twelve years that I stayed here were amazing because I had Cara and Michael.

As we walked towards the back of the mansion, we could hear music and people talking. We passed through the French doors to the garden outside and followed a stony path that twisted around the corner to the house’s right side.

I enjoyed the view of the gorgeous flowers and plants of different colors on either side of the path. I had to admit that the gardener did one heck of a job, because it felt like I was walking through a meadow of many beautiful colors.

Since we were still out of sight from the other party guests, I halted in my steps just before we rounded the corner to join the party.

“Just take a deep breath, Thaia. You will be fine, I promise.”

I glanced at Michael, and he gave me a comforting smile while giving my hand a gentle squeeze. I tightened my grip on his hand, relieved he was here.

“I know, it’s just nerves getting to me. It’s been a long time since I’ve been here, and there are just so many memories.” I gave him a brief smile back. He pulled me closer to him, which I welcomed as we turned the corner.

“Wow.” I breathed out as I took in the sight in front of me.

A big open space with massive trees dressed up with strings of lights from one tree to another created a ceiling of light above our heads. The garden was decorated with round tables with linen tablecloths, and vases with gold engravings, holding white and soft pink camellia flowers in them.

If this was just the engagement party, I couldn’t imagine how grand the wedding would be. And it definitely would be grand just by looking at the glamorous people present here.

“Yeah, I agree.” Michael spoke, taking in the backyard. “I’ll put this on the gift table. Can I get you something to drink?” He motioned his head to the far-right side, where the bar was with a bartender.

“Anything without alcohol would be great, thanks. I want to stay as sober as possible.” I let him know. A few glasses of champagne were usually not a problem, but I was still nervous as hell, and I would probably just down one drink after another.

I couldn’t risk it.

“Sure thing! I will be right back.” I watched him as he went on his way to the gift table.

Shit, now I’m alone. I didn’t think this through.

I searched the crowd to see if I could locate Cara. What I didn’t notice was that half of the people were already staring at me while I was in my own little miserable bubble. I moved my feet slightly as I felt uneasy with everyone’s eyes on me.

I suddenly felt underdressed because it was like the backyard had been filled with models from Italian Vogue. I have never seen so many beautiful people gathered in one place. Women had on long, gorgeous gowns, and men wore suits that made them appear as if they didn’t come from this violent world.

It was intimidating.

It was easy to see that I didn’t belong here, and I wouldn’t mind being rescued right now, as I gave some awkward smiles to the people who looked at me.

Where the hell was Cara?

I kept looking around to see if I could spot her somewhere, but there were too many people.

Someone caught my attention as my gaze fell on him. My breath caught in my throat, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

He’s gorgeous. Breathtaking, actually.

His black dress pants showed off his strong legs, and a black dress shirt that clung to his body. He was mouthwatering. The dress shirt, slightly unbuttoned, exposed a hint of his chest, while his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing heavily tattooed arms. His dark hair, styled with a shorter length on the sides and longer on top, added to his overall perfection.

This man was the embodiment of perfection.

My gaze traveled from his feet to his face, tracing his body along the way. His presence enthralled me so much that I couldn’t help but keep my gaze on him for a moment longer. Towering in his tall frame, he stood there smoking a cigarette. Even from a distance, I could feel the immense power radiating from him.

I was intrigued.

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