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"What do you mean?” I ask.

Going back to the ball sounds too good to be true. I want nothing more than to see the man in the mask again. My prince. Just thinking about it makes my heart race.

"Like I said before, I know everything about you. That includes knowing that Dr. Frederick is trying to get your grandmother into a rehab facility because insurance wants her out of the hospital too soon. Your grandmother has shitty health insurance, and I know you're relying on the money I gave you to help you pay for her care.”

I nod, wondering where he’s going with all of this.

“The thing is, I like you, Carina. You and I aren’t very different believe it or not. I can do even more to help you than I already have. A little quid pro quo if you know what I mean. If you agree to help me, I will do everything I can to help you. I will get your grandmother into the best rehab facility, find her the best doctors, and make sure she's getting the absolute best care that money can buy for her. And I’m not talking about just now but for the rest of her life.”

"Why would you do all of that for me? What are you expecting in return?”

"You still don't trust me, do you?" He shrugs. "I can't say I blame you. What I have in mind is going to be more than just one dance at a masquerade ball. What I want will require a lot more of your time. Six months worth to be exact. Just until summer. So not only will I take care of your grandmother but while you're doing this for me, I will take care of you. Your rent, clothing, food, anything you need. I'll make sure you have spending money, and everything you want or need during this time."

“Okay, I get it, Alex. You still haven’t said what's the catch? Just get to the point and tell me what do you want me to do. Because the more you sweeten the pot, the more I’m thinking I should run.”

The idea of his taking care of my grandmother like that, making sure that she gets the best care is more than I can ask. What he added to it, about paying my rent and everything else is too much. There had to be something more that he was going to ask of me. Something I wouldn't want to do.

"Whatever it is you're going to ask me to do, what if I say no? Or what if I change my mind mid-way? Is this the real reason why I lost my job? So you can blackmail me into doing this?”

"See, that's why I like you, Carina, always thinking. I knew it wouldn't take you long to figure it out. I wouldn’t call it blackmail though. You lost your job for a reason, and that’s because I need you. Last night was just a test. It was a gamble. And everything worked just as I planned. Now I need you to finish the job. I need you to go back to the ball, and find the same man, but this time you need to make him fall in love with you."

"Make him fall in love with me? Are you out of your mind? How am I supposed to do that? I've never even had a serious relationship in my life. I have no idea how to make someone fall in love with me. And then what? What happens after that?”

“See, there you go again.” He patted the top of my head. “Always thinking. That’s why you're perfect for this. You are the product of your environment. Everything from your past and everything from your present has made you into who you are today. And I’m willing to bet that you are exactly what he's been looking for."

"So let me get this right. You want me to go to the next ball, and you want me to find him and start a relationship with him. And what if he doesn't?"

"If you're just being yourself, and he doesn't fall for you, then no harm no foul. You'll still get paid, and your granny will still have her lifetime of care. But if he does fall in love with you like I think he will, then at the end of the six months you're going to leave him. Just keep it up until summer. Then you’ll vanish from his life and you will never see him again.”

His words wound me. How can I do this to the man I met last night? How can I do this to myself? The only way I can have a relationship with him is if I give in to my feelings for him. As great as it sounds, not having to worry about my grandmother’s healthcare for the rest of her life, I’m not the kind of person who can do something like this.

"Are you asking me to break his heart? Because I can't do that. I don't want to do that. And what about me? How am I supposed to make him fall in love with me, without falling in love with him?"

"That my dear, is a you problem. I would recommend you don't fall in love with him. Trust me, love only causes pain anyway."

“And what if I say no? You’ve told me your plan, who says I can’t find him and warn him?”

"Well of course that's up to you. But you don’t know how to find him, and why would he believe you anyway? Also, I can guarantee that you won’t be able to find another job. And you know how those hospital bills will keep on mounting without a job for you to pay for them."

“So you are blackmailing me. You’re not giving me a choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Carina. You just don’t like the options.”

I think back to my evening with my prince in the mask. I don’t want to hurt him. But I do want to see him again. As I sit in silence thinking about everything that’s been going on, my phone starts ringing. It’s the hospital.

“Hello?" I said answering the call.

Ms. Cameron, it's Annie, one of your grandmother’s nurses."

“Is everything okay?"

I sit down and clutch my purse to my chest as I brace myself. Hospitals never call with good news.

"It's your grandmother. She crashed and went into cardiac arrest. She's stable right now, but we needed to induce a coma until we can figure out what happened."

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

I hang up the phone grateful to be able to get those those words out before I break down into tears. My head starts spinning, and I can’t breathe. Alex grabs a bottle of water from the mini fridge, cracks it open, and hands it to me.

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