That was definitely my chance.

“A ball! Oh my God!” I jumped into Raven’s arms and hugged him friendly. He was used to my emotional outburst and didn't notice the spying device I gave put in his pocket. I laughed, “I have never been into a ball in my life!”

“I want to use this opportunity to introduce you to the Audience,” Raven said as he lifted me in the air, matching my energy, “I told you about the Audience before, didn’t I?”

I asked, “ypu nean The mafia's syndicate ?”

And he replied, “Yes Ella, those who should not be named out loud.”

I have been into many dangerous and heart dropping situations in this crazy year of my life, but I didn’t help a shiver. He is gonna introduce me to the Audience?! I have heard that politicians and bankers may spend years of hard work and sacrifices to have this opportunity.

“Are you gonna introduce a mere assistance to the Audience?” I asked in suspicion. Something was off about this, I knew it.

“I will not introduce a mere secretary to the Audience, Ella. I will introduce my woman to them,” he told me with a poker face.

 He was serious but his words sounded like a joke, “You’re joking, Raven, aren’t you?”

“No Ella, I am not.”

There was a very long silence after his reply. There was silence even in my loud head.

Did he say he was going to introduce me as his woman? HIS WOMAN!

That means he's going to introduce me as his courtesan!

“What?” I muttered as I pushed him gently to look into his hazel eyes.

“I will declare you as one of my own. This way no one from the Audience will dare hurting you, unless you betray us, of course.” Raven pulled some hairs behind my ear and touched my cheek softly as he added, “This is what it takes to protect you, Ella.”

“You’re not protecting me,” I responded despite my shock, “You are just bonding me to you and your world, forever!”

I left him and stormed out of the office trembling from head to toy. This was one of those moments I recall the depth of trouble I pushed myself into. I ran to the W C made the poor secretaries that were there leave, and I locked the door. I took a deep breath as I felt my knees going weak. And I fell on the ground. 

'This is the point of no return, Ella.'

I couldn’t contact Morgan to ask her help or, at least, her advice. I couldn’t run away and I couldn't even kill myself given I had a child to take care of.

This seemed the worst of everything I had been through in my life.

Or maybe not?

No, there was worse. I had been through much worse. And I survived.

I took a deeper breath and stood up from the ground. I washed my face and looked into the mirror, “You have been through the worst, Ella. This is nothing compared to it,” I told myself, “Don’t panic. You do not need to make the right decision. You just need to choose a road you can walk on. You don't need to make the best choice, just make a choice you can bear its consequences.”

Mid my deep thoughts, I heard soft firm knocking on the door. I knew so damn well who knocks this way. I took another deep breath and opened the door.

“You do not look surprised,” Raven said.

“I knew it could only be you,” I answered, disinterested.

“Were you crying, Ella?”

“Sir, are we gonna have a conversation in the lady's bathroom?” I tried to escape him and leave but he caught my arm firmly, “I didn’t say you can go yet.”

“I asked were you crying, Ella?” he asked again.

“I am good, Mister Du Vin.”

He sighed at my obvious lie, “Here you are calling me by my surname again. You are angry.”

“Sir, I am not angry. I am rather amazed by your effrontery!”

Raven never tolerates disrespect and I just crossed that line. The bit of gentleness that was on his face disappeared for good. The hazel looked flaming like a golden fire. He pushed me inside the restroom and locked the door.

”This is the ladies bathroom, sir!” It seemed that my words served no purpose. He didn’t even care. He owned the place. Why should he care? He was the C E O. Who would punish him?

“I want to talk to you, Ella.”

“Raven! You will make rumours go wild between the staff members! There’s already enough rumours about us!”

“Let it be, Ella. I don’t care.”

“Well I do sir!”

“Okay,” he sighed, already fed up with my useless excuses, “If you heard someone saying something you do not like, tell me. I will take care of it.”

“Raven! it is not easy to silence rumours once they start!”

And he growled in affirmation, “But it’s not hard to fire one man and end his career to silence the others for good.”

And I swallowed hard, recalling the cruelty of my boss. I reflected for a moment and realised how special I had been treated by him. Usually, hedoesn't tolerate protest. My heart skipped as I stepped back. He stepped forward, and got me stuck in the corner.

I was hearing my scared heart beating like a bird fighting to break free of its cage. I was so scared that my head started talking french. 

I looked into his eyes, begging for kindness or mercy. But his intimidating aura made me look down again , almost immediately.

“Since your brain seems unable to process what's going on,” he whispered into my ear, “Then allow me to think for you. You will introduce yourself to the Audience. Having a membership into the elite dark society will protect you from its members.”

He intimidated me, me who thought that nothing can scare me again after what I’ve been through already. He saw the fear in my gaze, and I saw the cold hazel turn warm like honey. He wiped a hot tear from the corner of my eye. 

“From all the women in the world, why me?” The question got out of my mouth like poison.

Raven surely looked so long into my eyes before replying, “You are the person I trust the most, Ella. And I only have you as a final source of light in this abyss I've jumped into.”

“That’s selfish!” I cried helplessly.

“I know. But I can’t help it. I am not letting you go, Ella. And I am bounding you to me forever. It’s too late to run away now. I am sorry.”

“No Raven! I don’t want to! I am scared!” My cries went harder as he cupped my face, “Ella, you’re the one I quarrel with the most, and I bet I am your worst enemy. But you are also the one that comes first into my mind when I think of a place to run away to.”

My mind told me, please, stop. You should not fall in love again, Ella. At least, not with a villain!

“You are a good friend of mine, Ella. In a world where finding a friend is rarer than a genuine unicorn sighting in a bustling city,” he said and I bursted in laughter. Where on earth did he come up with such a metaphor?!

“Do not worry, my darling,” he added with a genuine smile, “If you ever wanted to go out of the mafia world, I will guarantee your wish. Don’t worry.”

“So you’re gonna protect me and take care of me,” I muttered, “Yet, I don’t understand. What do you want from me in return?!”

His smile turned into an evil smirk, “Loyalty," he said "Don’t you dare betray me, Ella. Otherwise, I will become your nightmare.”

I kept the poker smile, hardly. I knew so damn well that I was doomed.