Chapter 12

NATALIA heaved a sigh while looking herself in the mirror. "Your so beautiful, my Natalia." Terrence walk behind his daughter and pat her shoulder. He looked at his daughter by the mirror where he can also see his late wife Iris.

"Thanks father." Natalia replied and look at her father by the mirror. Terrence grew older than the last time she checked him.

Terrence have thin wrinkles on his forehead but his aristocratic features is still the same. His blue eyes that can be compared to the ocean and his brows that shows itself with full of pride with its simplicity. His natural brown hair with white strands that adds appeal of this old man in his 40's. Terrence is the most handsome man she have in her life aside of her beloved Sandro, Ale and... Geovanni.

"You know what? You really look like your mother. If she's here, she'll be proud and boast to me that she really looked like you." Terrence said with longingness in his voice.

Natalia knows how her father missed her mother, more than they can imagine, more than a usual lover can do. Her father for her is so special, even though he became so cold toward her for her ten years of existence. The cold Terrence LeBlanc everyone knows, changed for his daughter and grandkids, Natalia feel blessed about it.

"Don't you dare to make me cry father, my make up will be ruined." Natalia scolded her father.

Terrence chuckled and kiss the cheek of his only daughter. "I love you my princess. I really do." He said then he pat Natalia's shoulder and leave her alone.

Natalia looked again to her reflection. She smiled at it before she stand up to wear her dress for the ball of EUL.

GEOVANNI looked at his date with disgust. He really dislike Suzanne from the time she kissed him when he's still courting Natalia. He blames her because of her schemes that make him and Natalia get seperated.

"You're wearing that?" He asked coldly.

Suzanne looked at her physique and smile at her husband. She is wearing a revealing dress. Geovanni wishes to pull her dress and take her to the ball naked and be raped and abused by those maniac guests of the ball he'll attend. But he must stop himself because she is Arthur's mother, after all. He still respect woman but Suzanne is kinda, overrated because of her insecurities.

Suzanne still have the curves, but he still dislike her.

After they get married, Geovanni do fuck her but never made love with her. He hurts her but Suzanne seems like getting more aroused with his brutality. Geovanni only want to made love with one woman only, and that's Natalia.

"Change it." Geovanni ordered Suzanne but she is a hard-headed woman. She's still standing in front of Geovanni so that Geovanni literally cut her dress to half. Suzanne is shocked with what he did but she can't do anything about it. She can't let Geovanni attend the ball alone because she knows that Natalia is there. And she know how crazy Geovanni is toward that woman.

Suzanne changed her dress with her tube white dress. Geovanni didn't look at her, he just pulled Suzanne toward the car and threw her inside.

Suzanne wants to cry but she knows that she have no right to do it, because she stole Geovanni from Natalia at the very first place.

THE BALL is grand as expected. It's dim yet elegant. Everyone's wearing a mask to hide their identity from others, the main objective of the Infinite who is the host of the said masquerade ball.

Gangsters, drug lords, prostitutes and assassins are everywhere. The ball is not yet starting but everyone is starting to do their thing.

But everyone's eyes started to focus to the people behind the European Underground Legion. They are wearing a color to identify themselves. No one can use those colors unless you are one of them, if you're spotted that you're wearing one, you'll be killed wherever you stand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let us all welcome the new European Underground Legion Alpha, Sir Brandon Santillan of the EUL-Spain!" Everyone clapped their hands when they saw Brandon who is wearing black tux with his date who is a young actress in his country who are walking elegantly on the red carpet.

No one who're living outside the EUL can be here, unless if you'll drugged the outsider to erase their memories in that night. And the drug that'll use is in the hand of someone.

The emcee introduced Zachary and Lancelotte who walked their gorgeousness with their dates on the red carpet. Everyone acknowledges them because they're called veterans because of their age.

"Our dearest guests and our beloved Infinite and Alpha, Sir Emmanuel Lorenz of France sent a message that he can't join us tonight due to a very important family matter. So, let us just give his highness a round of applause." The emcee said.

Everyone chat about it, but mostly the guests do understand him and respects him, gave a loud applause to acknowledge him and his deeds.

"Let us move forward and welcome the young Beta of Germany, Sir Geovanni Reichenberg!" Most of the guests didn't clapped their hands because of his father's issues but his countrymen and prostitutes clapped their hands and scream for his gorgeous and strong aura.

Suzanne can't help it but to stay silent because she's getting jealous with the women who fantasizes her husband. Geovanni ignored Suzanne's childish acts and he just continue to walk toward the end of the aisle.

"And now, let us introduce the new Beta of Italy and the youngest Ace of EUL, Lady Natalia LeBlanc, together with her father, Sir Terrence LeBlanc of Italy!" Everyone gasped as the woman in sexy laced backless gown walked in the hall. Everyone are amazed with her sexy curves and strong aura that overflows the whole ball. She walked elegantly with her father that adds the power of the woman on the red carpet.

Geovanni gasped while watching Natalia. Suzanne wants to pull her hair right now but she just can't make Geovanni hate her more because whatever what happens, Natalia is his apple of the eye, until now.

But little did they know, a pair of eyes is watching her. Grinning while he starts to fantasize Natalia as his.

Natalia stopped in front of Suzanne, she looked at the woman from head to toe and smirk.

"What are you looking at?" Suzanne hissed but Natalia just chuckled at her.

"You're so gorgeous, young lady Natalia." Lancelotte commented , his wife do agree to him that made Natalia smile.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sir Lance." She thanked him and turn to his wife that is smiling at her from ear to ear. "It's a pleasure to meet you again, Lady Victoria." She said while kissing the cheek of the old lady.

"You've grown up like a goddess, milady." She said and Natalia just smiled at her.

"You're like your mother, young lady. So beautiful with simplicity." Zachary's wife said.

Natalia kissed the old lady by her cheeks and smile at her genuinely. "I agree to my beloved, young lady." Zachary agreed.

"The pleasure is mine Lady Tyche and Sir Zachary. She really looked like my Iris." Terrence replied that made the couple laugh at him.

"I am not talking to you old man." Zachary hissed but Terrence just laughed to his friend.

"And so do I. Don't call me old because you're older than me." Terrence replied.

Everyone laughed because of them. But not Suzanne.

"So, this is your power, huh?" Suzanne mock.

"Suzanne!" Geovanni hissed to his wife.

"A great saying once said that, don't judge a book by its cover. Do you know that, Suzanne?" Natalia asked while stirring her wine in the glass while watching the guests doing their own business.

Their guests are EUL followers, so the scenery of rape, abuse and drug addiction is not new to their betas and alpha. It's illegal but their leaders don't mind it at all except if you break a rule.

"Natalia, I'm sorry its just a--" Geovanni stopped talking when Natalia raised her finger onto his lips. Suzanne eyes widen but Natalia just look at her coldly.

"How dare you--"

"Don't you dare to mess with me Suzanne Kretschmer. I may look like powerless to you. But keep this message I'll leave to that tiny head of yours." Natalia paused and look at her prey with her deadly glare. "One wrong move, I'll ruin everything you and your family possess. One wrong move, I will never hesitate to steal everything you stole from me before." Natalia looked away and drink her wine. She smirk at Suzanne who is looking at her with disbelief. "So, a little shit of advice. Be careful for everything you'll do." She warned her before she leave to the bar.

Suzanne is still speechless about what had happened. She only thought that Natalia is just an ant she can crush so easily. But she's wrong, Natalia is a lioness that can crush her and eat alive if she wants to. Suzanne's frightened, she can still remember Natalia's deadly glare. Natalia is different, and she did frightened Suzanne with her simple threat.

"Can I join you?" A masked man asked to Natalia.

She stir the champagne in her glass and looked at the man who's waiting for her response. She simply smiled to him and face her champagne once again.

Uncle isn't here, because of Heather's ashes. She thought.

Emmanuel is in the Philippines to talk with Hanz about Heather's urn. But Emmanuel didn't expect that Hanz will agree to Emmanuel's plan to move Heather to her original household. He didn't complain to him. As well to the transfer of their daughter when she reached 18.

"Care to share what's going on in that head of yours?" The man asked.

Natalia turned to him, she's just staring at him and saying nothing.

"I'm Vlad." He introduced himself and held Natalia's hand and kissed the back of it. But Natalia didn't react with it.

She's silently wishing that it's Sandro. She misses him.

"I-I'm N-Natalia." She can't help it.

"Do you have a problem? Are you unwell?" Vlad asked her worriedly.

Natalia closed her eyes and shake her head before drinking her champagne. "I think it's just the alcohol." She can't think straight, she can't look at Vlad because she can see Sandro only.

"I'll accompany you, if you want." Natalia let Vlad alone. She don't want to argue with him because of what she sees.

Vlad watched Natalia until she turned tipsy. He wonders why this woman is still different from his eyes. He knows that it strange, he knows that it's rare but he must admit it to himself that he still loves this woman.

"Master." Axel called him.

Vlad looked at Axel and grin. Axel looked at Natalia who is now lying on Vlad's broad chest.

"What are you doing with the Ace, master?" Axel asked.

"What's wrong with what I am doing?" Vlad asked while looking at Natalia.

"Nothing, nothing at all, Master." Axel responded immediately.

"Call her father. I want to talk with him... Once again." Vlad ordered and Axel bowed down to Vlad before he walk towards Terrence.

"Master LeBlanc." Other Beta looked at the knight in front of them.

"Yes?"

"My master is looking for you."

"Who is your master?" Terrence asked.

Axel looked up at them and grin. "My master, is the TUL Infinite." He answered that made everyone gasped.

TRIVIAS for this Chapter..

What is Masquarade Ball?
• A masquerade ball is an event in which many participants attend in costume wearing a mask. Less formal "costume parties" may be a descendant of this tradition. A masquerade ball usually encompasses music and dancing. These nighttime events are used for entertainment and celebrations.

Sources: Wikipedia.com

Greatest Masquarade Ball at all time..
• One of the most noted masquerade balls of the 20th century was that held at Palazzo Labia in Venice on 3 September 1951, hosted by Carlos de Beistegui. It was dubbed "the party of the century." Another famous ball was The Black and White Ball. It held on November 28, 1966 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Sources: Wikipedia.com

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A.N: Welcome back to The Legion series. From this day forward, I'll continue updating Rote Saiten. I hope you'll support me.