BEHIND THE MASK

Offer From The Phantom.

At night, the city looked like it was burning in golden flames but the only thing I saw was the dark between the endless lights.

Standing alone in my penthouse, the floor-to-ceiling window pulled the skyline into my vast living room.

The whiskey in my glass felt numb. The burning sensation had disappeared.

The whole place was silent, with only the low humming of the refrigerator and the ticking of the clock occupying the silence.

The door clicked softly, breaking the silence and Quinn walked in casually.

We seriously needed to talk about who owned the house. Because the rate at which he kept barging in was quite alarming.

"What is it?"I asked, not turning to look at him.

Tossing a matte black envelope onto the marble island, it slid across the elegant and lethal surface.

"You got an anonymous invitation," he spoke and I creased my brow, silently listening. "There's a midnight auction tonight. Off-the-record."

Turning around unhurriedly, my face landed on the embossed silver.

Lucien's Crest.

Crest.

That name was all it took for my fingers to curl around my glass tightly. I thought it'd break due to the pressure.

"And....a note accompanied it," he spoke, passing a neatly folded piece of paper towards me.

I took it, hesitantly unfolding it to see a handwritten note. Huh.

> If you're sure you want to find the killers of your parents.....then this is a free pass into the midnight auction. It all starts with Claudette Marceau.

I hadn't heard of that name much. I only found it once when doing my research on my parents. I wasn't exactly sure she had a hand in their crash, but this note.....

"She hasn't been heard from for long now. I doubt she'd show up," I mumbled.

"Exactly why I think this is significant," he pointed out. "As we already know, the auction's being hosted by Lucien's foundation. And she's a member of the board. She's flying in tonight. She's going to be there."

I let my mind spiral for about half a second. I recalled the dossier that I'd read once.

Word has it that Claudette had ties to the Hale Corp's early funding rounds and she'd vanished into thin air the very moment the crash happened.

Nobody had heard about her since then. While she wasn't recognised as dead, not a word had been heard from her either.

Which only meant that she'd been running. Away from reality.

Away from me.

But tonight? She was resurfacing.

At the midnight auction that I was so definitely going to attend.

And in my city.

"I want in," I spoke flatly.

"It's already been made easy with this invitation," Quinn said. "I don't know who this anonymous person is, but a show they want......"

"And a show they'll get. Get the car ready."

★

The midnight auction was an event held in an underground ballroom underneath a very old opera house.

Hidden from the public's eyes.

No press was allowed. Neither were phones nor names. It only ran two ways.

You either belonged to the circle, or you got devoured by it.

Men in black suits with silver pins guarded the entrance tightly, on guard and watching out for anybody who didn't belong there.

Quinn screeched the car to a halt and I stepped out of the Phantom, a new private town car that I'd gotten a few days back, putting on a black fitted tuxedo....and I wasn't wearing a tie.

Quinn followed behind me, walking silently.

He showed the invitation to the guy guarding the door directly and we were let in after it got scanned.

The inside was all glamour and dazzle. The diamonds shone so hard, they nearly blinded me. And the majority did dress to kill. Even the air reeked of secrets dipped in champagne.

Eyes turned around the moment I stepped foot in. They all looked cautious. The mask was probably what made them think I wasn't one to be crossed seeing as they all seemed to want to avoid me.

I scanned through the place, as subtly as I did. And then I managed to spot Claudette. She was seated close to the centre of the room, dressed in velvet as her elite predators flocked around her.

She didn't look different from the photo I'd seen. She didn't look like she was ageing at all. If possible, she looked a lot younger than she did all those years ago.

I took my seat near the back, the perfect place to see every single thing that happened. Hear everything that'd be said. Bide my time like the pro I was becoming.

The auctioneer finally took his spot at the stage, beginning the procession.

Artefacts came in. Weapons came next. Time pieces that are worth more than the lives of most were bargained for.

Then.......it was finally my turn.

Quinn gave an unnoticeable nod and my item was brought onto the stage. A single red envelope sitting on a velvet tray.

"Lot Thirty-One," said the auctioneer. "A fancy escape. A curated retreat to an island in Halvorsen. A private jet, secluded villa, and a 1969 Ferrari Daytona. All are waiting on the runway outside. All amenities have been arranged, exclusive security included."

The whole place was silent. Probably not because they knew what Halvorsen was, but mainly because only very few people did.

That island was supposed to be the destination where my parents celebrated their third wedding anniversary. But they never made it there.

Thanks to a certain group of people that I was going to bring down one. By. One.

The silence kept stretching as the bidding began.

Hundred thousand dollars.

Three hundred thousand dollars.

Five hundred thousand dollars.

"Anyone else?" the auctioneer asked when nobody tried to counter the last speaker.

Nobody. Silence.

"Nobody?" the auctioneer asked again.

C'mon. C'mon!!!

I had my eyes pinned to the back of Claudette's head.

Take the fucking bait!

Take it!!

"$500,000 going..... Going......"

"One million dollars."

The icy but clear voice cut through the hall and a smile tore my lips in half.

She wasn't even blinking nor did she sound hesitant.

I smirked underneath my black, sleek mask as I watched her raise her paddle with finality and grace.

No one dared to outbid her.

"One million dollars going...” the auctioneer started. "Gone. Item Thirty-one has been sold to Madame Marceau."

My fingers itched as I longed to walk right up to her and demand answers.

But then..... playing the long game was always the right way. It always had been.

The rest of the auction blurred by as I barely noticed the rest of the items.

I made my move the moment I saw her discreetly excuse herself, heading for the terrace.

I followed behind her.

She was standing alone, with the skyline right behind her. And she was also..... smoking from a silver case?

That was a surprise, but I approached her slowly.

"You smoke?"I asked and she turned, narrowing her pale blue and glassy eyes.

"I don't know who you are," she deadpanned.

Sassy much?

I smiled even when I knew she couldn't see it due to my mask.

"Sure you don't. But you knew my parents."

A beat of silence, and then she dropped the cigarette, smiling bitterly.

"Indeed. You sound just like your father," she said in a mumble. "Anyway, you're here to threaten me?" The smile was gone, replaced by blankness.

"Threaten? Who, me? No, I'm here to let you know that I know you have a hand in what happened back then. And sins? They're just like debts. They never go unpaid. Pretty sure someone like you would know that by now."

The blank look faltered for a nanosecond, right before it slipped back into place.

"Sinclair Hale," she moved closer. "I'd hate to break it to you, but you're making a very dangerous enemy, boy."

"Give me answers then, "I stepped closer.

She nodded, stepping back with a scoff. "I doubt you'd want the answers that I hold."

She didn't give me the chance to answer before she turned around and left.

★

The auction ended and we left instantly.

Claudette had refused to even cast me a single glance, but I'd done what I came here to do.

Laid the bait, and let her know that I was circling. That she was running out of time and that her end was near.

Quinn walked by my side, matching my pace.

"That was quite something," he said in a quiet tone. "You're sure that was the smart thing to do?"

"Who cares whether or not it was smart? All I know is.... She's probably going to be dancing to my tune as of now. Probably without her even realising it."

We reached the car, and just as Quinn revved the engine back to life, he cleared his throat.

"You remember what day it is today, right?"

"Uhhh...."I arch a brow. "What, Friday?"

"Yeah. Friday. As in, your wedding day Friday-Friday. Yunno. With Veronica?"

Ah fuck. I clamped my eyes shut.

Of course. How did I even forget?

"Just wonderful," I mumbled.

He stifled a laugh as he hit on it, zooming off into the early morning.

"You look like you're suffering from a serious hangover," his chest vibrated as he laughed and I groaned.

"A hangover? Seriously? Isn't this worse?”