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Duke rubs the bridge of his nose and runs his hand through his silk black hair.

There are soldiers, standing in attention to him, their general.

As he walks past them, they all salute. He doesn't give them any attention as he jumps right into the SUV that is waiting for him.

The door is shut behind him and the convoy starts to move. Apart from the Driver, someone else is in the front seat, it's Bloom, his faithful assistant.

" Good morning, boss." Bloom greets. " The plane is going to leave as soon as we get on it. "

" That's good, Bloom. " Duke looks out of the window.

He is going back to the God-forsaken city that he holds so many bad memories of.

Dunville, the city that took his family away from him. It has been five years now, but it seems like yesterday.

He has been in the army all these years and he has proven himself and now he is a general, the greatest one the country has seen, the most powerful one that has brought them so much victory. His name brings fear to the heart of the enemies.

It's time to go back to Dunville and make all those who had a hand in his family's death pay dearly with their lives.

Five years ago...

They thought he died in the fire when they killed his father, mother, and sister, but he didn't.

A girl saved him even though it was at the expense of herself because her face got burnt in the process.

He ran away and joined the army and now he is the most powerful general and he is ready for revenge.

Apart from that, he has something else to settle first of all, that girl who saved his life that night.

" Did you do as I asked?" He turns to Bloom.

" Yes, sir. " Bloom takes a file and passes it to him, but he doesn't bother opening it.

" Her name is Melody. Melody Futterman. She clocked twenty-three a few days ago." Bloom looks at his iPad.

" Futterman?" Duke hums. That name sounds so familiar.

" Yes, sir. " Bloom nods. " She is the granddaughter of Jimmy Futterman, the infamous cunning businessman, and her father is Joseph Futterman, his first son. "

Duke runs his hand over his jaw. He knows them. Their house was a few miles away from Mister Jimmy's. They were neighbors who were basically strangers.

So that's why she was close to his house and rescued him. She came to visit her grandfather.

" That's interesting. " Duke opens the file, there are a lot of pictures in it.

He expects to see Melody's burnt face, but she is shielding it with a mask, a silver mask.

" Her family is desperately looking for a husband for her. " Bloom fills him in.

" She is very beautiful, the finest of all her sisters, but no one wants a wife with that kind of face. There will be a party to select a husband for her. "

Duke frowns. He doesn't know what he hates more. The fact that no one wants to marry her, or that her family wants to sell her off.

" Well then. " He leans back. " It seems I am going to have to attend this party. "

*****

Duke keeps his eyes up and walks around the hall with confidence, he seems to be carrying the whole attention of the place on his shoulders.

It's a surprise because he doesn't put on his expensive clothes, he just dresses moderately but some people are dressed like a golden statue, yet everyone is looking at him.

He picks up a glass of champagne and sips from it, standing in a corner of the room. He looks around, looking for the silver masked girl, but he can't find her.

His attention is drawn to the garden and even though it's night, he sees someone in the garden.

A lady in a red gown, just wandering in the garden.

He leaves the hall and walks into the garden. Apart from the lady, there is no one else here. He walks towards her, not seeing her face yet.

" What's a beautiful girl like you doing in a place like this?" He asks.

She turns around, he now sees the mask. It has beautiful patterns and a silver rope, keeping it in place. Her beautiful red hair is swaying in the wind, she is so beautiful.

" Beautiful?" She laughs in disbelief. " How can you see this and call me beautiful?"

Duke doesn't say anything. He walks towards her and stands close to her, staring into the darkness.

" You are beautiful. " He says again. " You just had an accident. "

" I wish I can become me again. " She sighs. " I wish I could take off this horrible face. "

That's what Duke has been waiting to hear and he smiles inwardly.

" I can make that dream possible. " He confesses.

"You can?"

" But you will have to give me something in return, something that I can't tell you now. "

"Anything. " She says. " Anything you want. "

Duke sneaks her out of the house, very easy for him who has so much military experience.

He holds her hand firmly and leads her out of the house and to his waiting his car.

Melody looks at her family house and sighs.

They are probably going to think that she got so depressed by the party and has left. She is just trying to find a cure for herself, so she has to go with this stranger.

He takes her to his house and straight to his room. He shuts the door and turns to her.

"Take off your clothes. "

Her eyes grow behind the mask, so much fear and horror.

" What?!" She breathes.

" Come on. " He chuckles. " If you don't, how do I tend to your injuries? "