'But Diana, she is dead. There is no need for us to part anymore. Don't you see?'
'Oh, darling. I understand that her being murdered worked in our favour, but that just made me realize how careless I was being! It could have been easily Edward who caught us. I don't want to risk it. All this wealth slipping from my fingers... I can't bear it. He will divorce me for sure if he learns.'
'Does wealth is more important for you? More than me?', he sounded angered.
'How naive you are? Sometimes I forget your age. I may not reflect your emotions, but I could advise you. Remember this darling, there is nothing if there is no wealth. Only money brings you luxury. Not these silly emotions. For what it's worth, I'm really sorry darling, we couldn't be seen together again. So, please leave. And never come back', the last sentence she said as a warning that will have dire consequences if he didn't follow what she said.
'As you wish Diana', he grunted.
Within a minute a tall figure exited from the room. I scooted back and peeked through the gap to look at the guy who sauntered angrily. The back profile suggested a 6-feet guy in his 30's with dark hair. Why does a guy who can have any one of his age want Diana? And his attitude suggests he is not devastated by the breakup, but angry that Diana dared to muddle his plans. And what plans could that be? Kade and I never discussed the option of this lover being a suspect. What if? There is only one way to find out, leaving my hiding place, I went after him. 
I swiftly stuck to him with a few steps between us, taking care not to notice me. We ended at the back entrance of the mansion, which leads to a vast garden that gives an illusion of a forest. He was on the move again, I quickly tried to follow him, but someone held my hand and turned towards them.
'What are you doing here?', Raphael questioned me. Now, where did I hear it before?
'Umm...'
'If your thirst is fulfilled, shall we go back to the ball?'
'Yes. Sure. I just came out for some fresh air. It was suffocating there', Raphael being polite didn't point out the balcony that was attached to the ballroom.
Regret clenched a tight fist around my stomach for not taking the opportunity to look at that lover's face. Kade is busy with his life to help me anymore. I stowed my emotions to the back of my mind. There is time to evaluate it later.
Once we entered the ballroom Raphael asked me for a dance. He held me closer than appropriate for the waltz number being played by the band. It was magic...The magic that just didn't weave in the air, we created it.
'So, who is Jacob?'
He sighed as if I bothered to question him. 'It's my middle name. Diana has this weird habit of calling me and Nate with our middle names. But she calls him Jack instead of Jonathan as opposed to her theory. She is...weird like that. Enough about my name, why didn't you open your mouth when she insulted you? The girl I know would have ripped her there and then irrespective of the place. So, why didn't you?'
'I was...thinking about you. I did that once with your sister and that led to our first fight. That's the problem with us. Don't you see, Rafa? I don't know your family dynamics or how close you are with them. I don't want to offend you, so I kept quiet'.
He looked into my eyes, not started but looked, and said, 'don't change your fire for anyone. Not even me. I like you just the way you are'
'Like?', I probed, wanting to hear more.
He clammed up after that glimpse. But the intensity still lingered between us. 
'Who is... Elizabeth?', I asked the million-dollar question. 
'She is an old friend of the family. Our families mingled in the same circles', he answered as vaguely as possible.
Speak of the devil when someone tapped me on the shoulder. 'May I cut in?', asked Elizabeth glamorously dolled up.
What should I do? Shall I say to go take a hike or give in? Is she close to him? I looked at Raphael to decode the situation. No such luck. His face is etched with granite, in turn looking at me for my reaction. Just the way you are. 'Sorry, we are busy', I replied, not at all sorry about saying it.
'Excuse me? Do you know who I am?'
'Is that a rhetorical question? Again sorry, not interested in current affairs'
'Raphael darling, who is this imbecile? Doesn't she know about me? About us?', she put her hand on his arm. Is darling a code word or something in the rich circles? Why does everyone say, darling?
Raphael swiftly removed the hand by moving away and said, 'there is no 'us' to say anything about Elizabeth. As per the lady, I would show some respect if I were you. Now, go do your dramatics somewhere else', he replied curtly.
She gave a huff at his snub and stomped her way back, but not before giving me a stinky eye. 
'I believe I gained an enemy now. Thanks for that'
'I will protect you from all the evilness', Raphael said huskily while pulling me closer to him.
'Umm...excuse me. Mind if I cut in, brother?', Nathaniel asked this time tapping on his shoulder.
Oh, why bother. It's like his family has conspired against us dancing. Maybe Raphael also thought the same thing as he said, 'sure' and left me to his brother's machinations.
I put as much distance between us as possible while still looking polite. He tried to flirt with me, and I was having nothing of it. I just gave him one-word answers. One thing you should admire about Nathaniel is his tenacity. Given his rebound Teflon effect just approximately a month after Sophie's death at flirting, I tried to limit our conversation to one-word replies to nil.
 As he was twirling me, a waiter that was holding a tray full of drinks was making his way through us. A sudden dip of his made me hit the tray. Lucky for me, the drinks fell on the other side. Unluckily, the tray has a sharp edge. It cut into three of my left-hand fingers making it bleed. 
'Oh...oh', I said clutching my hand. 
'What? What happened?' Asked Nathaniel take my hand in his.
Before I could tell him that it is nothing serious, his face went white. 'Why didn't you tell me it's bleeding? I'm scared of blood', with that he fainted drop dead.
With all the chaos that ensued, I looked owlishly at him, still fainted on the ground, scared of blood?