Chapter 1 Behind the silver mask

SUNESIS'S POV

The silver mask was cold against my skin. It felt completely different from the hot, stuffy air of the dressing room. I stood in front of the broken mirror, my hands shaking as I fixed my long black silk dress.

I made sure the fabric covered my shoulders and arms perfectly. I had to hide everything from my neck down. Underneath the smooth cloth were the deep, ugly burn scars that ruined my body, the painful marks from the fire that took my family away.

Someone knocked loudly on the door. "Sable, you are on stage in two minutes," the manager called out. I heard his shoes clicking against the floor as he walked away.

I did not say anything. I just closed my eyes and breathed in slowly to calm my racing heart. “Do it for her,” I whispered to myself.

Before coming to work tonight, I sat beside my grandmother’s bed. She looked so small and weak under her old blankets. Her face looked pale because she was very sick. She held my hands tightly with her rough, tired fingers.

"Sunesis, my child, you work too hard," Grandmother said, her voice shaking slightly. "You leave so late every single night for that office."

"It is just a late-night data entry job, Grandma," I replied, forcing a gentle smile to keep her calm. "The company pays well for night shifts. You do not need to worry about anything."

She looked at me with sad, loving eyes. "I only want you to be happy. I gave up everything, our savings and my health to pay for your hospital bills and school after the fire. But I feel like I have left you with a heavy burden."

"You are my whole world, Grandma," I whispered, squeezing her hand back. "You did not leave me with a burden. You gave me a life. Now, just rest."

She believed my lies about the corporate firm. If she ever found out about Velvet Eclipse, the shock would kill her frail heart. I had to keep this a secret.

I needed the money to pay off the debt collectors who knocked on our door every single morning, threatening to take away her home. I stood up straight, left the small room, and walked into the dark hallway.

The loud music from the speakers made the floor shake under my shoes.

When I walked past the heavy curtains and onto the main stage, the air smelled strong. It smelled like expensive cigars, spilled drinks, and rich perfume. The bright spotlight hit me, making it hard to see for a second.

During the day, nobody noticed me. I was Sunesis Valez, the quiet, clumsy assistant who wore big, baggy sweaters, hid behind her hair, and looked down at the floor so people would ignore her.

But under these bright lights, behind this silver mask, I was Sable. People in the VIP section began to whisper. I looked through the small holes of my mask and immediately saw a face I knew very well.

It was Blake Ashford. My boss at the office.

He sat back on the leather couch, slowly spinning a glass with an amber drink. He looked just as proud and cold as he did at work, surrounded by beautiful women he did not even look at.

A familiar pain pinched my chest. For two years, I had secretly loved him from afar. I spent my days watching him work, telling myself that underneath his mean, successful attitude was a good man.

But working close to him had ruined that dream. To the daytime Blake, I was ugly and forgettable. But tonight, his sharp, dark eyes were fixed completely on me.

I started to dance, letting the slow music move my body. The black silk flowed around my legs as I moved across the stage with a confidence I only had in the dark.

I moved closer to his table on purpose to make things more exciting. The club owners had promised a huge cash bonus to anyone who could get Blake’s full attention tonight.

That bonus would pay off my grandmother's medical bills by tomorrow morning. As I got closer to his booth, Blake leaned forward and put his elbows on the table.

He watched me intensely, looking closely at my covered arms. With a quick movement, he threw a thick stack of tied money onto the edge of the stage.

"You are wasting your time dancing for the rest of these people," Blake said, his voice loud and clear over the music. "Name your price, Sable. Sign a contract to work only for me, and you never have to dance on this public stage again."

A sudden surge of triumph settled into my chest when I saw the money, but it made me sad too. This was the man I loved, but he only wanted me when I hid my true self.

I leaned down a little bit, keeping my face away from his hands. I made my voice sound lower so my boss would never recognize his quiet assistant. "Some things cannot be bought so easily, Mr. Ashford," I replied, tilting my head.

"Everything has a price," Blake muttered, his jaw tightening. He reached out and tried to grab the edge of my silk dress. "Especially a woman hiding behind a piece of metal. Show me what is under that mask."

I spun away from his hand with a smooth step, a sharp grin tugging at my lips under the mask to hide the hurt in my heart. I picked up the money from the stage, gave him one last look, and disappeared into the dark corners as the song ended.

Leaving Blake angry and frustrated in his seat, I hurried down the back hallway toward the exit. I needed fresh air. My chest rose and fell fast as I pushed the heavy metal door open and stepped outside.

The cool night air hit my face, but the good feeling only lasted a second.

I saw movement at the end of the dark alley. Three men in dark clothes were stepping out of a black van. They held black pistols with silencers ready in their hands.

They walked quickly and quietly toward a shiny black car that had just stopped at the club's private door. I stopped breathing for a moment. They were setting up a trap to kill someone.