XVI · DIMITRI

Dimitri Delacroix's point of view

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DURING THOSE THREE DAYS I avoided Isabelle with all my will-power, she, as I expected, avoided me as well. To a point where, after we just saw each other and she realized how early I'm used to woke up, she decided to get up earlier than me just to avoid my face. I found it amusing, as much as annoying.

Even though I didn't see her, she was still in my mind. And also in my dreams, again, and again, and fucking again. Making me hate her even more.

Then mom and His Grace, Duke Florentin announced the masquerade ball, to which they invited all the high ranks present in Desmoulins at the moment. Not to mention that, for some reason, everybody began to talk about me and Isa-fucking-belle Baudelaire. Nothing between the lines of marriage, as usual, but regarding our hatred towards each other.

It was really frustrating.

The maids of the Baudelaire manor probably heard we bickering and spread through the entire Capital. At least, that way, no one will ever dare to say that we might get married. That, yes, would be a freaking nightmare.

During those last days, I drowned myself in my work. Meeting nobles, signing tons of papers, and boring shit like that, in a faint hope to get that savage out of my damn mind, to stop thinking about those hypnotizing dark blue eyes. All in vain, causing me an enormous headache.

And because of all that was going on inside my mind, I couldn't care less about taking care of my clothes and mask for the ball. So, I asked Jean to tell mom to take care of that for me, once she knows more about that then I do. Jean also wouldn't be able to stay by my side, because his fiancée and her family were all invited and would attend the ball.

I'm not the kind of jerk to make him stay with me, instead of accompanying the woman he loves and will marry, just because of my desire not to meet Isabelle. It would be an ass move. And he's my friend above being my aide, after all.

So, when it was around 5 pm, I released him from his duties and headed back to the Baudelaire manor to get ready. It was a fuss on the first floor, with tons of staff getting the place ready for the ball, and thankfully, they advised all the guests not to get closer to the indoor garden, because Jade, the Princess' black panther resides there. At least that will avoid an accident like the one that happened to me from occurring again.

I saw Cédric, Isabelle's aide and right hand, going around her office, which meant she was still working. From what I heard he's engaged to one of the Ladies of House Haillet, which meant he was out of her list of prospects husbands. It's quite amusing.

She must have been annoyed by it, since he could have been such a great match. A noble, who's she is able to deal with. As tall as Mathis, with curly dark brown hair, a slim muscled body, and grey eyes.

Although he's way shorter than I am. We can't even be compared, honestly. I'm on a entire another level, after all.

Both in beauty, skills, social rank, charm, intelligence, and money! It's not for nothing that I have Ladies falling for me all over the Kingdom. And according to what the Desmoulins' newspaper that is more like an official system to spread gossip, I'm the most desirable noble between the Ladies, and the hardest to get in touch with as well.

When I got to my chambers, my clothes were there. Mom did her best to choose those, because they are really beautiful, I have to say. In an off tone of white and details in gold, all fit to my body, marking well my muscles, and my waist that always caught the women's attention.

Mom and dad's relationship may not have worked, but they did an outstanding job by giving life to me. I'm really a work of art. There's no one who can be as beautiful, smart, and charming as me! That's why I'm so wanted by the noble girls.

Isabelle is an exception.

Nevertheless, she can't deny the fact that she is physically attracted to me. And how couldn't she? I'm so perfect that it's as if I've come out of a romance book.

Then I got my hair ready, with some hair cream, only leaving two wavy streaks loose in my forehead, to make it more charming. Lastly, I put my sword in my waist-belt, for precaution. And took the delicate golden mask that covered half of my face, and put it on.

Looking in the mirror and feeling satisfied, I opened my door to head down, once it's already quite late, and saw some maids, my mom and Mathis getting inside Isabelle's chambers. She must still be getting ready. But it's not like I care.

Taking a deep breath and emanating confidence, I went down the stairs, heading to where the guests were, following all that annoying noise.

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Boring.

That's the only word that I can think to describe this ball. However, by how everyone was overjoyed, I seemed to be the only who was feeling like that. Not to mention how uncomfortable I was with all the single Ladies staring at me shamelessly as if they wanted me for dessert.

Bored to death, I decided to become a wallflower until my mother came down and ordered me to dance at least 5 times. Nevertheless, to be a wallflower you need people not to notice you, which, as we are talking about me, it's extremely difficult. So, every time a Lady decided to come at last an inch closer to me, I put on a disgusted gaze that made them all back away.

And when I saw my dad, my stepmother and my siblings coming in, also catching others' attention, I guessed that Isabelle's father must have been the one who invited them. My mom would never. When they spotted me, they came to where I was and everybody else opened the way for them.

"Dimitri, son, what are you doing trying to be a wallflower in such a ball? Even with a mask you have all the attention turned to you, son. It's useless, you know that, right?" My dad teased me.

"I'm bored to death, and if you can't see clearly, dad, I don't want to be here," I exclaimed with an annoyed grin. Then I kissed my stepmother's hand, my sister's forehead, and hugged my brother. "You are so beautiful in dark purple and silver! Never failing in using House Carpentier's colors in all opportunities that appear," it's quite the normal thing around the big noble houses to do in social gatherings outside their own territories. It's easy to see who's is from each hose this way. I think the only House that doesn't usually do that is House Baudelaire, although they have red and black as their colors, which are really beautiful.

They just use whatever color they want. Which gave them quite the rebellious fame. I should say that suits the two youngest offspring of my godfather though.

My mother's colors are gold and white, representing money and purity. Something like that. However, as part of both the Delacroix and the Carpentier Houses, I can use both palettes of colors.

The same can be said for Isabelle, Adrien, and Mathis. Once they are the children of Houses Baudelaire and Delannoy. And if I'm not mistaken, their mother's are dark pink and light green.

"And what colors are you wearing to say anything?" Dad mocked and I rolled my eyes. "So, are the rumors true?"

"What rumors?" I feigned ignorance.

But my siblings didn't buy it, while my stepmother just smiled kindly, innocently believing me. She's quite the opposite of my mom. Maybe that's why mom hates her so much.

"About you and Countess Isabelle Baudelaire," Marie-Claire exclaimed with a mischievous smile. She mustn't like the gossip, once she was never really one to like Isabelle. Although I don't know if the Countess knows about this.

"It's the talk on the capital," Augustin added, "everybody's saying that you two were about to kill each other in here. And that every time you saw each other you would bicker and curse at each other!" He seemed amused by it.

I scoffed annoyed, "Don't even mention that savage to me. I've successfully managed to avoid her existence this last three days, but I'll have to see her again tonight!" Sigh. "And all I can think is how much I want to drown her underwater until the bubble stops!"

My stepmother giggled, "Dear, don't say something like this, she can't be that bad!"

"She's terrible," my sister muttered.

"Oh," I chuckled bitterly, "you have no idea. She doesn't know how to behave herself like a human being, she's like a savage beast in a..." I stopped. My entire brain froze when I saw the woman descending the stairs some steps behind my mother and Mathis. "Fuck," I exclaimed, not being able to think straight.

There she was.

Isabelle Baudelaire.

To my dismay, she was wearing my House's colors, probably to provoke me again. That jerk... Why the hell is she so beautiful tonight? Is she planning to kill me?

Inside, I was in pure awe.

That dress marking all of her curves didn't leave much for imagination. She was looking like a Goddess, and that spread goosebumps through my body. Just why is she so impossibly dazzlingly tonight all of days?

When I realized, my body had moved itself in her direction, as if a magnet was pulling us together. And when she saw me, she gasped, and that reaction made a mischievous smirk appear on my lips instantly. She must be stunned because of how outstanding my beauty is.

Then we stopped. In my head, we were alone. And as the familiar song played, my eyes fell down to hers, and she wasn't as short as normal, probably because of the heels. "Why…? Why are you using the same colors as me?" She exclaimed annoyed already.

"Why are you using my House's colors?" I questioned her with an amused grin on.

"Since when does your House own the colors white and gold, asshole?" Is she feigning stupidity or doesn't she genuinely know?

My right arm surround her waist and she held her breath, as I brought her closer to my chest, so we could have our first dance with each other. "It's an unspoken rule between the noble Houses, Isabelle, were you really unaware?"

She rolled her eyes, as she wrapped her hands, one around my shoulder, and the other on my left hand. Her hypnotizing eyes on mine. "I never heard of that. I don't think my House has even chosen any colors though!"

"Are you serious?" She nodded, unbothered. "House Baudelaire's colors are red and black, and House Delannoy are dark pink and light green, Isabelle. While my and my mother's are golden and white," I slowly traveled my eyes through her dress, amused by being able to see it at this small distance and when I met her eyes again, her entire face had turned bright red.

"Don't look at me like that, asshole. Everybody is looking at us, they will gossip about it afterwards. Are you insane?" But for some reason, she didn't seem pissed off at all by me almost swallowing her with my eyes.

I grinned to that, "Since when do you care?"

"I do not. But if people distort this and say something between the lines of we courting each other, all of my prospect husbands will disappear afraid of you. And you know it!" Oh, so she's thinking about that?

Amused, I gave her a full smile, showing both of my dimples, and she gulped, biting her lips. "You think I care?" I don't really like of tons of noble assholes lining up to court her either. "Besides, if they ran scared of me, how would they even be able to live with you, who's seemingly scarier than I am?"

"Why are you such a jerk?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"As if you were any different!"

"I'm not saying I am, am I?" Grinning, she looked straight into my eyes with those hypnotizing dark blue eyes again, making my damn heart flutter. How dare she? "I know how much of an ass I am, Your Grace; you don't have to remind me."

I bought her body even closer to mine and she gasped, "Oh, but I want to, Isabelle. It fills me with joy to get on your nerves."

"Motherfucker," she cursed, making me smile. "When you find me with a dagger on your throat, don't you dare to be surprised, because you are really making me desperately want to fucking kill you, Dimitri."

"You are the one who should be careful, Isabelle. Because I'm also craving to cut you in two with my sword!" She side-looked at the sword on my hip and rolled her eyes.

"Did you perhaps see that this dress of mine has a slit on the right side of my legs? It's a sensual design, which your mother personally chose it for me, and it allows me to get the daggers I hid in my thighs faster than you could get this sword of yours," how in the world did she managed to make a treat so damn sensual?

My eyes went to the slit she mentioned and it was true. I was able to get a slight glimpse of her right toned leg from it, which made me gulp. She really managed to be dazzling tonight. "I assure you that it would be faster to get my sword than your daggers, Isabelle!"

"Keep thinking like that and the second you blink you will find a blade against your neck, dear," she mocked.

"You overestimate yourself too much, darling. A woman like you would never be able to do that," I think she would be able to do worse than that.

Closing her expression, she scoffed, "What a cheap argument, Dimitri. Tsk, I should be dancing with your brother. I'm sure Augustin would kinder to me!"

That pissed me off and made me clench my jaw, "Don't you dare, Isabelle!"

"Oh, but I want to, Dimitri. It fills me with joy to get on your nerves," she used my words against me right when the third song ended. "You're welcome, Your Grace. Now you will only have to dance with two other Ladies."

"As if you were any Lady," I exclaimed and she glared at me. By the gleam on her eyes, I could tell she really felt offended by my words this time.

But I glared back and she backed away, clearly annoyed. "I hate you, Delacroix," she exclaimed through greeted teeth.

"The feeling is mutual, Baudelaire!"

When I realized, I was in the middle of the salon, and everybody else was static, and staring at us in shock. Okay, maybe she was right. But I couldn't help it!

Then, when I turned to see where she was going, I couldn't help but feel delighted by the view of her naked back. How can a woman have such a beautiful back, Gods' damn it! It's a walking temptation for men... not for me, of course.

But I stopped thinking when she went to Augustin and asked to dance with him, and the dumbass blushed and nodded right away! Seriously, I'm going to kill him. Better... I'll just kill her!

I was so angry that I wasn't able to avoid staring at them dancing, and when my brother's eyes crossed with mine, when they were about to begin dancing the second damn song, and he saw my face, he flinched.