To Reveal or Conceal

Stepping out of the room with Jaren, nervousness swirled within the two of us.

I was expecting the crowd to have thinned out as the party had been in full swing for a while. But to my surprise, the gathering only grew, swelling with more attendees.

Amongst the sea of faces, I noticed some who couldn't bear to meet my eyes; they were Bell's former friends, the ones who distanced themselves from him after the incident with Diana unfolded.

They carried an air of shame, burdened by their decision to sever ties with for something that "wasn't even my fault".

I had manipulated the truth, gaslighting them into believing they were fake friends who betrayed the trust of someone who was good.

In truth, their actions were justified, the right thing to do. If anything, they deserved to be praised for breaking the friendship so quickly once they discovered that their friend was a piece of shit.

A lot of people would hesitate considering how rich and powerful I was.

Without the pressure of their parents who were acquaintances with my parents, I doubted the few former friends that were here would dare show their faces in my presence, especially since I declined their apology a while ago.

Perched on the second floor, Jaren scanned the cluster of people with a predator's focus, seeking the vague faces that danced in his memory like a bird up in the sky searching for its next meal.

I refrained from rushing him, turning my back to the crowd to hide the fact that we were searching for someone.

After several minutes, Jaren broke the silence. "Found the wife."

I turned around and asked, "Where?"

He pointed his finger into the crowd, guiding my gaze. "There."

"Ah, the lady with the brown hair tied in a ponytail?" I asked.

"Exactly," he confirmed.

"Very well."

With a singular objective in mind, I descended the stairs alone.

We had agreed that only I would involve myself personally, maintaining the pretense that Jaren was oblivious and uninvolved about the secret since he was so concerned about it being linked back to him.

Making my way through the crowd, I collided with someone, or perhaps it felt as if they purposely bumped into me.

"Oh, hey," Aldo greeted. "Apologies for that."

"No worries," I replied with a slight nod, resuming my movement.

Before I could proceed, he gripped my wrist, halting me in my tracks.

"Sorry for grabbing you like this, but... might I have your number?" he asked, with innocent eyes that looked like they desired to be friends.

'Absolutely not,' I thought in disgust.

"Of course," I answered, quickly entering the number of my rarely-used second phone. I could have withheld my number, but there might be advantages in staying connected with a major villain of the novel.

I wasn't sure what they were yet, but it was just a gut feeling I had.

"Until we meet again... friend," he said before vanishing into the crowd as if he was consumed by the shadows.

'What in the world... whatever.'

Resuming my course, I reached the designated spot where she was supposed to be, but she had vanished as to be expected.

Glancing up at the second floor, Jaren redirected me in another direction.

Following his guidance, I eventually found the person of interest engaged in conversation with an elderly individual.

"Pardon the interruption, miss," I interjected, acknowledging their conversation. "I apologize for intruding, but could I have a private moment with you?"

Startled, she regarded me with wide eyes, a hint of panic in them, as if questioning if she had made a mistake along the way.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad," I reassured her.

Such words only heightened her anxiety, a natural response to such assurances.

"I merely wish to discuss the dove you adopted," I clarified.

"You adopted a dove?" the old man inquired.

She must have realized my true intent, swiftly fabricating a response. "Yes, my husband and I recently acquired one. We thought it would be nice to care for a pet together."

"Would you happen to have a picture of this bird?" the curious old man asked.

She shook her head. "No, I apologize for that."

"Ah, that's all right. Well, I shall leave you two to your discussion. I must find a seat before my back gives way," he chuckled.

With a worried gaze, she locked eyes with me, perhaps contemplating the possibility of escaping at this very moment.

"Do not have fear... only I know about the dove," I whispered. "Neither my father nor my mother are aware of it. Just me."

Her trust in me remained cautious, but she nodded, eventually following as we retreated into the vast Agnus garden.

Amidst the already-present guests, we ventured deeper into the garden until, sensing through my mana, we found a relatively secluded area where no one could notice us unless they actively were searching for people.

Without hesitation, I erected a protective mana barrier around us.

"How... how did you discover the truth?" she stammered, visibly shaken by the realization that someone beyond her husband knew their secret.

"Before I answer your questions, may I have the pleasure of knowing your name first?" I inquired politely.

"Uh, right. I'm... I'm Sofia Moore," she replied. "And now, please tell me... How did you find out?"

I pointed to the barrier that surrounded us.

"You see this bubble enveloping us? Did you and your husband forget how to create one?" I posed the question. "I happened to overhear your conversation because of that."

The realization of her oversight contorted her face, akin to biting into the sourest fruit.

Confusion laced her gaze as she asked me, "But wait... when we spoke, I distinctly remember you being downstairs."

'So you possess wit and perceptiveness at this exact moment, but not when discussing a very dangerous secret with your husband in a mansion where hundreds of people are present?'

"I walked up to the third floor briefly, fetching something I had left from the guest room. Upon discovering people already present, I concealed my presence and eavesdropped. I apologize for being nosy, but I grew concerned that your secret discussion might involve some sort of attack. As you know, I recently survived an assassination attempt," I fabricated, lying effortlessly.

I hoped she wouldn't scrutinize my story too intently but since it held plausibility, she nodded slowly, seemingly accepting my explanation.

"And why have you approached me then? To issue me threats? To... to claim the angel child for yourself?" she questioned, keeping her guard high.

I shook my head in response.

"No no no, I've come to offer you a recommendation."

"What kind of recommendation?" she asked, looking ready to sprint away if I replied with something terrible.

"You and your husband were deliberating on whether to inform my father about this. It seems you leaned towards telling him, while your husband dissuaded you from doing so, am I correct?"

She nodded.

"Well... I believe you should tell him," I advised.

"Why? I only considered confiding in your father and not the other esteemed guests attending this birthday party you're hosting because he happens to be a former university classmate whose character I can somewhat trust."

'That's all it took? What?' I was baffled.

"But I fear the risk of him silencing us outweighs any potential benefit. How can I know he won't eliminate us to safeguard the secret and claim the angel for himself?" she inquired.

"You have no reason to trust us," I acknowledged candidly. "The Agnus is not entirely innocent from the dark side of the world."

The raw honesty regarding my own family's nature caught her off guard.

"But if you wish to safeguard that child, yourself, and your husband, I suggest you inform my father, as he can offer protection not only for the child but for all three of you," I urged.

Her bewilderment was noticeable on every part of her body.

"Are you... are you implying that we're in danger?" she asked, swallowing nervously at the thought. "How? No, it... It... it can't be. Didn't you say that only you know?"

Fear struck her even further as she stared at me.

"If you believe I'm referring to myself or my family when mentioning the impending danger, you're mistaken. Please don't question how I possess this knowledge, but someone intends to capture that angel and subject them to experimentation," I disclosed. "They'll kill you two if it comes down to it."

Though it was merely a formulated theory I came up with mere moments ago, I spoke as if it were undeniable truth, as it seemed the most plausible scenario at the time.

She examined my face, dissecting my words and tone, attempting to discern any falsehoods.

After a moment, she concluded that I spoke the truth.

"I... I need to confer with my husband. May I call him?" she requested.

"By all means. I shall not force you into acting against your will. I'm not threatening you. I was just giving you a suggestion for your own safety," I assured her.

Nodding, she swiftly dialed her husband's phone. He answered after several rings, and without divulging the secret over the phone, she alerted him to the urgency of their discussion.

When he arrived, surprise flashed across his face, having been left in the dark by his wife.

He cast her a betrayed gaze, wondering if she had told me the secret even though they finally agreed to keep their mouth shuts, yet she shook her head in denial.

"I didn't tell him. Well... I suppose I did. But we both did. He... he overheard our conversation on the third floor," she clarified the truth to him.

Reactivating the mana bubble around us, I reiterated what I told his wife early. After that, the couple engaged in a hushed conversation within their private sphere.

As the two of them turned to look at me, the bubble opened up to include me in it.

"After thorough deliberation, we... the two of us have decided to follow your recommendation," the wife announced.

"I'm... truthfully, I'm cautious about trusting you, or anyone for that matter, with this secret. However, considering you already possess the knowledge in your hands and haven't resorted to kidnapping or threatening us... I will give you the benefit of the doubt," the husband conceded, appearing to have aged a decade within minutes.

Both of them exuded immense stress, a natural response to their predicament.

It was a burden they rightfully carried considering how major this secret they held was.

"Father should conclude his meeting shortly. Once it's finished, I will bring the two of you to discuss this with him. In the meantime, please enjoy the remainder of the party," I recommended before departing.

By leaving them alone, I hoped to convey a sense of freedom, removing the pressure of my constant presence.

I wanted them to feel at liberty to make their own choices.

In truth, I had assigned two of my bodyguards to monitor them closely. If they dared to flee, the guards had explicit orders to apprehend them.

I needed that angel child to be safe.

With a thumbs-up, I signaled to Jaren that it went well, and immediately, he disappeared like a blur, retreating back up to the guest room for some rest.

"Damn," I sighed, cracking my neck.

'Today was meant to be a joyous occasion. Why is it being plagued by nonstop stress?'

I texted Cyro, instructing him to arrange a meeting between my father and me once they concluded their affairs. While formal arrangements weren't necessary with my doting father, the gravity of the situation called for a degree of formality.

Cyro replied with a string of question marks but ultimately agreed to my request.