Elyana
A stunning off-shoulder gown that her father left on her bed hugged her body like a second skin, perfectly fitting her hourglass curves. A matching mule sandal with almost four-inch heels made her look taller than her 5 feet and 6 inches height, highlighting her slender figure.
Long, silky red hair with a pin on one side, while the rest of the strands hung loosely along her left shoulder, framed her elegantly painted face.
Not to mention, a diamond necklace, bracelet, and identical earrings brilliantly sparkling against her skin.
All dolled up.
She definitely looked like a million bucks.
Perfect for her first date with her future husband.
"Ugh!" An involuntary sigh escaped her lips, expressing her growing frustration.
As much as she wished to be a good daughter and make her father happy, she couldn't force herself to look forward to this dinner. She couldn't see herself marrying a stranger.
In truth, nothing about this night was what she wanted. But did she even have a say on the matter?
In her defense, she tried, remembering how she argued with her father about her right to curve her own path and in choosing the man to love and marry. But her plea landed on deaf ears.
James was determined to marry her off to the man of his choosing, insisting it was for her own benefit. Her future.
"I only want the best for you, my princess." Her father's voice was peculiarly gentle. His touch was oddly affectionate as he assisted her into the car.
Ever since her mother died, her father had been cold, indifferent, and distant. Ironically, her father's action didn't exactly show that he cared.
Was his genuine concern for her well-being just an act, a means to an end?
Was this marriage intended to secure her happiness, or was it to seal an alliance with another great family for the future of her father's legacy?
"Again, I'm just meeting him. I'm not committing to anything." She reminded her father that this was not a done deal.
Although she had agreed to her father's wishes, it didn't mean she would be a pawn in his plans.
"Give it a chance. I'm sure once you get to know him, you'll change your mind about this marriage." Her father said confidently, looking quite assured of himself.
But the look that her father gave her told her everything she didn't want to hear. It was never a choice. It was a command that she could not refuse.
At that moment, it felt as if strings were attached to every joint in her body— a puppet, ready to dance to the tune of the puppet master.
In that instance, she realized that her choice was never her own. At least as far as her father was concerned.
"Regarding your mother's death." James suddenly changed his tone. This time, it became melancholy. "What do you remember?"
A shadow seemed to fall over his face. His eyes darkened, as if he were in deep thought.
In a snap, all other matters, including her upcoming blind date, were shoved aside as her mind reeled on her father's question.
"Not much." Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it. "Just the things you told me." Come to think of it, it was not much. But she was just ten when it happened.
Fingers clasped tightly on her lap, she stared outside the car's window at the passing lights, hoping it would trigger some of her memories from her childhood.
"I guess you're old enough to know the truth." James straightened his back and adjusted his bow as if he were about to announce something important.
Of course, that only made her more anxious. Curious, intrigued, and scared. Silently, she sat on her opposite end, anticipating the real story behind her mother's death.
"Your mother was indeed attacked by a wolf. But it was not just an ordinary wolf."
Her father's words entered her ears, but they didn't make sense. Her brain seemed to have difficulty processing them.
Confused, she just stared at her father, encouraging him to go on.
"You might find this hard to believe, but she was killed by a werewolf," James calmly said, as if he had been discussing the weather.
Again, her brain seemed to blank out, blinking several times, wondering if she had heard her father correctly.
Werewolf?
Gradually, something flicked— the memories of her childhood bedtime stories suddenly replayed in her mind. The one that her mother used to read to her during bedtime.
The Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.
Only this time, unlike the fairy tale, her dreams didn't have a happy ending.
But that was just a story, right?
So, what was her father blabbering about? Was he on medication?
Or maybe she was still dreaming and hadn't woken up yet.
Quickly, she lifted her hand and pinched herself on her arm. Stinging pain.
Damn! It was definitely not a dream.
"Did I hear you say... W.E.R.E.W.O.L.F?" She enunciated each letter with reluctance, skepticism, and a hint of bewilderment.
Was this her father's way of breaking the ice? Well, it wasn't funny. But what could she expect from him when he didn't exactly have a sense of humor?
"Here." James didn't answer her question. Instead, he handed her a piece of black card. It looked sleek, expensive, and exclusive.
Her eyes searched her father's face as she took the card, but as usual, he wore an unreadable expression. All she saw was her own curiosity, reflecting in his eyes.
"RH?" She read aloud the bold, cursive letters embossed on the black, smooth surface of the cardboard.
An image of a red hood was engraved in the center that seemed to serve as an emblem. A logo of some sort. Then, a series of letters and numbers was printed at the bottom. Nothing else.
Was it supposed to mean something?
"It's an invitation to the Red Hood," James said, his eyes focused on her, as if he was watching her reaction. But all she did was frown, having no idea what it was.
"I want you to come with me, Elyana. Then, I'll answer all your questions." Her father said.
But why did it feel like she might not want to hear the answer?
"But first, let's have dinner." He said as she felt the car stop outside the establishment.
Although all she wanted was to ditch this dinner and talk about the Red Hood, reluctantly, she followed her father into the restaurant. Her dying curiosity was curtailed and deferred for another time.
Moments later, she faced the man that her father had chosen for her, who was already waiting at their designated table.
The man greeted them. "Mr. James Pryce, please join me." He immediately stood up and shook her father's hand.
"I want you to meet my daughter, Elyana," James responded as the man's eyes landed on her. "Elyana, this is Mr. Craig Marshall." Her father slightly nudged her elbow, as if she were a child who needed reminding to behave.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Marshall." She politely said, reluctantly offering her hand and greeting him with the warmest smile she could force out of her lips.
In fairness, the stranger who stand next to her was not exactly hard to the eyes. On the contrary, he could easily pass as a model. He had the height, the looks, and even the build.
But—
He was not 'HIM', mentally comparing this man with the one in her dreams.
Woah!
Where did that come from?
Quickly, she scrubbed her brain, erasing the unwanted memories from her mind. But like stubborn dirt, it just would not go away.
"Call me, Craig. I hope you won't mind if I call you, Elyana." He took her hand and gently grazed her knuckles with his lips. Then, helped her to a seat right next to him.
"Craig has just taken over his father's company. I'm sure you've heard of it, Elyana, the Atlas Interactive Ventures." James informed her.
Her father sang high praises about his potential son-in-law as he began enumerating his great achievements in the AI industry at a young age.
Although it all sounded intriguing, she couldn't exactly share the same enthusiasm.
They had hardly warmed their chairs when her father received an emergency phone call that required him to leave immediately.
Surprising?
Nah! She supposed she already suspected that something like that would happen.
"Shall we order?" Craig asked as soon as her father had left, acting like the perfect gentleman.
Of course, she had to stay and play her part. That was the deal.
"Sure." Given no choice, she halfheartedly agreed, even if she believed this was just a waste of both of their time.
"Why don't you try this? It's one of my favorites." Craig offered, signaling the waiter to fill their glasses with the expensive red wine as they waited for their orders to arrive.
As the dinner progressed, she discovered that he was not just a man with a handsome face, but he was also intellectually sound. More than that, he was charming, witty, and a perfect gentleman.
If she were being honest, he checked out most of the boxes on her list of an ideal man. He might be the perfect husband that she had been waiting for.
If only—
She was interested in him.
But honestly, she was far more eager to find out what the Red Hood was all about. And how was it connected to the werewolf and her mother's death?