210 The Masquerade Ball

The soft opening of Oriental Europa was indeed a success. What was left for them was to prepare and make sure that the masquerade ball will become an unforgettable event for all the guests. As the day of the masquerade ball came, the Wang household started early with the preparations.

'"What do we have for breakfast, Ai?" still sleepy Wang Yuvin asks their servant.

"We prepared pancakes and bacons as per Little Miss's request," Ai responded politely, bowing her head as she answered.

"Where's Europa?" Yuvin asked. He helped himself to take a seat, then turning the plate facing up. He grabbed a pancake and placed some bacons on his plate.

"She's in the kitchen, sir. She woke up early to help us," she responded. She grabbed the pitcher of cold lemonade with honey, and poured some onto his master's glass. "I'll call Miss Europa, so she could join you. Enjoy your meal, sir," she continued. She placed the pitcher near the pancakes, and bowed to him as to excuse herself.

Meanwhile, Europa keeps herself busy by tasting the cupcakes she baked with Bai. She looks like a professional baker; looking intricately at the pastries she has designed.

"Excuse me, Little Miss, but your uncle Yuvin is expecting you to join him at the dining hall. Let's go?" Ai ushered the way to the dining hall, wiping the cupcake crumbs off Europa's dress.

"Did you serve the breakfast we prepared?" Europa asked, looking expectantly.

"Yes, Little Miss. I did. I'm sure your uncle Yuvin likes it," Ai assured Europa as she gently caressed her hair.

"There you are! Join me, sweet cheeks!" Yuvin enthusiastically welcomed her niece. He stood up, and pulled a chair for Europa. He placed a pancake on her plate, and made a smiley face using maple syrup as the mouth, and blueberries for the eyes. "Want some bacon too?" he asked.

Ai poured some lemonade onto the little master's glass. She bowed, and excused herself. Rushing to the kitchen, she started helping her twin clean the morning mess.

"No, I'm good with this. Thank you, uncle," Europa said as she hugged her uncle. "I can't believe I could make something delicious like this! Maybe I would be a chef, uncle… What do you think?" she continued as she ate the breakfast she prepared, or helped prepared.

Yuvin just nodded at her. He went back to his seat, and grabbed another piece of pancake and two of bacon.

"But you know, uncle, I had this strange dream. I know we are together in my dream, but you seem so far away. Like you are sitting there, and I'm here," Europa pointed at the chair at the opposite end of the long table. She stretched her arms out, trying to mimic the distance she's explaining.

Without missing a bat, she continued her story, "Then, there's this man wearing a bright mask. I think it was periwinkle but brighter! He tries to approach me, but the floor seems to be wavy and longer, uncle. I was so scared, but not scared enough to cry. As the floor seems to be moving, uncle, the table we are sitting at appears to be getting longer and longer!" She then ate a mouthful of pancake, and downed it with the honey lemonade.

Yuvin was taken aback. He just stared at his niece while she was busy eating and telling her dream at the same time. He could hear his heartbeat sync with her chewing. And she chews faster and faster, enough to push Yuvin to gulped his drink to the last drop, to refill his glass. He feels bad omen right off the bat.

"But here's the catch, uncle. He tries to lure me with a unicorn attached to my dress. He calls me darling just like mama. And he said that we're related. That we both have the same smile, but maybe it was my grandpa, right? Though I never met them, maybe they're trying to connect with me through dreams," she told her uncle.

The last lines of Europa's narration made Yuvin even more nervous. He knew it wasn't just any dream. Maybe Europa subconsciously looks for his dad. Her curious little mind longs for him, unobvious, of course. But who gave her the idea? How did this happen? Has sister Reiji and her talked about him already? Without me knowing? He thought to himself.

"Are you alright, uncle? It was just a dream. Mama said that dreams are powerful yet sometimes are empty," Europa innocently consoled her uncle. Little did she know that she's inches away from asking her dear uncle about her missing dad.

"Yeah, I know. I was just wondering that how could you be sister Reiji's daughter wherein fact, I'm the more creative compared to her!" Yuvin responded. He tries to mask his worries with a fake laugh, and by overdoing his confidence.

"Oh! I'm gonna tell Mama about that!" Europa teased her uncle. She then let out a laugh which eased Yuvin's heart. For now.

"Are you done? Go finish decorating your cupcakes with Ai and Bai," Yuvin smiled. "Oh, how did uncle know? The icing on your hair explains it, kiddo," he answered his niece's curious look.

Europa ran off to the kitchen with such excitement. "Miss Ai and Bai, I'm coming!" she shouted.

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Meanwhile, few hours before 3 in the afternoon, Yuvin is still deciding whether he would wear his crisp white long sleeves topped with brown Cashmere trench coat with a sleek black tie and mid-waist dark grey suit pants, or his tailored haute d' couture brick red three-piece tuxedo paired with brick red bowtie. What would Leilei prefer? This matinee laid back look, or should I look put to—

"Woah, what are you thinking, Young Master Yuvin? You should be dressed in two hours, now's not the time to think about her!" he scolded himself in the mirror.

He just chose the prior, for he remembered the color of her sister's pants suit ballgown. He doesn't want to steal the show; it's Reiji's first blow of revenge after all.

"Laid back it is," he told himself as he put back the couture inside his closet. He chose this limited edition Tissot gold watch to match his outfit. As he looks at his scent collection, he chose a classic yet crisp smell: Jovan Musk.

"Timeless and classic," he exclaimed as he sniffed the cologne.

Inside Europa's room, Ai and Bai add the finishing touches of her milkmaid Dutch braid. It goes well with her black tube ballgown with a turtleneck organza outmost layer, embroidered with Tulips and Roses.

"You look so good, Little Miss!" the twins exclaimed with horizon. They made her twirl, which Europa giggled while doing so. She felt like she was really a princess; it's her first time wearing a simple yet elegant gown.

Yuvin, peeking at the door, was busy filming her niece. He tries to stifle his laughter, for she would show his sister how the twins and Europa liked dressing up.

"Are you ready, Europa?" Yuvin asked by the doorway. He couldn't just enter the room; he knows that Europa knows consent and such.

Ai and Bai, both wearing a white Chinese-collared long sleeves paired with high-waisted suit pants, got up on their feet and bowed.

"Yes, I am, uncle!" Europa answered delightfully. She grabbed on her uncle's hand, and walked to the foyer.

"They have arrived," one of Wang's most trusted bodyguards informed Ren Tao.

As soon as Yuvin, Europa, and the twins stepped on the event hall, the pulse of the party stopped for a moment. All of the guests turned their heads towards the heiress and the Hideout's newest master.

"Who is he? He does look familiar and unfamiliar at the same time!"

"He looks like my future husband! Oh, is that his… child?! Well, I don't care. Might as well love her like my own!"

"Whose child is that? I would like to arrange her with my youngest. Hehehe!"

The ocean of sneering couldn't escape Europa's hearing. Surprisingly, it made her feel more confident.

"Uncle, I know why they're looking at us," she told her uncle. Her statement doesn't beg for a response, as it was a mere soliloquy from the young one.

"Because we're beautiful. Even Miss Ai and Bai look classy!" she continued. Yuvin couldn't help but to admire the kid. She may be young, but she sure is the most eloquent among her age group.

"This way to your seats, our beloved guests," a chaperone wearing an all-black ensemble ushered the Wangs and the twins to their seat, second table from the first row. He bowed then pointed his arm to their designated seats.

Europa couldn't help but giggle at the thought of having ushered. She's never been to such events before. But Ai and Bai must've dropped their jaws at the sight of the event. It's their first time to wear such elegant gowns, and been to an event like this before.

"Bro, hold up! Won't wait for me, eh?" Quin Rong called Wang Yuvin, draping his arm over Yuvin's and joined them whilst being escorted to their seats.

As soon as they're seated, Yuvin was called to give his opening speech for the night to start.

"Good evening, everyone, our esteemed guests. Thank you for coming to the grand opening of the century! May you seat back and relax 'cause Oriental Europa's here to make you experience the vacation of the lifetime!" he started. He seemed unfocused, kept on blabbering words just to suffice the time given.

As he looks across the crowd, no sight of Kiang Leilei was found. Not even a glimpse of her long brown locks that has Yuvin dying to touch it cannot be seen.

Why is she not here? Was she not invited? Is she hiding from me...and if yes, why? Is she just late or something?

Yuvin cleared his throat before gave the latter part of his speech. "And now, you could be rest assured that Oriental Europa would be your breeding ground—not only just for budding business encounters, but also to cater your self-exploration! Let's give a hand of applause to…" his voice trailed off as he saw a guy talking to clueless Europa. His mask stands out from the rest as it doesn't conform to the motif of the event. He kneels next to Europa while caressing her hair, making Europa giggle and squirm with so much joy.

This can't be… You must not meet Europa! Zhang Chenric, you don't have the every right to get near your daughter. This can't be! And oh, how could Rong be oblivious? Europa and Chenric is right behind him!

"I have to do something," he muttered under his breath and clenched his jaw. He took a bow then off the stage he went. But oh, boy! He couldn't go straight to Europa, for he was stuck in the crowd of wannabe's and parasites.

"Hey, bro…I have this business proposal," a familiar voice called his attention.

He faced the direction of the voice, and saw Kim Yang looking all so puppy-like.

"Bro? Sorry I don't associate myself with weaklings and wannabe's like you, Kim Yang," Wang Yuvin spitted, and tried to get pass through the crowd.

"Tsk…tsk…what an arrogant brat!" Kim Yang answered back, looking at Yuvin with a smug face on.

The Hideout's newest master couldn't contain his temper, so he faced him; their faces only inches away from each other. Yuvin leaned closer to Kim Yang's ear, "May I remind you that this arrogant brat you're pertaining to practically co-owns this place. You're in my territory, Kim…Yang…"

Without hesitation nor looking back, Yuvin got passed through with an ease—thanks to the surprised faces of the people surrounding him.

The hall was filled with drum beating, dimming the lights low as to signal that the video commercial of Oriental Europa has started.

Gasps filled the air as the watch the opening scene of the video: a lady wearing a red pantsuit ballgown darts across the woods then pushes herself up against the wall. Then she goes running again, leaving no trail behind but her footprints, trying to escape the wrath of her past. As soon as she tried looking back, she tripped, and the screen went black for a moment.

The camera panned across a river where the actress only showing the half of her face. She went out of it, her soaked puffed see-through long sleeves draped over her black corset lingerie made the audience gasp. A crow which flew just above her head shrieked terrifyingly, and in a split second, it hit the tallest tree; and a village wildfire brightened the terrified actress' face.

What did he give her? Maybe it has a hypnotizing scent that would make Europa sleep…then, he would kidnap her?

She woke up on a soft bed, jolted the half of her body forward. Beads of sweat are forming on her forehead, and she looked around. It was all a dream, a bittersweet dream.

The screen turned black, and went on the lights. A deafening applause from the crowd filled the hall.

Yuvin bowed, and hurriedly went to his niece.

"Look, uncle! Someone returned me this!" Europa boasted a yellow ribbon. "He said it fell off my dress…does this go with my gown, uncle?" she absent-mindedly asked, not even expecting an answer.

"Ai, Bai, what are you doing? Huh? How could you let strangers get closer to Europa, let alone let them talk and hand her something? Do you wanna get fired?" Yuvin furiously asked their twin maids. Their eyes were watery, and looking for solace. Even though Yuvin only whispered, his stern tone sent shivers to the poor maids' spines. "How could you be so oblivious? Europa's dress doesn't have a ribbon!" Yuvin snatched the ribbon from his niece's hand, and shook it in front of Quin Rong and Ai and Bai's faces. He placed the ribbon on the table, and pulled his phone and showed a picture of Europa in her room, showing the back detail of her gown. He took it before entering the room, and have it sent to Wang Reiji.

The supposed babysitter and assigned babysitter to the Little Miss bodies instantly became cold, and anyone who would touch them would suffer hypothermia.

Europa touched her lower back, feeling the fabric of her elegant gown. She's wondering how would the ribbon be removed if the dressmaker said it was finished?

"I don't feel anything, uncle…the ribbon doesn't have any black fabric on it," Europa blurted. She just shrugged, and tugged at his uncle's hand.

The adults' hearts sank, and even Yuvin's hand grew cold.