Taming The Spoiled Brat

The desperate cry cuts through the ballroom, sharp and loud. A woman stands near the far corner, her hands raised in panic, her voice breaking with every word.

"My daughter!" The woman stumbles forward, shaking, her eyes wide with terror. "Faye, my daughter's gone!"

The crowd parts as Rafael steps forward, his face hardening as his eyes narrow at the woman. He walks quickly toward her, and for a split second, I thought he's about to brush her off, but instead, his voice is calm, authoritative.

"Ma'am, calm down." Rafael's tone is steady, though there's an edge of urgency behind it. He reaches out to gently grab the woman by the arm. "I need to know your daughter's name."

The woman looks up at Rafael with tear-filled eyes, her chest rising and falling with panicked breaths. She's trembling, but Rafael remains calm, his presence offering her some comfort amidst the chaos.

"Faye Gonzalez," The woman chokes on the name, clutching her hands to her chest as if that's the only thing keeping her together. "Her name is Faye. She's my only child. Please... please help me find her."

Rafael's eyes flicker with something dark, something serious as he listens intently. He doesn't speak for a moment, processing everything. His gaze then shifts to me, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face before he looks back at the woman.

"What was she wearing?" He asks, his voice still low but firm.

The woman takes a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "She was wearing a navy blue dress. A gown… just like that girl over there."

I don't even need to look to know that she's pointing at me. The cold feeling creeps up my spine, and I slowly turn my head, making eye contact with Rafael. The color. The same navy blue dress I'm wearing. My stomach drops as my heart skips a beat.

I freeze, a thousand thoughts running through my mind. Was this a coincidence? Why would she think that?

Rafael's expression shifts, and for the first time tonight, I see something raw flash across his face, fear. It's almost imperceptible, but I catch it.

His jaw tightens, and his gaze locks with mine, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You're sure?" Rafael asks, his voice cold, almost accusing.

His eyes dart between me and the woman. The tension thickens between us. I don't know why he's looking at me like that, almost as if I'm involved in something I don't understand.

The woman nods frantically, her voice high-pitched with panic. "Yes! She was wearing the same dress! I saw her, I know it was her!"

His gaze shifts to the crowd as if searching for someone. His hand is still gripping the woman's arm, but his attention is fully focused on me now.

Without a word, he pulls out his phone, dialing quickly. The crowd continues to buzz with the confusion, but I can feel the intensity of the situation closing in around me.

"I need you to stay here." He turns to the woman for a moment, his voice barely above a whisper. Then, he looks back at me, his eyes intense. "Don't go anywhere."

I nod, too confused to argue, but my heart is pounding in my chest, the unease spreading.

I watch as Rafael strides off toward the entrance, his phone to his ear, his face hard as he speaks to someone I can't hear. The room feels oddly still now, like everyone is waiting for something to happen.

I'm still standing there, trying to process what's just occurred. The noise and chaos from before have died down, but there's a strange energy in the air.

Later that Night

Rafael doesn't return immediately. He's gone for what feels like an eternity, and I can barely make sense of what happened. My mind is spinning with questions, What does this have to do with me?

I feel restless. Confused.

Finally, Rafael walks back into the ballroom, his jaw tight, his face colder than before. There's a shift in his eyes when he looks at me, something unspoken, something deep.

He doesn't explain himself, doesn't offer any answers. Instead, he grabs my arm gently but firmly, pulling me away from the crowd and into the hallway.

I don't protest.

Once we're out of earshot from everyone, Rafael looks down at me, his gaze piercing.

My throat dry." Rafael, What's... what is happening"

His fingers tighten around my wrist, but he doesn't say anything for a long moment. His eyes are clouded with something, anger, fear, maybe both.

Finally, he speaks, his voice a murmur. "I don't know what's going on. I'll take care of it. Just trust me, Amanda."

I swallow, but I can't bring myself to respond. I'm too caught up in the whirlwind of emotions swirling around me.