Phantom's Understudy

Part Fourteen - Betrayal

"From the top of Point of No Return." The Maestro called out.

I got in position and fell to my knees, waiting for Piangi to start singing. I played with the ring on my left ring finger that Erik had given me as I sat there.

"You have come here

In pursuit of your deepest urge

In pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent

Silent

I have brought you

That our passions may fuse and merge

In your mind you've already succumbed to me

Dropped all defenses, completely succumbed to me

Now you are here with me, no second thoughts

You've decided, decided"

I looked over at Piangi, who I know had a deep hate for me because I had stolen Carlotta's spotlight. I am sure he had to deal with a lot when the two were home.

My mind had wandered from there and started fantasizing about Erik and me living together...arguing over what to eat for dinner. Over what color carriage had passed out house. And our house...

"Beyond the point of no return?"

Oh that's my queue. I tried to get out of lala land and stood.

"You have brought me

To that moment where words run dry

To that moment where speech disappears into silence

Silence

I have come here

Hardly knowing the reason why

In my mind I've already imagined our bodies entwining, defenseless and silent

And now I am here with you, no second thoughts

I've decided, decided"

And we continued to go up the staircase to meet at the top while I sang. Piangi joined me in singing and the scene ended. We were supposed to kiss at the end, but we saved that for the actual performance. We both descended the staircases and the director called for the rehearsal to end.

Afterwards, I had dinner plans with Erik. We had tried to see each other every night so that I could bring a little bit of my things every day to his lair, so it didn't look suspicious. We were planning to escape through the trap door behind the stage just after the end of the Opera.

Erik told me he wouldn't be noticed, and I trusted him. God I prayed that he wasn't just saying that to make me shut up.

I started making my way to the Prima Donna room, but was stopped by Ben in the hall.

I stopped abruptly and looked up at him. "Oh, Ben." I murmured.

I had been avoiding him to the best of my abilities since the Masquerade. Not because I was angry. I just wasn't ready to explain why I avoided people for the first 3 days afterwards.

"Love, it's been almost two weeks. Whatever has been going on with you?"

I smiled to hide my awkwardness. "Why, nothing, Ben. I had a cold last week, and just recovered."

"You haven't been avoiding me?" He said with a concerned look in his face. I felt awful, especially seeing his eyes have hurt within them.

I looked around the hall, not sure how to respond. "Of course not."

His eyes locked on my finger for a moment and his eyes squinted slightly. Once I noticed, my heart raced and I put my right hand over the ring, trying to make it look normal.

"So..." I said, trying to bring up another subject.

"You're engaged?" He asked.

Oh crap. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack.

"Don't tell me you're engaged to him." He said, his eyes suddenly filled with hate and fire. 

What? He knew?

"Whoever do you mean, Ben? I can't just...wear a ring?" I asked, trying to play everything off as normal.

"You know who I mean. That...that murderer. The one you were escorted by to the Masquerade. And you wouldn't wear a ring on that finger for any other reason."

Oh God. What in the world did I do to deserve to never have happiness? I didn't even know how to try to cover anything up.

"Elizabeth." He said.

I knew I wasn't hiding my panic. My eyes didn't know where to look.

"Elizabeth!"

I snapped out of my trance as he pulled me into my room roughly. He slammed the door behind him and he threw me to the middle of the room.

"What in the world has he done to you to convince you to marry him?!" He yelled loudly. I winced at his voice and was honestly terrified. I had never imagined him with anger like this.

"I..I..."

"You what?! What does he have that I couldn't give you?! A dead body?!" He hissed.

He was walking towards me, which caused me to step backwards, trying to keep a safe distance between us.

"Ben - please - stop." I pleaded in the calmest tone I could manage. "You are scaring me."

"Scaring you? But someone who kills doesn't?!"

"He isn't like that." I responded, my foot hitting the corner of my bedframe. 

Ben scoffed at the comment. "Then what has he done for you?"

He pushed me on my bed and put his hand around my neck, holding me down, but not tight enough to actually choke me.

"Ben, please, what's gotten into you?"

"You, Elizabeth. You. I'm not about to lose you to someone like that. To anyone." He growled.

"I...I don't know what you want me to say." I said, still terrified that he had me pinned down.

"Say you are getting married to me. Say that you will come home with me. For God's sake, Elizabeth, we met in another country and found each other! Is that not a sign to you?"

I was silent, but I felt his grip tighten. I coughed slightly. "Ben, please. We are from different worlds."

"I will kill him."

My heart stopped. No. No no no.

"Ok - ok, ben." I said immediately.

Ben's hand loosened.

"I will go with you. I will marry you." My eyes began filling with tears. I was finally happy, just to have it taken away from me. Again. "Just...don't hurt him."

He pulled his hand away and backed up from me, fixing his royal suit.

"Great, now was that so difficult, love?" He said, voice back to his cheery self, as if he didn't just choke me.

"I'll be back with a proper ring for you." He turned around and walked towards the door. He turned his head before opening the door.

"Oh, and, don't try to run...or tell anyone about this whole situation. I know where your parents live. I know where his home is. I know almost everything against you. I will figure out a way to ruin you." He said, walking out of the room.

My eyes were streaming tears and I began weeping at my bed. Whatever had I done that God decided that I deserved this?