Red Verification | z.m ✔️

Chapter one.

🌙Cause red lips have a filthy price, thats a murder, in her paradise.🌙

•ZAYN•

Boredom. That's how I'm feeling right now, in this big ballroom, although I'm standing with couple of acquaintances, but they're all talking about stuffs that aren't necessarily interesting.

I sip on my champagne and scan the place, people in different shapes are all around, women wearing fancy dresses, men with their tuxedos, all wearing masks, since it's a masquerade ball. some dancing, some eating, some just standing like us; talking and drinking their drinks.

I haven't paid much attention to the ballroom, now I see that's it's beautifully decorated, it's old, It's also huge, its golden walls were filled with even more golden decor, making it all seem like it was all taken out of a Versailles dining hall ready for a feast, I look up, the chandeliers hung spread around the great ballroom ceiling, their shiny material in great contrast to the paintings above them, and their dull lighting illuminating on the great dining tables below, giving it all a magical atmosphere. Whoever built this place, has really put effort in it.

I adjust my mask and walk towards the buffet, I take a plate and put some bread sticks, spring rolls and chicken satay, I begin to eat, I'm not really hungry but It's a way to busy myself. I don't want to look like a creep when I'm looking around at everything and everyone, I'm not here to party after all.

I look down to check the time, it says 9:42 pm, I'm waiting for my fellow partner to notify me when our target arrives, well, that would be someone suspicious because we don't really know her, but we suppose that she's aiming to steal the crown, it's a prize really, made with all these precious jewels, from citrine, to opal, to tanzanite, basically almost every precious jewel, I've never seen it but it's reported that it's really invaluable.

I put my half eaten plate back on the table and usher for the servant to come to me, I replace my empty glass on the tray and take another one, I thank him and take a sip. I'm not trying to get drunk, but this is plain boring, the ball has been going for hours and she hasn't made an appearance, maybe it was a false alarm after all.

"It's pretty boring, isn't it?" My head snaps towards the voice, it's a lady, I can't make out her features since she's giving me her side profile -plus she has a mask on-, but she has abundant flaxen curly blonde hair, she's sipping on her drink, although I can't really see her face fully but -as cheesy as it sounds- she looks like some kind of a queen.

she's wearing a décolleté dress, sweetheart neckline with thin black straps, From the waist down, the skirt of the gown is deep emerald satin with golden floral embroidery, it's simple but outstanding.

Before I get too lost in examining her I answer, "yeah, it is."

She finally turns her head towards me, almost knocking me out of breathe from how beautiful she is, when I meet her gaze, I felt drawn into her eyes. The icy blueness with hint of green generated a feeling like I was being pulled into a lake of frozen emotions. It was like all the myriad shades of blue swirled together to form a whirlpool of apprehension.

My gaze fall down to her lips, they are full and pillowy, covered in a bright shade of red, It's like I couldn't get my eyes off them, I wanted to trace my baby finger along the sweet outline where her skin met her mouth.

My eyes trail down to her body, her dress clings perfectly to her cleavage area, I notice the many moles she had, she's also wearing black lace gloves. This woman was the epitome of beauty, even though she's wearing a mask.