All I Ask Of You

Chapter 16

1 month later

I hadn't seen Erik ever since the night I had kissed him, which was confirmation that I must've upset him. It felt empty without him, I missed the feeling of his presence, his voice, and everything about him, but I supposed I couldn't have him forever, after all, he wasn't mine to have.

I spent the month with Phillipe, forcing myself to love him even though I knew I didn't. I know it's wrong of me to do this when he has loved me so honestly, but I didn't want to hurt him, I couldn't bear it if I did.

I was waiting with him in front of the Opera Populaire for Christine and Raoul who were supposed to be coming back today. I saw their carriage coming around the corner Christine's head poking out of the window, waving enthusiastically at me as it approached, almost immediately running out and tackling me with a hug as soon as they arrived.

"Celeste, I've missed you so much!" She exclaimed, hugging me tightly as she did.

"I've missed you too, it hasn't been the same without you," I told her with a smile as she pulled off.

"There's so much I have to tell you," Christine said as she began to pull me up the steps, Raoul and Phillipe following with her luggage.

She began to talk about her days at the estate going horseback riding, attending fancy parties and dances, picking roses in the garden, and her life filled with luxury.

It sounded like a dream.

"That sounds wonderful, Christine."

"It was, I loved every single second of it,"

I could hear her sigh deeply as she looked around the room.

"I didn't want to leave, honestly I was frightened to come back here, but now being here I'm not afraid anymore."

I smiled softly at her as I took her hands into mine.

"That's great Christine, you wouldn't want to be afraid when we have our masquerade dance tonight, do you have a dress to wear?"

Christine laughed and nodded her head.

"Oui, I have just the thing."

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I fiddled with the white, silky gloves that I wore, feeling uncomfortable in such fancy attire, never having the opportunity before to wear a dress as fancy as this. It was a cornflower blue, with a low neckline where I wore a silver necklace with blue jewels that matched my dress, Christine gifting it to me to wear tonight. I wore a silver masquerade mask that covered my face's upper half.

I was waiting for Phillipe outside of the doors where the dance was being held, not feeling comfortable going into such a crowded space by myself, which was strange considering I could perform in front of the crowd by myself perfectly fine, but I couldn't be in one by myself.

"Celeste, you look absolutely breathtaking," Phillipe said as he suddenly appeared in front of me.

I smiled as he kissed me on the cheek about to say something when I felt the familiar sense of someone watching me.

I turned around, hope filling my chest that I would catch a glimpse of Erik, even for a moment, but I saw nothing but other guests walking in, laughing with each other as they did.

I sighed, figuring that it was nothing, he wasn't there.

"Are you all right?" Phillipe asked me, concern filling his tone.

I smiled, covering up my disappointed expression.

"I'm perfectly fine, now shall we go in and dance?"

"I supposed we should," He said with a chuckle as he offered his arm to me.

I accepted it and he guided me inside.

Everyone's spirits were high, and the energy that filled the room was intoxicating, making anyone upbeat and in an overwhelmingly positive mood. The orchestra played the greatest music I had ever heard, adding to the room's energy.

Phillipe his right hand on my waist, the other holding my hand and leading me in a waltz on the dancefloor. I had never danced before and kept on stepping on his shoes multiple times, apologizing in between, but he only laughed.

"You're not the most elegant dancer, are you?"

"I've never had many opportunities to dance, not everyone is able to attend fancy parties all the time as you are," I teased as I once again stepped on his foot.

"You're lucky you are so beautiful otherwise I might take offense at that," He told me with a chuckle.

A wave of guilt suddenly slammed into me and I felt sick to my stomach as I looked into his deep blue eyes, seeing all the love and adoration he had for me filling them, while I felt nothing.

I was deceiving him into thinking I loved him and in turn hurting him more, the one thing that I was trying to avoid.

I stopped dancing, Phillipe giving me a quizzical stare and I took a deep breath, I couldn't do this anymore, he had a right to know, but just as I was about to form the words to tell him suddenly a familiar presence filled the room. A series of gasps came from the crowd as they stared ahead towards the staircase where I saw slowly descending them dressed as Red Death was the Phantom.

"Why so silent, good messieurs?" He asked in a condescending tone as his eyes scanned the crowd.

I could feel Phillipe wrapping his arm around my waist in a protective motion.

"Did you think that I had left you for good, have you missed me good messieurs?" A smirk was on his face as he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, the crowd backing away from him in silent horror.

Erik turned to the managers Firmin and Andre as he pulled out from underneath his red cape a manuscript tied with a black ribbon.

"I have written you an Opera called Don Juan Triumphant."

The managers exchanged fearful glances at one another and Andre quickly took it from the Opera Ghost's gloved hands.

As soon as it was taken from his hands he narrowed his eyes at the managers.

"I advise you to comply, after all, there are worse things than a shattered chandelier!"

Then suddenly Erik turned his eyes immediately landed on me, filled with rage, knowing exactly where I was in the crowd.

He pointed a gloved finger at me making a motion for me to come forward.

I could hear my heart roaring in my ears as the crowd parted, making a clear path from where I stood to the Phantom.

I slipped out of Phillipe's grasp, who tried to grab me again, but I was too far away.

I felt like a child who had gotten into trouble with their parents and was dreading the consequences of their actions.

I fiddled with my fingers as I stood in front of him, unable to look into his eyes.

"Celeste,"

At the sound of my name, I slowly lifted my gaze to his, fear making my heart pound.

"Your chains are still mine, you belong to me!" He told me his tone filled with an iciness that I had never heard before.

I opened my mouth wanting to say something, absolutely anything, but before I could he swirled his cape and in a poof of white smoke he was gone.