Page 101 of Sweet Venom

Then, without so much as a glance back, he turned and sauntered away, leaving me alone.

I rolled my eyes, still smiling, and I watched him go. I couldn’t help feeling a warmth inside me at the ridiculous bond I had with this stubborn creature.

After that, I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled when I realized that the woman staring back at me looked genuinely happy—and I hadn’t felt this happy in a long time. With that thought in mind, I stepped out of the room, adjusting the hem of my skirt as I went.

I wasn’t sure exactly where Azariel would be, but I knew I needed to see him. After last night, I couldn’t wait to find out what our days moving forward would look like.

I had no clue, but I knew deep down in my soul that my days with him would be magical and more. Of that I was sure of. How could they not? When it’s … him.

The cold hall stretched out before me, but I wasn’t sure where to start looking for him. He could be anywhere, and I was determined not to waste time.

I started with the library and he wasn’t there. Neither was in the sitting room. Maybe he’s in the garden. I should’ve looked for him there first. When he was a boy he would spend countless hours helping aunt Kadra to tend the roses.

My footsteps were soft against the polished floor as I moved deeper into the house. Then, as I neared the grand ballroom, I heard voices. Quiet at first, then rising with the hum of busy activity.

I slowed, curiosity tugging me forward. As I rounded the corner into the expansive ballroom, I came to a halt. The sight before me stopped me cold.

What is going on?

A small group of staff was working diligently on decorations, each person moving with purpose, hanging blue ribbons, adjusting flowers, and positioning candle holders in shapes of hearts. The space was alive with movement and beauty that left me in awe.

But it wasn’t the strangers that made me stop—it was the transformation of the room itself.

The manor’s grand ballroom was being transformed into something out of a blue dream. Long, dark blue ribbons cascaded from the high ceiling, curling around the edges of the space and draping down the walls. Blue roses were scattered across the marble floors in artful disarray, their pretty blue shade a contrast with the pale floor. Black chandeliers, their crystals glinting in the soft light, hovered just above the dance floor, casting a cool glow over the entire space. It was breathtaking, and it left me wondering what was going on.

My attention was on the two men who were carefully positioning blue roses along the edges of the dance floor. Their delicate petals made the room seem like something straight out of a fairytale. Their design was so deliberately haunting—it was hard to imagine how it would look when it was finally finished. I’m sure it will look amazing.

I took a few steps into the room, wondering where Azariel was in all of this. He hadn’t mentioned he had a party today.

I wandered further inside, looking for him, but there was no sign of him. Instead, one of the decorators, a handsome young guy with auburn hair tied into a messy bun, noticed me.

I frowned, a thought ticking in the back of my mind. “Hi. What’s all this for?” I asked, my eyes sweeping over the scene.

He gave me a warm smile. “The boss’s annual birthday ball, Miss. It’s a tradition his mother insists on every year.”

“Birthday ball?” I repeated, blinking in confusion. I didn’t think Azariel did birthdays. The whole idea seemed so… alien to the man I knew.

A birthday ball? Why didn’t I know this? No one in our family has ever mentioned Aunt Kadra threw him a birthday ball every year.

“Yes, Miss. It’s always an extravagant affair. Very much a family tradition.”

Ahh… maybe they celebrated him just for them. That makes sense since Azariel never had a birthday party growing up. It’s because they kept it between them perhaps knowing it was the only way to celebrate their son.

I stood there for a moment, processing. I couldn’t imagine him enjoying such an event, especially with how private and guarded he was and how little he enjoyed the gatherings our family used to host when we were kids. But then again, maybe it wasn’t for him. Maybe it was to make his mother happy.

“Well, that’s… sweet,” I muttered. “Thanks for letting me know…”

“Lucas…”

“Thank you, Lucas.”

The man nodded, his smile unwavering. “Of course, Miss. Would you like to see more?”

Of course, I did.

I wanted to see more of everything and even more so if it’s the love his mother shows him through a birthday ball.

I can just imagine his cold ass enduring a birthday bash just because it brought his mother joy.

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