บท 2: Chapter 2: Nightmare

"Hey, we are going back," I declared in a commanding tone. The carriage driver flinched slightly upon hearing my voice.

"Yes, young master!" The old carriage driver had been waiting just outside the banquet hall. I had a hunch that I would need to leave the ball swiftly.

Soon, the carriage came into my view. It was an exquisite carriage adorned with gold and silver engravings on its wooden structure, displaying an insignia - a crescent moon entwined with nightshade flowers, signifying my status, or at least my father's.

I stepped into the ornate carriage, its plush interior offering a stark contrast to the turmoil I had just left behind at the ball. The soft, velvet cushions cradled me as the door closed with a satisfying thud.

As the carriage began to roll forward, I gazed out of the window at the fading lights of the grand mansion, pondering the events of the evening.

The moonlight bathed the world outside, casting an otherworldly glow on the city's streets. I watched as the buildings, wrapped in shadows, passed by one by one. It was a stark reminder of the gulf that separated me from the commoners who inhabited these streets.

How I wished I could be one of them, but I hoped this night would bring an end to it, once and for all.

The carriage's gentle rocking and the rhythmic sound of hooves on cobblestones offered a sense of solace. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to close my eyes and escape the turmoil of the night. The soft scent of leather and polished wood filled the air, creating a cocoon of luxury and comfort.

"Home, young master?" the carriage driver's voice broke the silence.

I opened my eyes and nodded. "Yes, ... home."

It took a tad longer than usual to get there - this place was my home.

At least, that's what I used to think and still wanted to believe.

"Here, young master," the driver said as he opened the carriage door but kept his eyes low to avoid making eye contact with me.

I stepped down.

In front of me stood a grand manor, its imposing presence and the gardens surrounding it, along with the cobblestone path leading to the entrance.

The manor's facade was an impressive sight, even in the dim light of the moon. Its towering structure and ornate architecture spoke of generations of wealth and nobility. The cobblestone path led me closer to the grand entrance, and I couldn't help but recall the countless times I had walked this path.

As I approached the massive oak doors, they opened with a soft, almost eerie creak. The mansion's interior was as opulent as ever, with chandeliers hanging from high ceilings and marble floors gleaming in the dim light.

Servants moved silently about, their presence barely acknowledged as they went about their duties. The atmosphere inside was one of hushed reverence, as if the very walls held the secrets of the family that had lived here for generations.

I made my way through the familiar corridors, past portraits of ancestors long gone, their eyes seeming to follow me with each step. The weight of their gazes bore down on my back.

Reaching my private chambers, I closed the door behind me, finally able to escape the prying eyes and the stifling atmosphere of the grand hall. The room was a sanctuary, a place where I could be myself, away from the demands of society and the facade I wore in public.

I walked to the window and gazed out at the moonlit garden below. Its beauty was a stark contrast to the cold and calculated world of high society. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine a life outside these walls, a life where I could be free from the constraints of these phenomena.

Knock!

There was a knock on the door, and I realized my peace was no longer an option.

I walked up to the door and opened it, only to see a woman in her thirties with long, jet-black lustrous hair and a face as pale as a ghost.

"What do you want, Mother?" I asked, clenching my jaw.

Slap!

"How dare you disgrace our house like this." She didn't raise her voice even a single note higher, but the coldness and anger were evident.

I let the burning sensation settle into my left cheek and swallowed any words of explanation that could have erupted.

"And even in this important time, how can you even do this to us? Have you forgotten how much we invested in you?" She spoke as if I was nothing but cattle to be sold.

"Mother-" I thought of resolving this.

Slap!

But another slap came with words that followed, "Don't call me that; I never gave birth to filth like you, never ever." Saying this, she turned around and left.

**Silence**

I closed the door, putting my hand on my jaw, I stretched it a bit... damn, that woman hits quite hard.

Walking in front of the mirror, I untucked a few buttons at the top of my shirt that made it hard for me to breathe... haa.

He stands at around six feet tall, and his form is lean yet well-defined. He possesses raven-black hair that falls gracefully over his forehead. His blue eyes, framed by long, dark lashes, are something that he inherited. His facial structure is defined with high cheekbones and a strong jawline,

"I hope this one's the last." I wished.

This is me....I am Asher Amire Vaishè, Son of Marquis Amire Vaishè and heir of this house.

Currently, I find myself in a very weird position, and that is...

I've lived my life three times in this loop.

Weird? I know... maybe I don't.

I don't know why, but these things keep happening to me again and again. Whenever I pass this night of the academy ball, I am thrown back seven years ago.

Every time it's the same thing. I go to the ball, and then I am shamed for loving Aurora by Alex, and we end up fighting or something, and then... the next morning, I am back to that same day.

The first time I met Aurora.

"Haha," a dry chuckle left my mouth. I am nothing but a hopeless person for falling in love with the same girl more than once.

And getting the same results over and over again.

But this time, I ended the engagement from my side, hoping that something would change.

Hoping that the next time I wake up, I won't be sitting in front of that adorable girl who'd see me as me and be kind to me.

Sighing, I just went to bed.

If I wake up tomorrow - I hope I can get a contract.

If I wake up tomorrow, I hope I can get a contract. The thought lingered in my mind as I closed my eyes, trying to find solace in sleep. Each night, I hoped for a change, for something to break this endless loop, but it remained elusive.

As I lay there, I couldn't help but wonder what had triggered this bizarre phenomenon. Was it some curse, a twist of fate, or simply a cruel joke? I had no answers, only questions that swirled in my mind.

The memory of my previous lives played like a film in my head. The pain of repeating the same mistakes, the frustration of being unable to change the course of events, it weighed heavily on my shoulders.

Perhaps this time, ending the engagement would make a difference. Maybe, just maybe, it would alter the course of the night, and I wouldn't have to face the same heartache again. But deep down, I knew that hope was a fragile thing, easily shattered in the face of an unrelenting reality.

With these thoughts, I drifted into a restless slumber.

.....

"Huh?" The next time I woke up, I found myself sitting at the end of the table.

"So will we get married?" A small, almost whisper-like question was directed at me as she made a bashful expression, her upturned eyes slightly watery.

My heartbeat stopped, and I felt as if everything I had done until now was nothing but a wasted effort.

"No..." A solemn word escaped my mouth, and it startled me as well, not because of the rejection, which I had never given at this point because of my family, but...

How deep my voice sounded or how...it didn't change.