Chapter Text
Izzy’s fingers were shaking as she applied the final touches to her outfit.
She was really doing this. She was really sneaking out.
Goosebumps broke out across her skin as she slipped on her velvet gloves. She took a deep breath as she picked up a wine red velvet choker with the Mikaelson crest hanging off it.
Her father gifted it to her when he claimed her as his, and she had never taken it off since. But tonight? She didn’t want to wear it.
Biting her lip, she set down the choker on its stand and selected a gold necklace instead, carefully clasping it around her neck. She smiled as she gazed at herself in the mirror.
She looked beautiful.
She felt beautiful.
For tonight, she had chosen a black halter neck midi - dress out of velvet. It was backless, showing off her toned, leanly muscled back.
She had purchased the dress last Christmas and this was the first time she was wearing it. She finally had an occasion that made her worthy of wearing such a dress.
For a split second, she wanted to tell her father where she was going – but quickly shot the idea down.
The last thing she needed was her father to fly off the handle. Even though the topic of dating and romantic relationships hadn’t been brought up, Izzy knew that he wouldn’t approve.
He was protective, possessive even. One time on a summer getaway to Greece, he had slaughtered three boys who were dancing and flirting with her.
That was the scariest night of her life. She had never seen him so violent and bloodthirsty.
She winced as she remembered how terrified she was.
She tried to run away from him – suddenly fearing that he would end her life, but he easily caught her and claimed that he would never hurt her. She received the most brutal of spanks that day.
The beast that he had always warned her about was on the surface that night. What was supposed to be a fun night had turned into a needless tragedy. She shivered as the awful images flashed through her head.
No matter how hard she tried to forget it, she would always somehow remember. That incident would forever be ingrained in her mind.
She wondered why her father never compelled her to forget it. She wanted him to, but she changed her mind. It wasn’t fair how their families would remember when she would not.
Her father was too vengeful to even think about compelling her in any case. It took all of his siblings to restrain him from slaughtering everyone in sight.
Izzy shook her head furiously, long wavy tresses bouncing around her head. She didn’t want to think about that right now, or ever.
She wanted to have a night to something for herself for a change. A happy smile broke across her beautiful features as she thought of the man whom she was meeting tonight.
Kei.
A thousand butterflies took flight in her stomach just at his name.
The tingles shot through her body, making her shiver excitedly. Kei was a wealthy international student from Japan whom she had met at a coffee shop.
As soon as she laid eyes on him, she knew that he had to be hers. The attraction between them was immediate, magnetic.
They couldn’t keep away from each other. Just three hours after they met for the first time, they shared a passionate kiss in the library.
They had made deep, passionate love only four days later after their first date, stumbling into Kei’s dorm room where they burned in their love for one another. Izzy was certain that their love could burn the world.
Kei was intelligent, loyal, kind, and handsome. Those were just some of his attributes that she loved so much. She still couldn’t understand how she got so lucky.
She thought that was stupid for falling so fast, but when she saw how Kei had fallen for her too, she knew that it was real.
She had never experienced romance like this.
Their love was the very definition of wild and passionate. Izzy feared that their love would somehow spiral out of control, but Kei assured her many times that that wouldn’t happen.
Izzy knew that they were meant to be. Izzy had fallen first, but Kei had fallen even harder. A giddy smile made its way onto her face as she finished up her makeup.
She added glittering eyeshadow to her eyelids and applied even more glittery makeup to her cheeks, nose and lips.
Tonight, they would be celebrating their six month anniversary. A small part of her felt sad that she couldn’t tell her father, but she feared how he would react. She loosened herself out, shaking her head.
“No dark thoughts,” she murmured to herself as she pushed her chair out and plucked up her handbag, phone, keys and wallet.
Her eyes cast down to the gold Cartier wristwatch that sat elegantly on her hand. Kei would be picking her up in exactly two minutes.
She could hardly contain her excitement as she rocked two and fro in her black Dior platform heels. She took a short breath as she shook her hands around, trying to calm herself down.
She whirled around, wanting to check herself one last time. She nodded once, satisfied with her looks.
She had spent a lot of time getting ready, so she hoped that Kei would love what she had done with herself. If he didn’t, then she would punch him in his throat.
Giggling, she twirled around once more, admiring her appearance. She couldn’t help herself! She was stunning and she knew it!
Suddenly, a ping cut through the air, making Izzy’s heart lurch excitedly. Eagerly, she fished out her black iPhone from her black Prada bag, swiping up to view the text.
I’m outside.
Izzy’s lips curled up into a small smile as her thumb traced over the text. She could hear his soft, firm voice in her head – as if he was reading the words to her.
Heart thundering in her chest, she quietly made her way through the mansion and out the door, failing to be aware of the dark eyes watching her every move.