Their hands were still held tight together.
“Waylen, can you feel anything?”
“What do you think?”
“It’s amazing. I wonder how they do it,” Leilani smiled, “we can’t figure the tricks out even if we’re so close.”
“It’s just a trick, like smoke in the mirror.”
The girl took the middle board away. Waylen only had his head exposed. The middle of his body turned empty.
“Where’s his body?”
The audience was gasping again. Everyone was watching in amazement. Some children even got so frightened that they cried.
Leilani saw the screen and was shocked. She turned at Waylen and asked him how it was done.
“Imagine you put a tiny black scrap of paper on your teeth,” Waylen reminded him.
“It looks like one piece is missing from your teeth. That’s how it works.”
“Aren’t you very smart?”
“It’s not my expertise,” Leilani smiled, “or you could lose an opportunity to show off.”
“Are you happy now?” Waylen smiled.
“Em.”
The girl took the plank out and put it back again. She did it several times. Every time there was applause.
“My dear audience, now it’s the most exciting moment of this show,” the magician announced mysteriously.
The girl lifted the red velvet curtain and put the lid back on.
“Damn show. Is there ever an end?” Waylen had his last patience worn out. But he was confined in the box and couldn’t do anything about it.
The magician tied Waylen and Leilani together with ropes for the effect of the show.
Leilani couldn’t see anything herself. The box was revolving, and she felt dizzy.
Suddenly there was screaming. She didn’t know what happened.
“Where have they gone?” The audience shouted.
“Waylen?” Leilani realized Waylen let go of her hand. She reached out for him but only touched the back of the chair.
It was narrow between the two chairs. Now they were distanced by the box.
“Leilani?!” Waylen ferociously punched the plank, “damn, can you hear me?”
There was no response.
Waylen punched as hard as he could. But he was tied, and his hands couldn’t stretch out.
The box kept spinning for a few mow rounds. It incited a storm of applause.
When the red velvet curtain was lifted again, Waylen felt a sudden pain in his eyes from the blaring light.
He subconsciously looked at Leilani’s place. But she wasn’t there.
Waylen called out Leilani. But his voice was easily covered by the cheering. Even Tinder thought it was an arrangement of the show.
***
Leilani felt her body dragged down along the narrow passage. She descended like taking the elevator.
Would she fall to the bas.e.m.e.nt? It was so deep since Leilani felt she was falling for many minutes.
The chair suddenly stopped. Leilani felt the light in her eyes.
She moved a bit. But she was tightly tied and couldn’t get out. She looked around and was sure it was a bas.e.m.e.nt. There were clothes scattered over the floor, accessories, dressing mirror, makeup table, and a clown sitting not far on the couch.
The clown walked over to Leilani. He grabbed in the air, and a rose was handed over to Leilani.
Leilani didn’t dare to smell it in case of poison. She turned around and asked who he was.
The clown ignored her. He slipped the rose down her cheek, and it became a hotel card.
Leilani didn’t know what he was doing.
The clown put the card in her pocket.
“Diana asked me to give you this,” the clown wore a permanent smile. Leilani couldn’t see through his mask. His job was finished and took a few steps back, “she’ll let you know time and place later.”
Then the clown left the room.
It finally dawned upon Leilani that Diana wanted to meet her alone. She hardly had a chance since she was basically inseparable from Waylen. She had to create this opportunity.
But Leilani was puzzled why Diana would want to meet her like this. Did she not want to meet Waylen?
Leilani felt the chair slowly lifting. The elevator took her up back again.
Leilani went through the darkness again. The cellar above her head was opened, and the velvet curtain was lifted.
Leilani was on the chair and appeared again without a scratch.
Leilani’s appearance stimulated waves after waves of cheering.
Waylen stood there, glaring at Leilani, not far away. He was not happy at all.
The girl hurried to untie Leilani and whispered to Leilani.
“Your husband almost hit the magician if you didn’t turn up sooner. Hurry to say something nice to her.”
Leilani saw the parrot feather on the ground next to Waylen’s feet. She knew how mad Waylen was.
Besides, if it were any other times, Waylen would hurry over and hold her. He wouldn’t let her go.
But at the moment, he gave off the icy vibe. He kept a straight face and had no intention of coming over.
Leilani pulled away from the ropes and walked over to Waylen. She stood on her toes.
“There will be a bonus service for your cooperation this time.”
Instead of getting more relaxed, Waylen looked at her more sternly. Leilani had no idea Waylen felt the end of the world when she vanished.
Waylen pulled away Leilani’s hands on his waist and lowered his voice.
“That’s a good idea. But let’s make it my service to you.”
Leilani held back her laughter. What difference did it make?
Leilani stared at Lane, seeing the scheming look in his eyes. Did he think of any shameful and sick thing?
Or why would he serve her instead of punishing her?
But Leilani was too guilty to fight back.
“Let’s go back then. I’ve seen much of the show.”
Leilani took a look at the watch. It was ten in the evening. It took time driving back to the castle.
Waylen reached out to hold Leilani by her hands. He was still a bit dissatisfied. He felt, after the magic show, that Waylen couldn’t get hold of Leilani even if they were cuffed together.
Leilani stopped, walking, noticing Waylen’s silence.
“Waylen?”
Waylen turned around and tiptoed to kiss him.
“This is the best honeymoon I ever dream of. Thanks for fulfilling my dream. I’m happy because of you.”
Waylen gradually turned satisfied because of what Leilani said. He was about to keep kissing Leilani when there was a sudden noise in the sky. They looked up, and it was fireworks. They were blooming.
What if this was their happy ending.
Leilani thought. Even all the unpleasantness could end at the moment. But her heart was suddenly shrunk when she felt the card in her pocket.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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