Bittersweet Chapter 10 Killing loneliness

Ceila's PoV

I receive my invitation for the annual new years' Masquerade ball the second day of Christmas, at my parents mansion that's located just outside of Paris. I usually am excited for these kinds of balls but now, I feel my heart sink in my chest.

After all, the only man I'd truly love to dance with will already be going with someone else. Knowing that I have the choice to either stay home and sulk or go and be confronted with Stefano and dear Dominique who undoubtedly will show up , is enough to completely destroy my festive mood.

What am I suppose to do now?

I decide that going is my best option: sulking at home while missing a party that I used to love will not improving my mood and when I'm confronted with the last couple I want to see….Well, there'll be lots of opportunities to drown my pain in champagne.

But with whom will I be going? I cannot go alone, I'd feel even more miserable.

I stare out of my window when the roses that grow in the garden catch my attention. They are similar to the rose Erik gave me as a thank you after I first met him and my mind drifts back to the opera and it's most infamous inhabitant.

That's when I realize he has probably spend Christmas all alone and will probably be spending new years eve all by himself as well. I wonder if he even celebrates it.

When I picture him sitting in his lair staring sadly at a Christmas tree or even worse, watching others celebrate while no one, not even the Giry's will be spending time with him, my heart breaks. The idea of spending Christmas all alone is enough to depress me, so I don't even want to know how he must feel now.

The poor man truly doesn't deserve to spend the holidays all alone.

Suddenly an idea pops into my head. Could I, perhaps, attend the ball with Erik? After all, it's not like you have to attend the ball with a suitor, you can also go with a brother, other relative or even a friend.

Secondly, no matter how much it will hurt me to see Stefano with his beloved, I know I'll feel better knowing I'll at least have fun with a friend and on top of that, a friend who truly deserves to have a nice new years eve for a change, probably more than anyone else I know.

Third, if there's one person who knows how much it hurts to see the one you love with someone else it's him, so he'll understand my frustration.

Fourth, perhaps the sight of me with another man will make Stefano jealous. Plus, if Christine and monsieur le fop show up, maybe she´ll be jealous too….

I suddenly feel a whole lot better before deciding that the first thing I'm going to do when I'm back in Paris is pay a visit to the phantom's lair.