Chapter 15 - Settlement
In the previous chapter, a masquerade ball was celebrated in the Opera House, in which everyone were attended, including Christian, who was now secretly engaged to Raina. Later, when the song " Masquerade " was about to finished and that very moment, Erika, dressed up as Red Death, had finally appeared before the audience, making silent in horror. Both she and Christian were facing each other once again. As she saw the engagement ring attached on his neck, she removed it forcibly, declaring that he will truly belongs to her no matter what, and she demanded the new managers to performed immediately her new finished opera musical " Dona Juana Triumphant ", with Christian as the lead. Masha and Raina were trying to catch her, but she immediately gone away, through a flash of fire, going back to her underground lair.
What will be their next move?
Find Out
The next day after the incident, the new managers and the staffs were started to emphasize on how to performed Erika's new opera in the next few days. On the other hand, Masha and Raina were having their own private conversation in outside of the opera house, on about the next plan on how to track down Erika in during the performance. After a hour later, Christian approached to Raina.
" Yes, what is it, my dear? " Raina asked, turned her back to him
" The managers had been called you, to have a conversation with the others in the office immediately. " Christian responded
" Okay then, so shall we talked about this again tomorrow? " Raina asked, turned back to Masha, facing her
" Sure thing, Viscountess. I'll be heading back to my office. I have something that I need to settled with today. Good luck. " Masha said in response
" I will " Raina answered
And Masha left the opera house. As she was already left, the two went back inside, going to the managers office, to have a conversation. When the two entered in, Anita turned her back to them " Ah! You are finally came, Viscountess. Why are you been delay shortly? "
" I was talking to the detective officer at the outside, talking about the same thing. So, did you have any plans on how to performed Dona Juana Triumphant? " Raina asked
" Well, it might a bit difficult for us if the Phantom Girl might be showed up in during the performance just like of what happened last night. You are trying to catch her, right? " Fermina said in response
" Yes, but she was immediately gone away, through a flash of fire, going down to her underground lair. I think she was very clever when it's comes to these stuffs. The only option is to tracked her down while the performance is going on. If she will be showed up, watching the performance on stage. " Raina stated
" You really sure about that, Viscountess? But it was very hard to captured her in a secret... " Anita asked
" I know but we have no other choice. This is the only way to end her evil tyranny once for all. " Raina said in response
The two managers are looking at each other, silently while the others are went silent, standing on the other side. Monsieur Vera, was started to feel nervous, gripping his cane on both of his hands, thinked on his mind on about Erika's safety although everyone didn't know that he was secretly helped her in fulfilling her plans.
After a few minutes, the new managers turned back to Raina, and Fermina said to her " If you say so, then that's fine with us. You'll be in charge of this reinforcement in during the performance in the next few days. "
" But the question is... Will our lead star can able handled this? " Anita asked, with a few curiosity on her face
" After all, she have been chosen him to performed the lead role despite it has few difficulties in the lyrics and the tone manners. The performers will be rehearsed later. " Fermina stated
" So, what do you think, my dear? " Raina asked, turned to Christian, was became speechless, with fear expression on his face
But suddenly, Carlito was began to erupted in resentful manner " Hmph! You have no idea of what you will gonna say with, you little bird. You are scared as always because of that Phantom Girl's secret business. You are nothing but a weak and hopeless young man just like you. Remember, I'm more superior than you do. "
" What did you just say, Signore? " Christian asked
" Well, I have known in my mind that you are secretly working with her so that why she wants you to become the main star, in order to backfired me. You are really the mastermind behind of these mysterious crime incidents! " Carlito said, with a furious expression on his face
" Why you?... Are you accusing me as a criminal?! Do you have any proofs to showed to everyone that I'm the suspect? Don't ever tolerated me just like that! " Christian said, with anger on his face
" Why you say so, Monsieur Daae? It doesn't make sense that you are really her secret accomplice and besides that all those evil things happened here in the Opera House is because of your secret incompetence and alliancement! " Carlito said, still with furious expression on his face
" Just like I said, I'm not a criminal, got that?! I'm not only as her secret accomplice but as her victim as well. Look, I was been kidnapped by her a long months ago, do you think it was a criminal action? I'm really an innocent person, you know that. " Christian stated, still with anger expression on his face
" Heh, you are nothing but a weak little bird. " Carlito said, with resentment
" What did you just say?! " Christian asked, with fit of anger on his face
" Alright you two, stopped arguing with each other. We have a proposition talk issue here. I have a letter that it was came from the Phantom Girl that she had sent to me this morning. " Fermina told them
And she opened the envelope with a red wax seal on it and then she readed aloud on what it was said on the letter:
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to say that the performance of my written opera, Dona Juana Triumphant, was in a few days left. You have to make sure that you will be prepared or else a greatest disaster will occurred in. Every performers should take on the supportive roles with the exceptions of Signora Gina Pianki and of course, my pupil, Monsieur Daae, should take the male lead role. Just make sure that you will followed of what I said to you at the masquerade ball last night. Don't ever disgraced me. That's an order from the true owner of this Opera House.
Truly Yours,
O. G (Phantom Girl)
After she read the letter, Fermina asked them " So, what do you think? "
" Well, we should start the rehearsal immediately. We can't able to waste more time. We should followed her orders. " Monsieur Vera suggested
" I had agree with you, Monsieur. But do you think you know about her or you met her in personal? " Anita asked
" I already told you. I did not met the Opera Ghost, that's all I wanted to say. " Monsieur Vera said in response
The new managers were speechless in silent of what he had said.
But then, Christian ran away from the office, without saying a word, with trembled fear expression on his face.
" Christian! Wait! " Raina shouted, ran after him
Everyone were curious of what they had saw. Monsieur Vera, ignored the others, went out of the office too, along with his son Mitch.
" Where are you going, dad? "
" Just a little bit moment, my son. You should go to the rehearsing room. I need to spent time alone outside. " tapped his hand on his shoulder
" Okay, dad. " then nodded his head and he walks out from the scene
After Mitch left out, he walked away all by himself, going in somewhere. Back when, Raina stops him from running, pulled his hand, making him to turned to faced her, but still trembled in fear.
" Are you really okay, my dear? Why are you trying to run away just like that? Is something a matter with the plan? "
" Raina... I... I was so very scared that much. You don't have to do this. If it does happened, she will captured me for good. She can't able to let me go. That burning raging fire will gonna separate us. I don't want to accept the lead role, I won't. "
She tapped both of her hands on his shoulder, said " Christian, you have to. You are the only hope to handled this. If it will keep on going, her evil terror will far more terrifying than ever seems. We have no other choice but to track her down, and end her terror once for all. After all, I truly believe in you, as long as I truly loved you until our deaths. I will always promised to you that I will protect you forever. "
" Raina, but how should I do this?... If Erika finds out about that, she will gonna killed you for good. I can't let you involved in this situation. After all, she really wants me for good but... "
" is because she was your Angel of Music? She was not an angel, my dear. She is just a human woman, who had manipulated your mind. Just throwed away your greatest fears from your mind. Only you have to do is to stayed focused and believe in yourself, okay? "
" But... " nodded his head for a moment and after a few seconds, he responded " Okay, Raina. I will gonna try and after all, you are the only woman whom I can able to count with. "
" I love you, my dear Christian. "
" I love you too, Raina... from the bottom of my heart and soul. "
And the two shared a kiss. But then after that, Monsieur Vera came in, approached to them, said " Um, Madame De Chagny. "
" Yes, what's it, Monsieur? " she asked
" Shall I talked with you for a moment? " Monsieur Vera requested
" Okay then " Raina responded and then she turned to Christian, said " Shall you go in the rehearsing room for a moment? I will gonna talked to Monsieur in a few minutes. "
" Okay, Raina. " Christian responded and then he walks out from the scene, leaving the two behind
When he had already left out, she turned back to the old man, asked " So, is there is something that you wanted to say with? I know that you are hiding something that you didn't tell to anyone, aren't you? "
" Yes, it is, Madame. Actually the truth is that, I had already know about Erika for a long time. "
" You met her in personal?! But why? " with a shocking expression on her face
" But first... I will gonna showed to you something. "
" What's it? "
Monsieur Vera lead her to his secret room, in which it was been forbidden for a long years ago after Erika entered in the Opera House. When Raina went in, she was surprised by the view and after that, the two sat down on the two wooden chairs, in different sides.
" So, tell me, Monsieur. How did you met the Phantom Girl... I mean.. Erika anyway from before? "
He paused in silent, turned his head to the picture of him, when he was in his younger days.
Now that the truth is came out in the light that Monsieur Vera had already known Erika (Phantom Girl) for a long time and so, he went to Raina, to tell her about his past life and how he met her. On the other hand, the managers and the performers were started to rehearse in the next few days, despite Christian's fear towards her, but Raina encourage him to stayed strong and have faith.
The secret life of the box keeper will be revealed in the next chapter:
Chapter 16 - Monsieur Vera's Secret Past
Don't Miss It!
" Don't ever let your negative thoughts stayed in your mind because it will totally affected not only in yourself but also to other people who are very close to you. Just stayed as a positive person with strong determination and faith. "
