Ch 5 ♪
Erik felt his heart rip into two as he watched Anna kiss that fop of a boy. He did not know exactly when she was going to leave him, but Erik prayed to God it would be soon. Erik's heart broke once more at the realization that she was going to be attending dinner with Andrew. Erik had to fight the urge to go straight to her dressing room and yell at her to leave the Duke and go away with him that instant, to make her see that she was far better off with him, but most of all her wanted to talk to her to make sure she really did love him, but he knew he could not do that.
Before he saw Anna and the Duke, he had been on his way to the manager's office. He was scheduled to drop off a note to them. This note was not sent from the Vicomte, but from the one and only, OG.
After Anna's disturbing conversation with Andrew she made her way back down to sit with M. Cann. He could easily sense her aggravation, so he knew not to try her patience.
"So who is this man that called upon your services?" Richard asked curiously. He saw a look of pleasure enter Anna's eyes when he mentioned the Vicomte. Yes, she defiantly had some sort of feelings for this man.
"Well he is a Vicomte, but his title is bought which completely confuses me. But Richard he composes the most extraordinary music. It is so beautiful; I have never heard anything like it." Anna spoke enthusiastically.
"Anna did you sleep with him?" Richard asked her with a horrified look on his face.
Anna could not believe he was asking, but she knew that if Erik had not stopped them she might have continued. "No, of course I did not sleep with him who do you think I am?"
"Okay so you did not sleep with him but you like him, am I wrong?" Richard answered her questioned with his own question. He saw the look of shock in Anna's eyes at his discovery of her feelings. He could not help but grin.
Anna was cursing herself inside, how the hell does he do that. Richard had always read Anna very easily and he had just now read her perfectly. "Okay so what, I do like him, but my real problem is how do I take it up with Andrew?" Anna asked turning very serious. "I do not think that I want to marry him anymore, well I suppose I never really wanted to marry him in the first place."
Richard knew Anna had doubts about her relationship with Andrew, but he had never heard her say that she wished to not marry Andrew. "Anna do you love this man." Richard had to ask, especially if he was the source causing her to refuse Andrew's proposal.
"Why are you asking such questions Richard?" Anna said as her nerves started to work throughout her body.
"You have to love this man enough to reconsider you relationship with the Duke, Anna." Richard said trying to reason with her. "Tell me Anna you know you can always speak the truth to me."
"It is funny because when I am with Erik I feel as if I never want to leave, and when I am without him it is as if he is calling out to my soul, beckoning me to return to him. I am not scared to think of a future with Erik, but with Andrew I run the other direction when he speaks of our future together." Anna said, tears starting to glisten in her eyes.
Richard hugged Anna trying to make her feel better. He could tell that Anna had meant every word. She really did love this other man. In that instant he knew Andrew no longer stood a chance. "Well, that does sound like love to me."
Anna couldn't help but laugh. "I guess it does." She responded.
At that moment Anna was not aware, but Erik had been weeping silent tears. Tears coming for the meaning behind the words she had just spoken.
As Anna and Richard continued to talk about Erik and such, the two managers appeared on stage yelling at one another.
"Gustav we do not have to put on his opera, we are not even an opera house." M. Dubon yelled. You could sense the frustration in each man.
"Michel we do not know exactly what this madman could do." Gustav yelled and Dubon, his usual happy manner diminished. "Hell Michel we do not even know who he is."
"Well until he decides to make his point perfectly clear that he means business, we are not putting on the production." Dubon said as he walked off the stage.
Gustav stood on stage, after realizing that he was in front of the entire theater company his cheeks grew cherry red. Poor man, he always found a way to embarrasses himself. "I am very sorry; please continue with your rehearsals." He turned to Madam Burbon who had been rehearsing with the ballet girls. "Again I am sorry Katherine."
For a few seconds, the entire theater company remained silent. Completely confused at what had just happened. It was Madam Burbon who had broken the silence.
"Okay girls lets get back to rehearsing." She spoke as she turned around. "Oh Anna, I wish to speak to you after rehearsals."
Anna's face grew white with fear; her mother could be quite frightening if Anna had pushed her to her limits.
"Yes ma'am." Was all Anna could manage to get out. Embarrassment showed throughout Anna's face.
"You two are dismissed." Madam Burbon said referring to Richard and Anna, as she waved them off.
"Ah you are a seventeen year old who is about to be engaged and you are still scared of mommy." Richard said making fun of her. He liked teasing her.
"Richard shut up it's not funny." Anna said embarrassed.
"Okay you mommy's girl." He said laughing again.
"Richard silence your self." They both heard Madam Burbon say to Richard.
As they continued to walk Anna couldn't help but laugh at Richard. "Ha-ha." She laughed.
"Oh be quiet." He said with a hurt ego as they walked towards the theater's lobby.
After rehearsals ended, Madam Burbon met up with Anna in her dressing room to have a talk with her young daughter. Madam Burbon was furious.
"You are never to leave this theater without so much of a word to me." She shrieked at Anna. "Is that understood Anna?"
Anna felt so ashamed for disappointing her mother. "Yes ma'am." Anna spoke softly. "I am sorry maman but it all happened so fast, I promise that nothing like that will ever happen again. Besides maman the Vicomte was very polite to me, the perfect gentleman."
Madam Burbon could see that Anna's eyes were begging her to end the argument. Her anger disintegrated and soon all the worry she had felt with Anna's absence came back.
"I forgive you my child." Madam Burbon said pulling Anna into a hug. "Are you accompanying Andrew to dinner tonight?"
"Yes I am going to meet him now." Anna said the sadness etched in her eyes. "I will see you tonight after dinner."
"Goodnight Anna." Madam Burbon said as she placed a kiss on top of Anna's forehead.
"Goodnight maman." Anna responded smiling.
Anna walked down the aisle of the theater silently. But she had the strangest notion that she was not alone. Anna had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. She quickened her pace at the thought that this person, whoever they may be could harm her.
Anna was about to open the door leading into the lobby when at last she heard a voice.
"Tonight you leave, tonight you shall be set free, and tonight you belong to me." The voice said, seeming to be coming from every inch of the room.
"Oh my." Anna said silently. This voice, it was the most lustrous voice she had ever heard.
Even thought the voice sounded beautiful, it scared Anna even more. She was about to open the door once more, when the voice yelled.
"STOP." The voice yelled out emotionless. The man's yell had caused Anna to jump and her heart beat to quicken.
Anna could move nothing, it was as if the voice's yell had paralyzed her. "Who is there?" Anna said fearfully. "Show yourself."
"Ah mademoiselle I thought that you liked the mystery in me." The voice said amusement in his voice. The strange voice sounded familiar and it seemed to be right behind her.
Anna slowly tuned around with her head down. But she knew she had heard that voice before. Anna lifted her head to meet Erik's piercing green eyes, his body towering over Anna's short frame. She could see the love in his eyes; she could see the longing in his eyes.
"Tonight you shall be set free." He told her as he took her hand. "Tonight you belong to me." Erik continued as he led her up to the stage. "Tonight you leave… with me." Erik finished as he brought Anna's lips to his own.
Anna could not help but smile, both on the inside and outside. Her love was here standing before her. As they parted they smiled at one another happy to be in each others presence. In that instant Anna had forgotten that she had somewhere to be, and it was oblivious to both that they had a spectator.
10 minuets earlier
Andrew had been waiting outside for about ten minuets. Anna was late. This was completely unlike her.
As he walked into the lobby, hoping to see that she was headed out to meet him, he had the strangest feeling in his heart. It had felt like someone had placed a large weight upon it. He was about to enter the theater when he saw Anna standing there. She looked quite frightened, but she seemed glued to where she was. He was about to open the door when he heard a man yell, his voice soft but commanding all the same. But still Anna stayed where she was.
"Why the hell is she not moving?" Andrew asked himself.
When Andrew looked up at her again, he saw a man standing behind her. His heart broke when he saw her turn around and accept the hand of the mysterious man, as he led her to the stage. At first he felt a great amount of pain from seeing Anna succumb to this man, but when he saw Anna kiss the bastard his grief soon turned to an overwhelming sense of hatred towards his future bride. His anger then turned to sadness when he realized that Anna was not pulling away from this man. She was letting him take her over.
Andrew could see the look of pleasure on Anna's face. She never looked at him that way. It was true, Andrew love Anna. He loved Anna more than he loved himself. This woman had been the key to his existence for the last two years. He could not picture his life without her. He had always understood that it was improper to marry beneath his class, but his love for Anna had always spoken to him. Anna being beneath his class had never mattered.
Andrew told his parents many times that he loved her and that he was going to marry her regardless of what they thought. He had always known that he wanted to spend his life with Anna. Andrew wanted her in every way possible, as a friend, confidant, lover; he wanted her in every imaginable way. But in the instant he saw her kiss that man, he felt his whole world fall apart. He felt like his heart was being ripped from the inside of his chest.
This man would pay.
Andrew could feel the overwhelming sense of hatred towards this man. He would confront Anna later when the time seemed appropriate, but that was not going to be happening in the near future. But he knew one thing for certain. This man would pay.