A hushed crowd of friends, their faces etched with concern, quickly gathered around Jasmine, their voices a low murmur as they asked what had happened. With a trembling hand and a face slick with sweat, Jasmine pointed her finger toward the book, her whole body shaking.
Helena, her brow furrowed, stepped closer and examined the torn front cover. Beneath the flimsy, ripped paper, another title was revealed. A cold tendril of fear gripped her heart as she carefully peeled away the false cover. As the outer layer slipped away, the dark truth was exposed, etched in bold, menacing letters: "THE BOOK OF FATED CURSES."
A collective gasp escaped the group. Their eyes widened in disbelief, and their hearts sank with a heavy sense of dread. The silence was finally broken by Adam, who asked with a voice full of surprise and unease, "What is this book?"
Helena's face turned ashen as she looked at each of them, her voice barely a whisper when she spoke. "It means... this book brings bad luck. It's used to curse people for a lifetime. Whoever selects this book... their fate becomes miserable."
Alice's breath hitched in her throat, her face a mask of shock. "How did I bring this? Are you lying, Helena? It's impossible; that's not the book." Her face grew pale, a stark contrast to the colorful room.
Reyand, his voice laced with worry, stepped forward. "My dear, where did you get this book?"
Before Alice could even begin to explain, Helena interrupted, her voice firm with a sense of urgency. "It's a rare and banned book. How did you find this?"
Alice snapped angrily, her voice sharp with pain and indignation. "Are you suggesting I bought this book for my son?"
Helena quickly raised a conciliatory hand. "I'm sorry, but we just want to know who gave you this book."
Alice's voice cracked, a fragile whisper that filled the heavy silence. "I... I just bought it from a book stall near the goddess temple."
The news sent a wave of shock through the group, their silence now heavy with fear. Deep inside, they all knew that what had been done could not be undone.
Alice shook her head desperately, her voice choked with denial. "We will not read this book."
But Helena, her eyes closed in sorrow, replied with a heavy sigh. "It doesn't work like that. People who read this book... they only fall into misfortune and incidents. But in this case..." She took a deep breath, her face heavy with regret. "In the case of Rudra... he chose the fate of the curse."
The words struck like a physical blow. Alice collapsed to the floor, clutching Rudra tightly in her arms, tears streaming down her face. Reyand knelt beside her, his arms wrapped around her, trying to offer comfort. "It won't happen. We will protect our child."
As Alice wept bitterly, a small, soft hand moved to her face. Rudra, innocent and too young to comprehend, reached out as if to wipe her tears away, silently promising that everything would be alright. The friends stood around them, their hearts heavy with sympathy, offering what comfort they could.
Alice embraced Rudra close to her chest, whispering fiercely, "My dear, I will protect you from every problem." She slowly rose to her feet and walked toward the cake prepared for the celebration. Looking at Rudra's innocent face, she made a fierce vow. "Yes, I promise, I will protect you."
In that moment, a new resolve settled on Alice and Reyand's faces. They turned to their friends with resolute eyes and declared that they wished to begin a new life with Rudra and quit the Majestic. The hall fell into a moment of silence, but no one was surprised. Jasmine stepped forward with a gentle smile and said softly, "We knew this would happen... so we already gave our permission."
Gratitude filled Alice and Reyand's eyes as they bowed their heads deeply, a simple "Thank you" speaking volumes to their party members. The celebration ended under the heavy weight of destiny, but also under the warm embrace of love. As the night faded away, new days began to dawn—days of light and hope—for Reyand, Alice, and their little Rudra.