The Royal Contract

Her foot was aching, feeling a few callous on the sole of her feet and numbness on her toes. However, she was already used to such pain. She had to push through until the very end.

As they said in show business, sacrifice was part of the process. No pain meant no gain.

Nevertheless, it had been a while since she had been in such gatherings, wearing a high-slit gown and high-heeled stiletto shoes.

"We would like to thank..." The host started mentioning the philanthropist who had helped with the fundraising charity ball. He called each one of the donors who had given them their undying support.

"Let us give warm applause to Ms. Serena Anderson for gracing us with her presence." The announcer pointed to where she stood.

Many people turned in her direction, clapping their hands. A year ago, she would feel overwhelmed by the flattery and praise they lavished on her.

But now, all the attention she wanted was from the kids. She wanted to earn their love and trust. So she could help them in their journey toward their future.

"Thank you so much, Serena, for doing this for the kids. I know this must not be easy for you." Sebastian also praised her for all her efforts to help.

Of course, she knew her friend understood her situation. But she was glad that her first appearance in the public eye turned out to be successful.

Sebastian and the organizers expressed their warmest appreciation since they exceeded their target for the night.

"You know I did not do this alone. Many had helped raise the fund for the children." Serena could not take credit as she was just a part of the event.

"Still, you made a big difference." Sebastian insisted as he stood by her side.

Truthfully, he barely left her side, which she appreciated. She would be honest. She guessed she was not that ready to face the cameras.

But with Sebastian's encouragement and support, she managed to smile and stand straight in front of the media personalities.

She did not flinch much every time the camera flashed. She did not try to run away. Although, admittedly, there were times she had thought about it.

"And I wish I could do more." Serena understood that the funding would still lack despite her effort and success. But it was a start.

All she had to do was stare at the kids who would grow up without parents who would care for them as if they were their children. Then, she would know that there was much to do.

Unfortunately, she could not help everyone. She could not be the mother of all these kids. She could not provide for all their needs.

"And you will. But we can only do so much at a time." Her friend assured her as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders to comfort her.

She knew it meant nothing. So, she never thought much of it. She appreciated that Sebastian was there while Adam was away.

But she could not help but imagine them walking on a red carpet together. Adam would hold her arms firmly in his as they smiled at each other and whispered sweet nothings.

She then realized she was ready to face her world again with Adam by her side. Her gloomy and nightmarish past did not seem that frightening anymore.

"Yeah. Of course, you are right." She acknowledged her friend's words. "One step at a time."

She looked at his face, staring into his eyes and wondering what he was thinking. He had already expressed he wanted something more from her, but she could not give anything else but friendship.

"Congratulations!" Many greeted her or Sebastian for the success of the event. She could only bow her head, thankful that many had helped.

Then, she saw the group of kids that came along with her laughing at the other side of the room. They seemed to be enjoying the show.

One of the main attractions of the event was the magic show. Many entertainers volunteered to help with the program, sharing their time and talents for free.

The kids in the Cancer ward and other hospital wings had so much fun that she wished she could do this more often. But Sebastian was right. She could only do so much at a time."

"Serena, have you seen the coin disappear behind my ears? Then it came back through my other ears." Fabio excitedly shared with her since it was his first time witnessing such a trick.

But, of course, to these kids, that was magic.

"Yeah, isn't he great? And you too. You were so brave." She clapped her hand to the boy, matching his enthusiasm as the little boy volunteered to be the magician's assistant.

Soon, the other kids fought for her attention, giving her the satisfaction she wanted. She loved entertaining the kids' questions.

It was like having other people to think about other than herself. It was somewhat fulfilling and something she never felt before.

"Why don't you join us, Ms. Serena?" Another magician called her attention, forcing her to volunteer for his next act.

She thought about it, but the event was about to end soon. She could do with a few more peals of laughter from the kids. That would be fun.

Besides, the kids seemed excited to see her perform at the front of the stage.

She quickly moved beside the magician, waiting for his instructions. "Let us clap our hands for our next brave volunteer." The man said as he initiated the clapping before proceeding to his next act.

"Please, join me at this spot." Suddenly, Serena could not help the nerves that hit her hands as they started to shake. She realized she had never done anything like this before.

Then, she saw the box, and suddenly she wanted to back out. She could already imagine what the performer would do to her, and she was not looking forward to it.

"Excuse me, but I am claustrophobic." She wanted to admit to the magician so he would stop with his plans, but she remained silent with a nervous laugh and a shaky smile.

"This will be a neat trick." The magician assured the audience as he and his assistant prepared the materials he would use.

Then, the moment of truth as the man ushered her into the entrance to the box. It was a long box where she could comfortably stand.

But still, she could feel her heart speed up as agitation built up inside her. Still, the smile on the kids' faces forced her to participate without complaint.

"I will have to close the box. All you need to do is stand still." He instructed as he slowly closed the door.

She knew her heart was palpitating while her hands shook as her mind conjured unimaginable things. But she held her ground as she thought of the kids. She had to act tough.

Compared to those kids, this experience was nothing to theirs. Yet, nothing had worn them down. Those kids kept fighting every day to survive.

"As you can see..." She could hear the magician relating his spiel about his magic, making it more exciting.

She knew the act was nothing but a trick. It could always play with anyone's mind. Therefore, she pushed herself to enjoy the experience, not letting her fear overwhelm the fun of it.

"And now, let us look at the person inside." Then, a portion of the wood opened, just above her shoulders, big enough to reveal her face.

"Ms. Serena, can you smile at our distinguished guests." The man pointed at the kids in the front row.

How could she deny his request?

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She quickly spread her lips and showed portions of her teeth, assuring the kids she was ok. She did not want them to worry, even if tiny beads of sweat broke out on her skin.

"Are you ready?" The man asked, and she nodded. She guessed she was ready as she could be.

She wondered what the performer would do, leaving her locked in the box where her only window was before her face.

Although she could need a few more minutes to adjust to her situation, she had none. So, she had to decide if she wished to trust or not.

But she doubted she could say no at this point or back out. Therefore, she just took a deep breath and faced her fear.

Then, out of the blue, he started poking her body with swords. He started with the sides of her legs. Then, he inserted them into the designated slots, making the illusion that he was piercing her inside the box.

But she hardly felt anything. There was no pain. Every time the man would force a long metallic object into the box, the more her body contorted to adjust to the blades so it would not hit her.

Now, she knew the trick and how he did it. There was no magic, just an illusion. But she still felt respect for their ability to produce this great trick.

She guessed not everything had to do with magic. It could be something else, just like distorted reality.

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