Femme Fatale: The King's Deadly Temptress

Chapter 236: A Painful Waltz

[Reader Advisory: I would suggest that you listen to the song "Say Something" by 'A Great Big World' or 'Pentatonix' version for this chapter. It's a beautiful and meaningful song.]

"Come on, Katherine. Dance with me," Chris whispered to her, his eyes holding her gaze so intensely.

The melodious sound of piano and violin had already started and when the singer began the first words of the song "Say Something", Katherine hesitantly placed her left hand on Chris's upper arm near the shoulder. She was already in the middle of the dance floor now, there's no way she could back down.

Just like years ago, Chris led the dance in the Viennese waltz choreography that they used to dance before. Their movements were slow and measured at first, gliding across the dancefloor with Katherine following his guidance. 

To the audience, the two of them looked very graceful as though dancing had been their career for a long time. Katherine's back was straight and her chin was raised to an elegant manner while Chris looked refined in his actions. 

The two were perfectly in sync with each other, swaying and twirling smoothly to the rhythm of the music. It was as though they had performed this number countless times in the pastwhich was true.

To blend with the outside world, learning how to dance was part of their training and was useful on undercover missions. This Viennese waltz choreography was one of Katherine's favorites in which Chris would always be her dance partner.

Chris spun her and she twirled multiple times away from him, her dress flowing very nicely with her movements. 

"You're beautiful as always," he told her when the two of them came closer again. Katherine refused to look at him, not wanting to feel more nostalgic than she already was. 

"But you're so restrained tonight. Why is that?" he asked when he noticed that although she was dancing with him with enough fluidity, she was very cautious with her movements.

This time, Katherine finally answered, "I've got a knife and a gun in my thigh reserved for you." If she didn't restrain her movements, the keen pairs of eyes from the crowd might see her weapons. Although despite that, she still looked graceful.

Hearing her response, a small amused smile formed on his face. "And I'm guessing that Styles is here somewhere?"

"Damn it," Styles muttered through Katherine's comms. "How the fck does he know?"

"Styles, you don't think I'd just believe that you're dead, right?" Chris muttered. He wasn't sure if Katherine was wired but his gut feeling told him that Styles could hear or see him at the moment.

"I'm touched that you prepared so much for my arrival. But you didn't think I would give you the chance to kill me tonight, did you?" he added.

Katherine shifted her gaze to him and held it. Their bodies were still moving on their own, dancing to the song while everyone was watching. But her hands started to tense when she held him she wanted so much to reach for the dagger and just slice him while everyone was watching.

Chris knew better than to give her the chance to get him alone. Dancing in the middle of hundreds of people was the opposite of what Katherine planned. She couldn't do anything to him and now she realized and was reminded of how he was so much smarter than her.

He didn't have to ask and she didn't have to tell him that she had gotten her memories back. Just one look that they exchanged minutes ago already told the other.

"Don't tempt me," she said softly.

"You wouldn't do that," he said in an assertive tone.

She wouldn't. Not yet at least. But her hands were itching.

Chris twirled her once again and said in hushed tones, "Up."

In an instant, both of his hands supported her back while she placed hers on his hips and he spun them both around with her feet elevated and swinging in the air, her head leaning back and her hair swaying.

And for the briefest moment, their foreheads touched as he slowly set her back down to her feet.

The movement was so beautiful that the crowd clapped for them. 

The dance looked intimate unbeknownst to them, Katherine was trying to contain her anger so as not to commit murder with more than two hundred people as witnesses.

If this was many years ago, she probably would have been clammy and nervous just by dancing with the man she used to have feelings for. The man whom she looked up to, admired for so many years; his care and touch would always send butterflies in her stomach.

If this was many years ago, she probably would have been weak and submitted to him when she heard the next words he said. 

"I missed you," he softly whispered just before he dipped her head back, his hand supporting the back of her head gently.

But it's no longer the same. Katherine's heart throbbed and she was enraged. Looking at the man she once thought she loved, her heart only ached. 

~Say something, I'm giving up on you~

The words from the song they were dancing to were so moving but she wasn't aware of that, yet unknowingly, the melody only fueled her pent up emotions. 

"How dare you? You don't get to tell me that."

She straightened up and they continued to dance, her mood already sullen that she didn't notice a tear escaped from her eye. But her tear didn't go unnoticed by the man who was standing from a distance watching her dance with another man in a soulful song.

"What are you doing here Chris? Are you here to cancel me?" she scoffed.

"Come on, now Why would I do that? It's been five years since we last spoke to each other. Can't I just want to dance with you? I told you I miss you."

Glaring at him, Katherine tightened her grip on his arm, if only she could break it and forget that people were watching her.

Under gritted teeth, she bit out, "Do you tell that to everyone after you wipe out their memories?"

Chris's expression turned rigid but he ignored her comment. It was only a few seconds later when a sly smirk appeared on his face and he continued, "Ah I forgot. I did speak to you once outside the restaurant during your engagement night. How is he, by the way? President Park, was it?" He clicked his tongue and felt Katherine going upset.

Just the mention of the engagement night already struck her heart. Hearing his name from Chris's mouth felt like her heart was being squeezed. She started breathing heavily.

"Don't you dare touch him," she warned, her tone was low and icy.

"Oof. So protective. Does he know the real you, Katherine? Does he know you like I do?" Chris slowed down his movements and the two of them were now merely swaying from side to side. 

"You've lost your memories yet you still protect him just like you did years ago. Do you really care for him that much? Despite his family getting involved with..." His voice trailed down, his expression was unreadable but the way he spoke was evident to Katherine that he was holding a grudge.

Did Chris go there only to hurt her? How she wished he would just kill her instead of making her heart bleed.

The way he mentioned 'years ago' brought a bitter pang in her heart. 

Instantly, her memories from that time flashed in her mind while another drop of tear streamed down her face.