Caged butterfly

“It's time, Jewel!” Star rushed into the parlour. She plopped down next to me, with an excited grin on her face.

“Time for what?” I tilted my head, confused by her words.

“It's time to party!” She beamed. “It's time to rock the boat.”

“Oh, it is?” I dropped the book I was reading with a sigh.

“What's wrong?”

“I… Uh… No, nothing is wrong. I was just lost in a fantasy world, that's why” I lied. I was only pretending to read the book. My mind was on how hard Miguel was on me last night.

I glanced at my wrists. Though I used concealer on them, I can still see the red marks from when he gripped me so hard as he fucked me by the window.

“Don't give me that bullshit. You are thinking of your husband, right?” She raised a brow at me.

“Who told you that?” I furrowed my brows at her.

“I can tell with just a glance.” She tugged me from the cushion I was sitting on. “Let's go. It's time to party! What you currently need is a party to cheer you up.”

“You think? “

“I don't think, love, I'm certain.” She glanced at that wall clock. “It's almost time. You don't want to be late.”

“Late?” I scoffed. “There's nothing like going there late, it's just five O'clock."

I said before I glanced up only to discover it was 7 already.

Shit.

“You see, we need to get ready, you can't afford to be late on your first day.” She winked as she tugged me towards her room. “TADA!” She motioned towards her bed.

“Wow.” I hurried to her bed when I saw the gown she placed on it. “This is superb, extra….”

Star slapped my hand away when I made it to take the gown up from the bed. “No touching of the gown until you bathe.” She folded her arms, with a stern expression on her face.

“Aye, aye, Captain.” I rolled my eyes at her as I hurried to my room to have a bath.

****

Star dressed me up. She packed my hair up in a bun and made me up with a foundation so light it seemed almost non-existent.

“Blimey! You know I didn't recognize you right now?” Star gave me an appreciative glance, “You look different compared to your normal self. Should your husband get to see you now, he will undoubtedly fall for his beautiful wife in make-up.” She grinned. “You don't look like a hag any more.”

“Shut up.” I narrowed my eyes at her, “should he care about that, he wouldn't have been acting so cold towards me.”

He wouldn't have ignored me as if I were some sort of sculpture given to him to do as he is so pleased.

“I'm not lying at all, Jewel. You are so beautiful, I wouldn't mind changing my sexual orientation for you.” She winked at me.

I rolled my eyes at her words, “spare me that, Star. You don't have to flatter me any more.”

I touched the shimmering blue gown. I can't tell how Star got my exact size. It was so perfect. The waist wasn't tight. It was moderate and well-made.

Star said a friend gave her the gown. It was supposed to be hers, but because she's a bit slimmer, she decided to gift it to me.

“What of the mask?”

“Here you go.” She brought out a golden butterfly mask. “It goes with your shoes. Do you like it?” She grinned.

“Of course, I do.” I took the mask and put it in the gold handbag she gifted to me. “Thank you for this, Star. You are the best.”

“Come on now, don't make me feel emotional. It's time for the last obstacle of the night.” She took my gloved hands in hers and led me towards the front door.

“Don't make any sound. Stay here while I go scout out the back gate.” She whispered the moment the door closed behind us. “Do you understand?”

“I do,” I whispered back.

“I'll be right back.” With those words said, she left me by the door and went to the back to scout the area.

Initially, we intended to go through the front gate, but it seems Miguel put more security there as there were more guards at the gate compared to those we normally have there. It seemed like he increased their numbers.

From the corner I hid on, I can make out more than fifteen guards patrolling the front gate. Their entire focus was on the house they were asked to guard.

“Let's go,” Star whispered when she returned after scouting the area.

“Is the coast clear there?” I whispered as I checked for the guards.

“Luckily for us, the guards stupidly all went to the front gate to guard it. There's currently no one there, and we need to hurry before any of them returns.” She motioned for me to follow her as she tiptoed towards the back of the house.

I glanced around to be certain there was no guard around before I sneaked after her. Just like Star said, there were no guards at the back place. The entire place is empty and devoid of any guard.

“Let's go.” She unlocked the gate and motioned for me to go first.

For the first time since I got married to Miguel, my feet touched the Earth outside Miguel's mansion.

She took my hand in hers and led me towards the right.

“Why are we going through the right and not the left?” I frowned at her.

“The CCTV at the side of the gate might capture us if we walk past it. Prevention, they say, is better than cure.” She glanced around. “We need to be careful out here.”

I followed her until we got to a bus station. Star cleaned the iron seat and motioned for me to sit on it.

“What next?” I peered up at her.

“We wait for a cab.”

*********

“Thank you say.” I thanked the driver before I exited the cab.

"My pleasure," came his reply.

I nervously glanced around before I headed to the gate that led to the mansion the party was taking place in.

The cab driver didn't immediately leave, he stayed there waiting for me to enter. Star paid him a bit of extra money for him to make sure I entered the compound before leaving.

I wore the mask Star gave to me before I pressed the red button on the pillar beside the gate.

“Who is that?” A booming voice asked from the other side of the gate.

“I'm….” I swallowed at the sudden dryness of my throat. “I'm here for the party.”

“Your identification?”

“My name is…”

“Not your name. The invitation card?” The man asked once more.

“I'm with it.” I got the card out of my handbag.

“Slide it through the hole near the key handle.” The man from the other side, instructed.

I did as he asked. I took the card and slid it through the hole he pointed out to.

With nothing to do, I tapped my feet to the beat of the music coming from the cab behind me.

The man was yet to leave.

“Verified.” The man said after a few minutes of silence from his side.

“Phew.” I breathed out in relief the moment he said those words.

The gate to the Mansion opened, and I stepped in, striding as majestically as I can without breaking a foot.

The mansion wasn't like I envisioned, it was more so like that. It might not be as opulent as Miguel's own, but the owner of the mansion certainly got some money speaking for him.

The large Victorian house looks like I cost real money to set up.

“Here.” The man called my attention to him.

"Pardon?"

“Write your name on it.” He ordered as he gave me a blue pen.

“My name?” I glanced up in surprise. "Should I write my full name?"

“No. You are to write the name you will answer here. Something like a secret name. It's the only name you will be known by whenever you come here.” The masked guard explained.

“Oh. Thanks for the head up.” I took the pen from him and scrunched my nose up as I thought of a good name.

“The name also helps in identification. After today, should you wish to come back, you won't need an invitation letter. All you have to do is say your secret name, and you will be let in.”

I tapped the pen in my mask as I thought of the right name to answer. And instantly, I got an idea.

“Caged butterfly? Hmm.” The man raised a brow at the name I chose.

“What's wrong?” I gave the pen back to him.

“Nothing. I mean it's… Wow. That's astonishing. The name is just..... peculiar.”

“I just thought of it now.” I forced a smile, "It's just a nickname. It doesn't hurt anyone, right?"

My mask gave me the name. I only had to add caged to it.

The man gave me a red bangle. “That's your identity. You are free to go now.”

“Thank you.” I wore the bangle.

“Have a nice time in there.”

“I will. Thanks for everything,” I smiled.

“It's no problem, miss.” The guard kindly smiled.

Miss?

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at that. If only they knew I'm a married woman. I'm married to a beast who might clip my wings when he discovers my actions tonight.