Hold on to your seats everyone, I hope I have answered some questions about who's behind everything and that it isn't to obvious eek!

I sincerely hope you like this chapter, I hope it's clear that these are the events leading up to the teaser I posted!

I'm nervous about how this particular chapter will be received! So I'm going to hide behind the sofa! Please do let me know your thoughts ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Baekhyun walks through the exhibit  constantly on the lookout for any inconsistency, he's nervous something  like the light falling the other day will happen! Baekhyun would rather that not be the reason his gallery ends on the front page of the newspapers! He tries to suppress the rage within him it's all futile as all he can think about is new minister of culture and his sheer disregard for him and the gallery! He just couldn't believe what he heard an hour ago, said senators words have ensured the exhibit will be front page news!

The Senator who was heard by all was blatantly insulting the gallery before continued to freely admitt that the preview is a wasted resource!  Thank the gods for Sehun, he stepped in to distract his parents when Sandra and James both bristled in anger at just how rude said senator was being, not just rude his negative words monopolised the attention of the press away from the exhibition! Baekhyun was horrified and consumed with white hot anger at first, when the Senator threw shade at his gallery being the chosen platform the exhibit creative team chose to show the exhibit. When Senator Kim tried to then draw attention of the press to his daughters hopeful return to her modelling and styling business, and a reporter dared asked if Maria was likely to return home all he could started to see was red! It wasn't helped when the senator insinuated that she would be returning to reconcile with her estranged husband.

Bless his assistant though Jongdae saw the look on his face and drew him away, forcing him to take big gulps of champagne before advising he needed to calm down, a task he has struggled to do for the last hour!

Baekhyun checks his watch and frowns it's after 8pm and Chanyeol is still nowhere to be seen, Baekhyun is fairly positive he isn't here,  as his man towers over the majority of the people in this room. The subtle shake of Jongdae's head means the giant is definitely not in the building, he would be lying if he said he wasn't upset because he is and is beyond furious! Baekhyun closes his eyes as those familiar feelings of abandonment return to him, he just can't believe this, Chanyeol promised things would be different if they tried again, yet here he is an hour in to the most important night of his life and his partner is a nowhwere in sight!

A sudden chill down the back of his spine doesn't sit well with him, something about Chanyeol's absence is just not sitting right. He regrets his flare of anger just now, he knows his gentle giant wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their second chance. A sudden lightbulb goes off in brain, it's probably a road accident, confusion taking root when he glances his phone to see no notification of such an accident from Chanyeol. Taking a deep breath to calm the weird sensation swirling within him, he really can't dwell on his absent partner. When he finally shows they can discuss his tardiness, for now he will try and focus on having a positive energy as tonight  will make or break his career.

Of course how could be so stupid, as he sees both Sandra and James talking with who he thinks is Hay Moon the famous singer! Baekhyun mentally facepalms himself, he can ask James if Chanyeol mentioned that he was on his way. He starts to make his way over to James When out of the blue that unpleasant chill down his spine returns, Baekhyun doesn't like the sudden sharp burn in his heart. The pleasant background chatter that was humming happily in the background stops, sudden collective gasps and the look of pure horror on Jongdae's face has him confused until he sees a struggling Sandra Park being held back by an almost desperate James, they also have horror written on their faces. Beakhyun can already see tears falling from Sandra's eyes, as she emotionally shouts out "Chanyeol!" Whirling around he lets out a choked sob of his own, his heart breaking as he watches the man he loves walking in to his gallery with Maria stood to the side of him pointing a pistol to his back!

One hour ago
"Hello Chanyeol" Chanyeol drops the roses in his hand as he hears a voice he had hoped he wouldn't have to hear ever again! Opening his eyes he realises this nightmare is real, stood before him is a classically beautiful woman, one who is considered by many to be the epitome of grace. Chanyeol however knows the real Maria! That calm grace she exudes now, that's only on the outside, underneath that façade is a viper whose tongue is as poisonous as her temper!

He really can't believe that for a short while he felt any affection for her, looking at her actually makes him nauseous as he fees the bile in the back of his throat!  "Arent you going to welcome me home darling?" Ensuring his body language portrays as much contempt as he can he takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders, "Maria!" "Now, now darling is that any way to greet your wife," ensuring there is distance between them Chanyeol slowly takes a step back "you haven't been my wife for a very long time Maria. How are you even here?"  His mind is swirling with never ending questions how this is possible, he has two restraining orders against this harpy yet here she is standing bold as brass dressed in an expensive red dress. He shivers in self-loathing how did he ever think she compared to his beautiful Baekhyun, he will never forgive himself as he feels that searing hot poker stab at his heart at what he put that innocent creature through for years.

Sudden alarm slams in to him, he and Baekhyun have only just reconciled and now he is running late to the biggest night of his precious hearts night! Baekhyun is going to tear him a new one that is if he even talks to him.  Shivering as Maria uses that sultry tone she thinks he likes "Daddy made friends with the head of the police and told him the correct version of events, it was enough to nullify the Korean restraining order."

Chanyeol can't contain the gasp he lets out at that revelation, "oops i should not have said that!" He is horrified that restraining order should be ironclad, he feels his veins fill with intoxicating rage, he is going to make heads roll at such carelessness!  A subtle click brings him back to the present it's almost like slow motion, as his eyes widen in both shock and disbelief as he watches Maria take a pistol out of the bag she was holding.

Chanyeol immediately puts his hands up, he curses himself at being so stupid to leave his mobile on his desk! "Do you want know why daddy was able to get the silly order rescinded? Daddy told me about dear old mother in laws dinner party, we finally put the missing pieces to the puzzle of who that voice was on that tape." Chanyeol desperately tries to pool his features in to one of indifference as he matches Marias sudden viscous stare with one of his own.  Inside he can feel his conscious screaming at him to not rattle the snake, "imagine my surprise when I discovered that it was your little brothers best friend on that tape! I know that your fucking him again Channie, it always him wasn't it?" "Yes" Chanyeol watches as tear slides down Maria's face  expression she takes a deep breath and fully extends the gun pointing at him.

Closing his eyes at the weight of what he faces, all  he sees is Baekhyun's beautiful angelic face, his heart breaks knowing him being shot will mean leaving  his precious heart alone again. Chanyeol opens his eyes when he doesn't hear the gun go off he remains ram rod straight as he watches Maria appear to argue with herself. "Take me too your whore Channie, we need to have a little chat" "Maria I'm not going to take you to him this is between us," "you'll take me too him Channie, do you want to know why, daddy is there destroying any chance of his pathetic little exhibit has of getting the recognition Baekhyun wants. Did you know I alway knew you would crawl back to him that's why I seduced done  of Daddy's staff  to that made that graffiti and when daddy told  me about the dinner!"  No no no, this can't be happening Chanyeol just can't believe this, he has to get to Baekhyun to protect him yet what Maria say next makes his blood run cold "I want see his face when we announce that we are reconciling!"

Chanyeol doesn't want to take this harpy anywhere near his precious innocent heart, " Your a crazy bitch  if you think that we will get back together, or that I would willingly let you close to the man I love!" A sudden loud bang sends shockwaves rippling through him, he doesn't feel any searing hot pain anywhere save for a small spot just above his heart! He also didn't notice he had closed his eyes when he opens them he feels the pistol pressed right to his chest, Maria is also close enough for him to see just how unhinged Maria is "Channie probably best not to argue with a woman holding a gun to your chest, take me to that man stealing whore or I promise you the next shot won't miss!"

Present time,
Chanyeol walks with led feet in to the galley, as a tidal wave of silence greets him, that is until he is in eye sight of Baekhyun, who looks like heaven on earth in his sequinned snow leopard jacket. Chanyeol closes his eyes at the sheer devastation he can see reflected in those gorgeous baby blues. The nudge from the pistol pressed in to his side forces him forward, with all his night he ignores his mother's erratic shout of his names, he doesn't want Maris to loose his cool. He feels nothing but agony when he hears Baekhyun sob out his name, as those blue eyes dart between him and Maria.

"Daddy can you get the press and everyone who isn't connected personally to the Parks and the whore out!" Chanyeol winces was he hears every one gasp, and prays to the gods when Luhan and Jongdae each grab on to Baekhyun's arms to stop him from launching forward. "Maria darling, have you lost your mind, I told you I would handle this." Chanyeol let's out the breath he holding as the pressure from the pistol is released. "Not quick enough daddy the police still haven't released those tapes to the press and i have had enough of waiting, now get everyone out I am going to do things a little differently, and this way everyone will know Park Chanyeol is mine!"

"Maria darling be smart about this, I don't even know how you got the gun" "for gods sake daddy get every one out of here NOW!" The sudden burst of noise from the pistol firing has him flinching forward, as the silence morphs in too chaos around him and the 30-40 people suddenly stampede towards him. Before he can react he is suddenly shunted in to one of the glass containers and feels white hot pain on his one of his cheeks. Shaking him self of being disoriented he can hear Maria screeching at everyone to get out. Chanyeol spots  Baekhyun, and feels his heart break at the confusion and fear on his beautiful pale face, his poor baby seems to be frozen to the spot as he watches the carnage of people racing to the exit. Chanyeol feels sudde  potent desire  and need to get to Baekhyun and promise him  that his heart belongs to him. Not caring about the noise around him, Chanyeol surges towards his beautiful Baekhyun, he doesn't see how Maria has spotted him surging forward nor the gun she points at his back! All he feels is relief when Baekhyun appears to snap out of what ever trance he is stuck in as those beautiful blue eyes widen and he desperately charges toward him.

"Baekhyun baby" Chanyeol doesn't get to finish his sentence, all he feels are those delicate tiny hands push him away with all the desperate might they can muster! It's the  same time he hears a loud scream, the bang of the pistol  and a strange whirling sound pass him! Mere seconds later his back careens into the display cabinet, surprised by the force of those tiny hands. He has to close his eyes to centre himself,  awareness and a strange searing pain before he realises the room has suddenly plunged in to silence. Strange he doesn't feel like he's been shot, opening his eyes, all he feels is his blood run cold as he watches in slow motion how two delicate hands reach up to cover the crimson red blood coating  over the sparkle of his Snow leopard jacket!

Thank you all again for reading I apologise for any spelling and grammar mistakes! I hope I have made it clear that Baekhyun has been shot!

Don't hate me, please stay tuned for what happens next!

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