Hannibal had never dismissed the idea of his soulmate despite being marked by a soulmark that didn't seem to make up it's mind what last name it possessed.
The one consistent was the first name, Jade.
And yet he never suspected he'd find her right in front of him during a black tie gallery opening. Dressed in an elegant floor length black gown. Black embroidered overlay with red beads like drops of blood covering her pale shoulders and neck, black crepe small train following her as she swept through the gallery as if her feet never touched the ground.
"Ah, I see the gallery's new artist has caught your eye, Hannibal."
"She's exquisite."
Margaret Harris, socialite and heiress, chuckled at his side. "She made quite the name for herself in Europe. I can't imagine how she grew up in Baltimore and we never saw one stroke of her genius."
Hannibal's eyes narrowed slightly watching as the woman in question smiled professionally as an older gentleman rattled on about some inane subject. Still she paid attention with a watchful, attentive gaze giving the man her full attention speaking occasionally asking pointed questions that made her conversation partner thrive.
"What's her name?"
"Jade Smith is her artist name."
Hannibal breathed in to stop from cutting the socialite off and demanding the other name.
"Jade Bloom is her birth name."
Bloom? He wondered if she had any relation to Alana. Alana had always been private about her family life, not secretive but pained; it motivated her to be a better psychiatrist.
As the socialite began to talk on about something else, Hannibal glanced down at his left ring finger where a name flickered this time settling on two last names. Smith and Bloom. He'd found her.
He watched Jade through the night, noticing her uncanny ability. She was like a chameleon, she could be exactly what each person she came across wanted. She could talk about physics with a professor and all the while pickup a spirited conversation about the most delicious edible plants with a matron by the hoerderves.
She made every guest at the gallery feel seen without looking like it took any effort to do so. He kept on the edges of her vision, never getting close enough for her to turn her charms onto him.
It was when Margaret Harris invited the artist to dinner that he thought of coming over at last.
"I'm afraid I would only be a burden. I have a strict diet. I make it a rule not to accept any dinner invite so as not to offend anyone."
After the gallery opening, Hannibal commissioned an art piece curious to see what she would make for him having not met him.
He saw Alana at dinner before he saw his soulmate again.
As he cut his meat, he spoke quietly. "Why did you never tell me of Jade?"
Alana immediately stiffened setting down her beer bottle a little firmer than she normally did.
What an interesting reaction.
"I do not get involved in her life and she does not get involved in mine." Alana stubbornly kept her gaze on her plate, even as Hannibal raised an eyebrow in her direction.
"She's back from Europe, it would seem." Hannibal watched as Alana's fingertips turned white as she clutched her fork tightly.
"Is she? My twin and I rarely speak. She keeps to her section of the house and I keep to mine."
If Alana had been looking at Hannibal she would have seen the surprise briefly flit through his eyes.
"Bring her to your next dinner here, Alana."
This time she looked up, "Hannibal, she's rather picky. Our parents spoiled her. I doubt even you could reach her standards."
"You will bring her here." The command came almost sharp, Alana winced but nodded taking a swig of her beer before finishing her dinner.