Absolute King Chapter 30.

Chapter 30: Jealousy.

-0-

The Wayne Manor stood exactly as its reputation described , a silent monument of wealth and legacy. The sprawling estate stretched across the hill like a private fortress, its gothic spires brushing against the moonlit sky. The courtyard was immaculate with trimmed hedges, marble statues, and an array of exotic flowers that filled the night air with a perfume so rich it almost felt enchanted.

“Right this way, sir,” Alfred said with his usual calm grace, leading them along the cobblestone path. His posture was perfectly upright, his movements deliberate-every inch the loyal butler of Gotham’s most enigmatic family.

Mark followed, his eyes darting across the scenery like a tourist who’d never seen luxury before. He exhaled in awe.

“Damn, check that courtyard, Kara,” he muttered, pointing toward a lawn carved, perhaps a little too artistically in the shape of a reclining woman.

Kara’s cheeks turned red in an instant.

“Mark!” she hissed, elbowing him square in the stomach.

It was a playful gesture, but to Mark, it felt like being hit by a truck. He stifled a wince and forced a grin.

“Totally worth it,” he wheezed under his breath.

At the entrance, a broad shouldered bodyguard stood in silent vigilance. His eyes scanned the guests one by one, but as soon as he saw Alfred escorting Mark and Kara, his rigid stance softened. Without a word, he stepped aside, letting them through.

“If you will, Master Flinch, Miss Kara,welcome to Wayne Manor,” Alfred said with a courteous bow.

Inside, the grandeur was overwhelming. A chandelier the size of a car glowed above them, scattering light across marble floors and velvet curtains. Dozens of guests mingled in small groups -young elites laughing with champagne glasses, classical music playing softly in the background.

Mark blinked. “I thought Damian was the ‘brooding loner’ type,” he whispered to Kara, utterly baffled by the sight of the crowded ballroom.

Kara giggled. “You might not know this, but Damian’s actually pretty popular at his school. He’s top of his class,smart, athletic, calm. Kinda the full package.”

Mark froze mid-step, his jaw dropping.

“What! That brat? Popular?” He rubbed the back of his head, visibly annoyed. “No way that little demon’s more popular than me. The universe has no balance!”

Kara couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Mark, however, muttered to himself bitterly, “I bet they’re all just spoiled brats… Damn Barchonaks.”

Kara tilted her head. “Barchonak? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s… Russian,” Mark explained with a smug grin. “Means spoiled little rich kid.”

Kara raised her brows, impressed.

“Didn’t know you spoke Russian.”

Mark shrugged casually. “Picked up a few languages here and there.”

He didn’t mention that “here and there” included an entire lifetime in another world.

“Wow. That’s actually kinda cool,” Kara said, smiling warmly.

Before he could reply, a familiar, overly confident voice broke through the crowd.

“Hello there, guys!”

They turned to see a green skinned teen in a slick black suit, holding a glass of wine like he was at a photo shoot. Beast Boy grinned ear to ear as he strutted over.

“For a second, I almost didn’t recognize you two,” he said, his eyes flicking toward Kara with mock admiration. “Then I saw this gorgeous face and thought — yep, that’s them.”

He took Kara’s hand and planted an exaggerated kiss on it. Kara blinked, half amused and half uncomfortable.

Mark cleared his throat loudly. “Ahem.”

Beast Boy blinked. “Oh! Mark, didn’t see you there, buddy.”

Mark’s eyebrow twitched. “I’ve been standing right here.”

Beast Boy grinned mischievously.

“You look kinda…” he paused, pretending to inspect Mark’s outfit.

“Kinda what?” Mark leaned forward, hopeful for a compliment.

“…Kinda normal.”

Mark deflated instantly. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Beast Boy slung an arm around his shoulder and whispered, “You know, that suit you’re wearing? Cheapest one here. Robin picked it up from a bargain store in Gotham.”

Mark froze. “He what?”

“Yeah, man. He bought custom suits for everyone else, but yours…” Beast Boy chuckled. “Yours was a ‘budget pick.’”

Mark clenched his fists so tight his knuckles cracked. “That little piece of....”

“Smack who?” came a cold, confident voice from behind.

Mark turned to see Damian Wayne standing there, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

“There you are, you smug little...” Mark began, but Damian cut him off smoothly.

“I know you’re upset about the suit,” Damian said, stepping closer, “but considering your entire family’s fortune couldn’t afford half of this attire, I’d suggest you show some gratitude.”

Mark’s jaw tightened. For a moment, he genuinely considered testing how durable Robin’s skull was. But he forced a smile strained, but civil.

From behind Damian stepped someone else and the atmosphere shifted instantly.

Raven.

She was breathtaking. Her dark purple gown shimmered subtly under the chandelier’s glow, and her hair, parted to the side, framed her pale face like a shadow. Black eyeliner traced her violet eyes, and her lips glowed with a faint, dusky shade of purple.

Mark forgot to breathe for a moment. His gaze lingered too long, tracing her from the soft curl of her hair to the way her dress hugged her frame. She was elegance laced with danger,darkness turned divine.

Beside him, Kara stiffened. Her smile faltered.

Mark felt it-a dark, almost tangible aura of jealousy radiating from her. He glanced sideways and caught her expression,narrowed eyes, pout, and a faint spark of irritation flickering in her aura.

A bead of sweat slid down Mark’s temple. “...I may have looked too long,” he muttered under his breath.

Beast Boy, meanwhile, had no filter. “Damn, girl, you went from gloomy to gothic goddess. I’m feeling the kinks now.”

“Ew,” Raven said flatly. “Go back to entertaining your audience with your cheap parlor tricks.”

“Ouch.” Beast Boy clutched his chest in mock pain. “Playing hard to get, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll break through that spooky heart one day.”

Raven rolled her eyes and looked toward Mark instead. For a moment, their gazes met steady, quiet, unreadable.

Damian noticed. His hand tightened slightly at his side.

Moments later, the music changed the soft rise of violins signaling the start of a dance. Couples began pairing off, laughter filling the air.

Beast Boy turned to Kara with an exaggerated bow. “My lovely, may I have this dance?”

Kara hesitated. Her eyes flicked to Mark - waiting, almost asking for a reason to say no. But Mark didn’t move, lost in his own nerves.

Before he could react, Beast Boy had already taken her hand and whisked her away onto the floor.

Mark sighed. “Smooth, you green bastard.”

Then he felt someone’s eyes on him. Raven. Standing alone, quietly watching him.

Without realizing it, Mark stepped forward and extended his hand. “May I?”

Raven looked at him for a long second before softly placing her hand in his.

As they moved to the dance floor, the lights dimmed slightly, and the world narrowed down to the rhythm of the music — and the quiet heartbeat between them.

Damian stood at the edge of the crowd, expression unreadable but his jaw set tight.

It was his party. His night.

Yet somehow… all eyes were drifting toward Mark.

And jealousy- cold, sharp, and unspoken settled quietly among them all.