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"Damn it," I mutter, using the back of my hand to wipe the sweat off my brow. It's hot, and this dress is weighing a ton.

A few deep breaths as I scan the room, and I decide I need to change strategies. Whatever happens, though, I'm not aboutto let Vlad get away with this. He may be bored, and looking for pawns to move around in his game of chess, but I won't be one.

It's only now that I realize what Marcello's been saying all along. Vlad doesn't know the meaning of friendship, or any relationship. He only knows how to use people to achieve his goals.

Like he did with me… until I proved to be useless to him.

Even now, he probably has some cameras installed somewhere, and he's watching from behind his wall full of screens, chuckling at my expense and at my poor attempts at escaping.

As soon as the thought forms in my head, I turn swiftly to the ceiling, finding the camera immediately.

Feeling my ire rising, I stomp until I'm standing right in front of it. I don't know if this has sound or not, but I have nothing to lose.

"You chose the wrong person to mess with, Vlad," I tell him, looking straight at the twitching lens. "You can't beat someone who has nothing to lose." I smirk, my hands going to my lengthy wedding dress as I grab onto the hem.

Without even thinking, I tear the lace up to my knees, revealing the satin shift underneath. Using my teeth, I do the same until the lower part of the dress is completely gone.

With some breathing room, I'm immediately more at ease, air flowing around my legs and refreshing my body. My movements also feel less restricted.

And because I'm running on extremely low patience, I give him the middle finger too. Oh, how I wish I saw him react tothat.

But I don't have time to think about that. Not when I need to get out of here.

Seeing that the door will not be a good option, I head to the windows, exhaling in relief when one of them opens.

At least I won't have to break this.

But my relief soon turns to fear as I gaze down and realize I'm nowhere near the ground. What is this? Second? Third floor?

"Good grief!" I get an overwhelming urge to cross myself, because even seeing how far the ground is from my position, I can't help but focus on it.

"It's not like I haven't done this before," I try to convince myself.

But it wasn't this high?!

"Okay, it's now or never," I whisper. The more I think about it, the more scared I'll be and I will never do it. Since I don't fancy remaining a prisoner, this is the only option.

"Fuck you, Vlad," I mutter, incensed that he'd put me in this situation in the first place.

Grabbing onto the frame of the window, I climb up on the sill, holding tight, my eyes half-closed.

"Why does it have to be so high?" I cry out in frustration.

But taking a deep breath, I still myself.

One. Two. Three.

And I jump.

Eyes still closed, I wait for the impending contact with the ground.

"Still dying to fall under me, I see," a voice says in my hair, strong hands holding on to me as they lower me to the ground.

Opening one eye, and then the other, I don't even know how to react to seeinghimin the flesh.

I blink, my eyes on him as if I'm trying to figure out a puzzle.

He's still the same, even though it's been more than three months since we've last seen each other. But there's something different.