003: ESCAPING?!

RHEA

Two bodyguards fell into step behind me, blocking any thought of me running. I had no choice but to follow his tall, imposing frame through the double wooden doors of the mansion.

The interior was magnificent, marble floors, high ceilings with crystal chandeliers, and grand oil paintings hanging on dark walls. But there was no warmth here. No personal photos, no cozy furniture. It felt cold, sterile, and quiet as a tomb.

Nikolai led me up a grand spiral staircase and down a long, dimly lit hallway. He stopped in front of a  door at the very end.

He turned the handle, pushed the door open, and stepped aside.

"This will be your room," he said coldly.

I walked past him into the space. The room was big, featuring a king-sized bed, a fireplace, a private balcony, and a bathroom. It was far grander than anything I had ever slept in, yet it felt completely lifeless.

"You will stay here until I decide otherwise," Nikolai added from the doorway.

I turned back to face him, frowning. "Wait. What do you mean 'stay here'? Am I a prisoner?"

"You are high-value cargo," Nikolai corrected smoothly, his expression unreadable. "My enemies know I have returned to Italy. Until the medical procedures are finalized and security is tightened, you do not leave this room."

"You can't just lock me in!" I shouted, taking a step toward him. "I signed a surrogacy contract, not a prison sentence!"

Nikolai didn't flinch. "I can, and I will. Get some rest, Mrs. Martello."

Before I could protest further, he pulled the door shut. The loud, sharp sound of a key turning in the lock echoed through the room.

"Nikolai!" I ran to the door and pounded my fists against the hard wood. "Let me out! Nikolai!"

There was no answer. Only the fading sound of his footsteps echoing down the  hallway.

I slumped against the door, dropping my head against the cold wood. Panic bubbled up in my throat, but I forced it down. I couldn't break down now. If I let fear take over, I would lose entirely.

Hours passed like torture.

The room grew brighter as the sun rose, then slowly darkened as afternoon faded into evening. I paced the floor like a trapped animal. I checked the windows, they were sealed shut with thick iron grates on the outside. The balcony door was locked tight. There was no phone, no television, no way to contact the outside world.

Around seven in the evening, the key turned in the lock.

The door opened, and a elderly woman wearing a black maid's uniform walked in. She carried a silver tray with a plate of roasted chicken, vegetables, and a glass of water. She kept her head lowered, avoiding my eyes.

"Good evening, signorina," she said softly in heavily accented English, placing the tray on the small table near the bed.

"Please," I begged, rushing toward her. "Can you tell me where Nikolai is? Can you open the door?"

The maid looked up, her soft eyes filled with pity, but she quickly shook her head. "I am sorry. Master Nikolai's orders are absolute. Eat your dinner, signorina."

She turned and hurried back toward the hallway.

"Wait!" I cried out.

The door swung shut behind her. I heard the familiar sound of metal scraping against metal.

*Click.*

I stood in the middle of the quiet room, my chest heaving. My stomach rumbled at the smell of the food, but I couldn't eat. I couldn't just sit here and accept being caged like an animal.

I walked over to the door and gently turned the handle.

It didn't budge. But as I pulled slightly harder, I felt a faint shift. A tiny gap appeared between the frame and the door.

My heart skipped a beat.

The lock hadn't fully engaged! The old maid must have been in a hurry, turning the key before the bolt was completely aligned.

Holding my breath, I pressed my shoulder against the thick wood and pulled back sharply, then pushed again. With a tiny, almost silent click, the lock gave way. The door creaked open an inch, revealing the dark, quiet corridor outside.

My pulse spiked wildly.

This is it. My only chance.

I didn't know where the exit was, or where the guards were posted, but I couldn't just stay in this room waiting for Nikolai to dictate my life. I had to try.

I slipped off my shoes, holding them in my hand, and tiptoed out into the hallway in my socks. The air in the corridor was freezing, biting into my skin..

I tiptoed down the long hallway, keeping my back pressed against the wall. Every tiny creak of the floorboards sounded like a gunshot in the deafening silence.

At the end of the corridor, I turned a corner, looking for the main staircase. The hallway seemed endless, a maze of dark doors and quiet arches. I picked up my pace, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

Finally, I saw a wide opening ahead a balcony overlooking the grand foyer below. I could see the  front doors in the distance!

Relief washed over me. I sprinted toward the corner, turning sharply around the edge of the wall to make a break for the stairs.

BAM!

I crashed into something solid and immovable, like running full speed into a brick wall.

The impact knocked the breath straight out of my lungs. I stumbled backward, my hands flailing in the air as I lost my balance.

Before I could hit the floor, two large, strong hands clamped around my waist, holding me back onto my feet with terrifying ease.

I gasped, looking straight up into the chest of a tailored dark suit. My eyes traveled slowly up the sharp jaw line, landing on two cold, piercing eyes staring down at me in the shadows.

Nikolai.

His hands remained locked around my waist, his grip like iron. The shadows hid most of his face, but I could feel the intense, suffocating heat coming from him.

"Where do you think you're going, Rhea?" Nikolai asked softly, his low voice echoing in the quiet hallway.

I swallowed hard, my chest pressing against his as I tried to pull back. "Please Let go of me!"

"You were told to stay in your room," he murmured, stepping closer, forcing me back against the wall until there was no space left between us.

He leaned down, his lips hovering inches from my ear. I could feel his warm breath against my skin, sending a sudden, confusing shiver straight down my spine.

"Did you really think you could escape from me?" he whispered dangerously.

I lifted my chin, glaring straight into his eyes despite the fear clawing at my throat. "I'll keep trying until I succeed."

Nikolai stared at me for a long, silent moment. His gaze flicked down to my lips, then back up to my eyes. A dark, terrifyingly quiet smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"Then I suppose," he whispered, his thumb lightly tracing the sharp line of my jaw, "I will just have to lock you somewhere much closer to me."