Chapter 42: Chapter Fourty Two.

Xena let out a relieved sigh as she stepped out of the warm bath, wrapping herself in a towel. The soothing water had relaxed her tense muscles, but as she walked into the bedroom, she gasped, startled to find Alina standing there. 

"Oh! I'm so sorry to startle you, Mis— I mean, Xena." Alina quickly corrected herself, offering a polite smile. 

Xena exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest before shaking her head with a small, hesitant smile. "It's fine. I'm just… not used to all of this yet." 

Alina giggled. "Don't worry, with time, you will." She winked playfully. "I actually came to inform you that your breakfast is ready. I was going to wake you up earlier, but you were still fast asleep." 

Xena felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "Oh… thank you. I’ll be down shortly." she murmured. 

Alina nodded, still smiling, then walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. 

Once alone, Xena sighed and made her way into the closet to dress. She dried herself off, applied some lotion, and spritzed a light body spray before turning to the rows of expensive clothes that Anya had brought for her. 

Her jaw nearly dropped. 

The closet was filled with luxury pieces, each one more revealing than the last. 

**Gosh, this is what happens when a seductress goes shopping for you.** 

Muttering under her breath, she started sifting through the options. There were dozens of sundresses, most of them either sleeveless, backless, or designed to hug her curves in a way that would undoubtedly draw attention. 

Xena groaned in frustration as she pulled out a floral-print sundress and held it up to herself. "I should try this on." she murmured, slipping into it. 

When she turned to face the mirror, her eyes widened in horror. 

The dress clung to her like a second skin, accentuating every curve. The back was entirely exposed, and it barely reached mid-thigh. 

Spinning around, she took a look at the back and groaned. "I’m trying not to attract attention, and here she is dressing me like a walking invitation." 

Determined to find something more modest, she dug through the closet, but nearly every dress was either too short, too tight, or too revealing.

Finally, she found something that was *almost* acceptable—a summer floral-print A-line dress with a square neckline. 

It was better than the rest, but still not exactly what she wanted. The neckline dipped just enough to show some cleavage, and the fitted bodice hugged her waist, emphasizing her shape. The thigh-high slit was an added problem, but she had no choice. 

"At least it’s not backless." she muttered. 

After quickly fixing her hair, she stepped out of the closet, smoothing the dress down, and took a deep breath before heading toward the door. 

As she walked down the long hallway, her eyes wandered, taking in the grand architecture. 

She realized something—she had never actually explored this place. 

Ever since she had arrived, she had been too overwhelmed, too trapped in Viktor’s grasp to focus on her surroundings. But now… if she wanted to escape, she needed to understand the layout of this place. 

She needed to check every possible exit. 

Xena's determination hardened as she made a silent vow to herself. 

But for now, breakfast first.

♧♧♧

As Xena descended the grand staircase, the soft hum of a voice reached her ears. The melody was unfamiliar yet oddly comforting.

Curious, she followed the sound toward the kitchen, her steps light against the polished floors.

The moment she stepped inside, the rich aroma of spices and freshly cooked food enveloped her, making her stomach rumble in anticipation.

Standing at the counter was Travis, focused on preparing a meal. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his forearms as he skillfully moved between the ingredients.

There was something effortless about the way he cooked, and for a brief moment, Xena was reminded of home—of the cozy warmth of her grandmother’s restaurant in Italy, of the laughter that filled the air as she and her younger brother helped with the dishes.

A pang of homesickness hit her so suddenly that she had to shake her head, as if physically dispelling the thought.

She wasn’t staying here.

She would leave soon.

Travis turned around to grab something from the counter when his gaze landed on her. He froze.

His eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he just *stared*.

Xena shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. The way he was looking at her—it wasn’t inappropriate, but it was definitely different from how he had looked at her before.

The last time they had seen each other, she had been drowning in Viktor’s oversized clothes, her hair a tangled mess from exhaustion.

Now, she was different.

The dress she had chosen, while modest compared to the others, still accentuated her features. Her skin glowed under the morning light streaming through the large kitchen windows, and her loose waves cascaded down her back.

"Um… hi." Xena said, breaking the silence.

Travis blinked rapidly, snapping out of whatever daze he had fallen into. He cleared his throat, his face turning slightly red.

"H-hi… Madam. G-good morning." he stammered, fumbling over his words.

Xena chuckled softly. "Morning." She glanced at the stove, where the scent of herbs and butter filled the air. "Are you still cooking? I can help if you’d like."

Travis’ eyes widened in surprise. "You… you can cook?"

Xena smiled, her face lighting up with genuine enthusiasm. "Of course! Back in Italy, I—"

She stopped mid-sentence.

The warmth in her expression dimmed instantly, as if she had just realized where she was and who she was talking to.

"I mean… yeah, I can cook." she corrected, her voice quieter now.

Travis noticed the shift in her mood and hesitated before offering her a small, reassuring smile.

"It’s okay, Madam." he said gently. "You’re very kind to offer, but I can handle it. Maybe next time?"

Before Xena could respond, Alina strode into the kitchen.

"There you are, Xena! Your breakfast is ready." she announced cheerfully.

Xena turned to her and smiled. "Thanks, I’ll be there in a second."

Before leaving, she glanced back at Travis and gave him a small, knowing smile.

"Maybe one day, I’ll help you cook." she said lightly before walking out.

Travis watched her go, an amused grin tugging at his lips.

His moment of admiration was short-lived, though.

"I’d value my life if I were you." Alina suddenly said, crossing her arms.

Travis frowned, turning to her. "What?"

"You were looking at her like she was a damn treasure." Alina pointed out bluntly. "You *do* realize how possessive the boss is, right?"

Travis scoffed. "It’s not like that."

"Mm-hmm. Sure." Alina replied, clearly unconvinced. She leaned against the counter. "Besides, what was that talk about cooking?"

Travis sighed, shaking his head. "It’s nothing." But even as he said it, a small smile played on his lips as he turned back to his work.

Alina studied him for a moment, her brows furrowing in confusion before she finally shrugged and left the kitchen.

♧♧♧

After finishing her breakfast, Xena wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up, ready to leave.

Alina, who had been watching over her meal, smiled warmly. "Do you need anything else, Xena?"

Xena returned the smile and shook her head. "No, I’ll just go back to the room."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything," Alina said kindly.

Xena nodded in response before excusing herself. She walked up the grand staircase, her fingers trailing along the polished wooden railing as she made her way toward her room.

But as she reached her door, she hesitated.

Going back to the room meant more isolation. More overthinking.

She was tired of feeling like a caged bird.

Her eyes flickered down the long hallway, curiosity sparking in her mind. The mansion was enormous, and she had only seen a small part of it. Perhaps now was the time to explore—*really* explore.

Not only would it keep her occupied, but it would also give her the opportunity to scout for an escape route.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, she changed direction and continued down the hallway.

At the far end, she spotted a corner leading to another section of the mansion.

"Woah." she muttered under her breath. "I didn’t even notice this part before."

She paused for a second, contemplating whether she should continue, then took a deep breath and pressed forward.

The hallway was different from the one leading to her room—darker, quieter. The air smelled faintly of expensive cologne and aged wood. Framed paintings lined the walls, some of them ancient, their subjects staring back at her with unreadable expressions.

Xena swallowed, feeling the weight of the unfamiliarity settle on her.

*This place is huge. How does one man live in a house like this?*

She walked past a few closed doors, each one tempting her curiosity.

*What’s behind them? Offices? Storage rooms? Something more… secret?*

Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached the end of the hallway, where an intricately carved double door stood slightly ajar.

The smallest crack allowed a sliver of light to escape.

Her fingers twitched at her sides.

She knew she shouldn’t.

She *really* shouldn’t.

But before she could talk herself out of it, she reached for the handle and pushed the door open just a little more.

And what she saw inside made her eye widen.