Chapter 9: The First Escape Attempt
Chapter 9: The First Escape Attempt
Then a gunshot rang in my ears, piercing and shocking. My heart raced as I hurried to the window, pulling back the thick velvet curtain slightly to look outside. The estate grounds were dim, with shadows elongated beneath the soft shimmer of the moonlight. I wasn't able to identify the source of the noise, but the muted yells of the guards validated my greatest anxieties, something was going on. Something hazardous.
I turned away from the window, breathing in short, sharp puffs. This was the time to run, if there ever was one. The disorder outside would serve as an ideal diversion.
I took a coat from the closet and draped it over my shoulders, disregarding the shake in my hands. My strategy was straightforward: escape from this room, steer clear of Alexander’s men, and discover a means to leave the premises. Easy in concept, unattainable in reality, but I needed to give it a go. The idea of remaining here, under his influence, filled me with a rush of sickness. I couldn't allow this to be my existence.
I sneaked up to the door, placing my ear on it. The corridor was silent. Very silent. I opened the door gently and peered out, my gaze flitting up and down the hallway. No security personnel are seen.
I moved slowly along the hallway, keeping close to the walls. The home seemed more and more empty in the gloom, its luxury no longer awe-inspiring but oppressive. Each creak of the floorboards under my feet sounded thunderous, yet no one appeared.
As I arrived at the primary staircase, I halted, clutching the handrail firmly. Two sentinels were positioned at the entrance, their outlines distinct in the moonlight pouring through the spacious windows. I felt a heavy weight in my chest. I wasn’t able to exit from the front.
My gaze swept the foyer, searching for another way out. That’s when I saw it: a narrow door tucked beneath the staircase, almost hidden in the shadows. A servant’s passage, maybe? It was my best chance.
Holding my breath, I ran across the marble floor and arrived at the door. I slipped inside after turning the handle, which felt frigid to the touch. The air was musty from lack of use, and the corridor was small and dark. I felt my way forward by running my hand down the wall till I reached another door. This one went to the kitchen, a large room with long counters and shiny appliances. My heartbeat accelerated. It was only a few steps to the rear exit. I could practically taste the freedom that lay ahead. However, a voice stopped me cold as I grabbed for the door.
“Going somewhere?”
I froze, every muscle in my body locking up as the voice slithered over me like ice. Slowly, I turned, my stomach twisting into knots. Alexander stood in the doorway, his broad frame backlit by the dim light spilling in from the hall.A mixture of rage and something much more disturbing, a predatory calm that chilled my blood, burned in his icy-blue eyes.
"I..." In an attempt to regain the defiance I had previously clung to, my voice broke and I swallowed hard. "I'm going." A chilly, sardonic smirk twisted his lips. “Going?” His boots clicked on the tiled floor as he took a step closer. “And where exactly do you plan to go, Dysis? Back to your father? Or do you think Max Carter will take you in with open arms?”
“I don't know of this Max Carter you speak of but I’ll take my chances,” I snapped, my voice shaking but resolute. “Anything is better than staying here.”
His expression darkened, and in a flash, he closed the distance between us. His hand shot out, gripping my wrist tightly, and he yanked me toward him. The overwhelming impact took the breath right out of my lungs.
"You believe you can simply stroll out of here?" he whispered, his tone soft yet threatening. "Are you aware of the type of danger you would face out there?" "You couldn't survive a single day."
“Perhaps,” I retorted, pulling against his hold even though I realized it was futile. "However, I would still have an option."
His eyes gleamed with an emotion difficult to interpret, rage, annoyance, perhaps a hint of pain. Yet it vanished as swiftly as it appeared, giving way to that relentless chill.
"You seeking a choice?" he asked, his tone lowering to a sinister whisper. "Select now." Remain here and understand the guidelines, or depart and encounter the repercussions. "However, I assure you, Dysis, you won’t enjoy the consequences if you betray me again."
His hold on my wrist grew stronger, causing me to flinch, with tears pricking at my eyes. "I'm in pain because of you," I replied while clenching my jaw. I was already planning on running away from my father before you showed up and ruined everything. But I didn't say those words to him.
He let me go immediately, as though my words had scalded him. I stepped back, holding my wrist, and glared at him, my chest rising with anger and fear.
“What makes you concerned about my fate?” I requested. "You don't actually know who I am."
For a brief moment, he remained silent, simply gazing at me with that inscrutable intensity. When he eventually spoke, his voice was soft yet tinged with firmness.
“Because you’re mine now, Dysis. And I don’t let what’s mine go.”
The words sent a shiver down my spine, a toxic mix of fear and something else I couldn’t name. I hated the way he said it, the way he claimed ownership over me like I was a thing to be possessed. But more than that, I hated the way my body betrayed me, the way my heart raced not just with fear, but with something far more dangerous.
Before I could respond, he stepped back, his gaze still locked on me. “Vee will escort you to your room,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And Dysis…” His voice softened, but the threat was still there. “Don’t try this again.”
The door opened wide, and Vee entered, her face revealing a blend of worry and irritation. She remained silent and simply gestured for me to come along. I paused, looking back at Alexander one final time. His stare remained steady, and I realized I wouldn’t come out on top in this conflict. Not this evening.
As Vee guided me through the mansion, I couldn't halt the tears that filled my eyes. I had not succeeded. My opportunity for freedom had eluded me, and now I felt more confined than before.
Upon arriving at my room, Vee shut the door behind us and pressed her back against it, crossing her arms.
“That was reckless,” she said, her voice low. “You’re lucky it was Alexander who caught you and not one of the guards. They might mistake you for someone else and shoot you right away. Because of what's going on outside”
“Lucky?” I snapped, my voice thick with emotion. “You call this lucky?”
"I refer to it as survival," she stated curtly. “If you want to endure, you must cease being a frightened rabbit and begin thinking like a clever fox.”
Her remarks hurt, yet deep inside, I knew she was correct. I cleared my tears and nodded, my determination strengthening. If I intended to flee, I had to be more clever. More powerful.
However, while I lay in bed that evening, gazing at the ceiling, a disturbing idea entered my mind. Alexander's voice resonated in my mind, a commitment I couldn't forget.
You belong to me now, Dysis.
And for the first occasion, I questioned whether he was correct.