Chapter 157 Final Escape
Serena’s POV
The words echoed in my head long after I said them. It lingered, weighing down on me.
I had said those words before, yes. But this time… they didn’t feel like something fragile.
They felt like the end.
I stayed on the floor for a few more seconds, trying to steady my breathing as my chest still ached from everything.
But my mind… my mind was no longer foggy, it wasn't heavy. It was thinking.
It was pulling back the images I had sketched out on my notebook. It was recalling the routes and steps I had mapped out earlier.
I ran a hand over my face slowly, dragging my palm across my cheeks, forcing the last set of tears away.
My fingers trembled slightly, but I clenched them into a fist till the shaking stopped.
Crying wouldn’t help me now. Nothing would, not anymore.
I pushed myself up from the floor, wobbling slightly as my legs were weak at first.
But I steadied myself against the wall. The silence around me felt suffocating, but also strangely perfect.
I was hidden, good. That’s what I needed.
I lifted my eyes, scanning the corridor carefully.
People passed occasionally at the far end as the music still drifted in faintly from the ballroom. Everything was still going on like nothing had changed.
Like my world hadn’t just—
No. I shut that thought down immediately.
Focus. If I walked out through the main hall, I’d be seen. There were way too many people, too many of his men.
And Dante…
No. I couldn’t risk running into him.
My chest tightened, but I forced myself to breathe through it.
Think, Serena. Think.
This place was locked down. I knew that much already. No one stepped out without being seen.
That meant the exits would be watched.
The front entrance was practically impossible, and the side exit was even worse.
Security would be tighter there, so the only way left was…
My gaze shifted down the corridor again, then stopped at the restrooms.
A slow breath left my lips, it was less crowded and one of the unwatched places. Dante won't risk their anger by putting cameras where dignitaries take a shit.
And usually, in most cases, the windows are left like that.
A small, bitter smile tugged at the corner of my lips. That was my ticket out of here.
I adjusted my dress quickly, smoothing it down, and making sure nothing looked out of place.
I couldn’t fix my face completely, but good thing I had that mask with me, I fixed it perfectly on my face till it aligned well enough.
But I still lowered my head, letting my hair fall forward just enough to hide the redness in my eyes.
With that, I moved, not too fast to draw any suspicion, just enough to look like everything was alright.
As I walked down, a couple brushed past me, laughing and one glanced my way.
I didn’t react, I looked away and back down fast before our eyes could meet.
I didn’t give them a reason to recognize me.
And when I reached the restroom door, I slipped inside without hesitation, quietly locking the door behind me.
Finally, I was alone.
I exhaled slowly as my shoulders slacked just slightly.
Then I turned and looked through the room. There were nine stalls and 18 sinks in the particular restroom I was in.
Also, a long mirror that ran across all the sinks.
And there, at the far end, there was a narrow window.
Not too large and certainly not an easy one to scale.
But not impossible either way.
I walked towards it with my pulse steady now and my mind already seeing my way over it.
It was slightly high, and a bit risky, especially being caught on the other side.
I reached up, pushing the window slightly and resisted at first.
But I pressed harder against it and it finally creaked softly, then gave way just enough to open.
The cold air rushed in from outside, brushing against my face as I leaned forward slightly, peering out.
The drop didn’t look small, but didn't look deadly either.
There was a lower ledge just beneath, and then, a narrow service path.
The outside barely had light around it, and was very much empty. Perfect.
I pulled back, glancing at myself in the mirror one last time.
For a second… just a split second…
I saw her, I saw the girl who believed him. The girl who trusted him.
The girl who thought—
I looked away immediately. She didn’t exist anymore.
And without wasting another second, I moved.
I stepped onto the edge of the sink, gripping the side of the window firmly.
My dress made it way harder to lift my legs as it was tighter around there, restricting my movement.
It was annoying, but I forced my way through it.
I gathered the fabric slightly, lifting it just enough to move freely, then carefully hoisted myself up.
The edge of the window dug into my palms, but I steadied.
“Focus,” I whispered under my breath.
One leg went through, then the other followed.
The night air wrapped around me instantly as I popped most of my body out
For a brief second, I paused, listening and looking around for anything or anyone coming.
But nothing. Good.
Then I dropped.
My heels hit the lower ledge harder than expected, shooting pain up my legs. But I bit down on the reaction, forcing myself to stay silent.
I made no sound, drew no attention.
I crouched immediately, steadying myself with one hand against the wall, and waited to see if anything would happen.
But still, nothing.
So slowly, I stood straighter with my heart beating faster now, but I wasn't panicking.
It was adrenaline running through me.
I had done it, not fully. But I was close.
I moved quickly down the narrow path, keeping close to the walls, avoiding the lights where I could.
The farther I got, the quieter everything became.
The music faded and the voices disappeared.
And with every step… so did the image of him.
By the time I reached the end of the path, the back of the property came into view.
There were no guards, no cameras that I could immediately see.
Just darkness… and my possible freedom.
I slowed down slightly, then turned as my eyes lifted towards the building behind me.
Towards the lights, towards the music, towards the guns and money, towards the illusion I had given myself.
I looked back at everything I had walked into, everything I had believed for weeks now.
For a moment, my chest tightened again, but this time… it didn’t crack me.
“I’m done,” I said quietly.
And this time, I meant it.
“No more, goodbye, Dante.”
Dante’s POV
“Find whoever it is!”
My voice came out colder than I intended, but I couldn’t care.
“Check every exit. No one leaves this place without me knowing.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Call all the guards from the back, let's block the insides,” I added.
“Yes, boss,” he replied and disappeared immediately.
I ran a hand through my hair with my jaw tightening.
This didn’t make sense, everything had been planned.
I thought we were secured, but somehow, someone had slipped through.
Someone had gotten close enough to—
“Boss—”
“What?” I snapped, turning sharply.
“Still nothing.”
I exhaled sharply as my patience thinned with every passing second.
“Keep looking!” I ordered, glad the music would block my voice.
“Yes, boss.”
They scattered again, running around as fast as they could.
I stepped back into the ballroom with my eyes scanning the crowd instinctively.
Everything felt wrong, everything felt off, like something had already slipped through my fingers…
My gaze shifted again, searching unconsciously for Serena.
I frowned slightly as I reached the booth and she wasn't there.
This again? Where could she have gone this time around?
I narrowed my eyes, scanning the room again more carefully this time.
Nothing, she wasn't near the tables like the other time, she wasn't by the balcony.
She couldn't be with any guests.
A strange feeling crept into my chest, and I moved immediately. Faster now, cutting through the crowd without any apology, ignoring the looks, the murmurs, the interruptions.
“Have you seen Serena?” I asked one of the staff.
They shook their heads quickly. “No, sir.”
I didn’t stop, approaching another.
“Serena. Where is she?”
“I—I don’t know, sir.”
My jaw tightened and I checked the hallway, the lounge, the private rooms.
But nothing.
“Check the restrooms,” I ordered sharply.
“Now.”
“Yes, boss.”
Minutes passed, then more, each one stretching longer than the last.
“She’s not there,” he reported as he came back.
My chest tightened slightly now, this was annoying, completely unnecessary. Why didn't she just stay one place.
I walked faster, then faster, searching every corridor, every room.
Every possible place she could be.
But she wasn’t there, she was nowhere to be found.
Time passed, too much of it. The music in the ballroom had long faded off my ears.
“She hasn’t been seen leaving, boss.”
That made my steps stop.
“What do you mean she hasn’t been seen leaving?” I asked quietly.
The man hesitated. “All exits are covered. No record. No visuals.”
Impossible, that was impossible.
Unless—
My jaw tightened hard.
“Check again.”
“We did.”
“Then check again!”
“Yes, boss!”
They ran off, but I already had a feeling of what had happened.
Then, before I could walk off, a soft feminine voice pulled my attention from behind me.
“Fancy seeing you here.”