e felt like

ds that glittered mockingly against her skin. It wasn't just a piece of jewelr

hat the more he tried to cage her, the

t stay a sl

-and if she had to betray him,

-

cret M

co slipped another me

t. Wine

burned the paper in the fireplace. Every move she ma

isks, she'd be trapped i

hine corridors, every creak of the wooden floors sending her heart into overdrive. At

smell of damp stone and a

ady waiting, h

e," he w

Ariana said, folding he

ore pulling out a crumpled map. He

weak point in the security here,"-he pointed to a shaded

map, committing eve

voice even further. "It's about surviving once you're out. Leona

ing to help me?" sh

"I owe someone. Someon

e Ariana pause. She didn't know the full

d. "Tell me wha

-

p Unf

emed simple

e mansion would be crawling with guests and security would be stretched thin.

d have a c

had to go

d or worse-back under Leonardo's thumb,

ing necessities like cash, a small knife,

s that betrayal was already sw

he only one plotting b

yone was who

-

attere

of the Gal

lished until they gleamed like ice, the chandeliers raining golden lig

chose for her, the color clashing vivi

staircase. For a moment, his expression was almost... vulnerable. But

her face a b

Leonardo pulled her onto the dance floor

wlessly, as if choreographed, b

g the minutes u

sight of Marco in the shado

si

as t

-

Betr

Ariana stumbled toward the kitchen, her heart ham

shown her, pushed it open, and spr

o close she c

he servants' cou

arco and a w

hree of Leon

s d

tween them, hi

his voice breaking. "They found

blood tur

yed.

uards grabbe

of the shadows, his e

could leave me?

but the guard's

Ariana," Leonardo said softly, his

ision, but she refu

fiercely. This

nly the