Claire’s POV
I couldn’t get why Susan was trying to help , but whatever, I have to leave this place and if possible, even this country!
"Because," Susan said softly, "I didn’t know it would co to this. I never wanted to hurt you."
Hah! Why don’t you just say that you don’t want in Evander’s life!? I wanted to laugh at her words, but there wasn’t ti to argue or question her further. Every second felt like an eternity, and my body scread for freedom. I slid the key into the lock on the chains, my heart pounding louder with each tick. The click of the lock releasing felt like thunder in the suffocating silence. The tal cuffs fell away from my ankles, leaving deep red marks where they had dug into my skin, but I had no ti to care.
I stood up, my legs shaky from being tied down for so long. The stiffness was unbearable, but nothing compared to the suffocating fear of being caught again. Susan moved toward the door, "Go," Susan whispered urgently, "Before he cos back."
I nodded, adrenaline surging through as I stumbled toward the door. My heart hamred in my chest. I was almost out, almost free. But just as my hand touched the cold brass of the doorknob, I paused, an unsettling thought freezing in place. Why would she do this? Why now?
I turned, my eyes narrowing on her. "I don’t know what your ga is," I said, my voice low and threatening. "But if this is a trap—"
"It’s not," she interrupted quickly, her eyes locking onto mine, wide and sincere—or so they seed. "Just go."
Without another word, I slipped out of the room, my breath coming out in shallow gasps. I didn’t know where I was going or how far I could get, but I knew one thing for certain.
I had to escape before Evander found .
The cold night air hit my face as I burst through the mansion’s doors, and surprisingly... there was no one. Not a single guard, not a single soul in sight. It was eerie. Too easy.
Just what ga are they playing? I thought as I hesitated, turning back to glance at the looming mansion one last ti. My gaze drifted upward to the second-floor window, where a shadow shifted.
My breath caught in my throat.
Evander.
Evander stood there, still and silent, his eyes boring into mine from behind the glass window. He didn’t move. He didn’t yell. He didn’t send anyone after . He just... stood there, watching . His face was unreadable, a mask of cold indifference, but his eyes... Those eyes that once made feel alive, now they felt like chains, pulling back.
I couldn’t move. I was rooted to the spot, trapped by the intensity of his gaze. Questions flooded my mind in a chaotic whirl—Why is he letting go? Why isn’t he stopping ? What ga is he playing now?
For a mont, just a fleeting second, my heart ached as mories of him—of us—flashed before my eyes. My soul felt tethered to him, as if no matter how far I ran, I’d never truly escape.
This was the effect he had on . No matter how much he hurt , no matter how many tis I vowed to hate him, my heart betrayed every ti. It still beat for him, traitorously, uncontrollably.
But then, sharp pain sliced through the fog of my thoughts, a sting on my ankle as I stepped back onto the gravel. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional storm raging within , but it was enough to snap out of my trance.
Stop it, Claire! I ntally scread at myself. This man has given you hell! He’s trapped you, tornted you, broken you! How could you be so easy?
I clenched my fists and tore my gaze away from him. No more. I turned on my heels and forced my legs to move, pushing through the pain and exhaustion. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t.
As I ran, each step carrying farther from the mansion, from him, one question refused to leave my mind.
Why did he let leave so easily? He had gone to such lengths to capture , to keep in there. Was this really Evander’s doing, or was there sothing else—soone else—pulling the strings?
Or... did Evander never want this at all?
Whatever, I don’t care anymore! My mind scread in frustration as I pushed forward, my legs carrying as far as they could. I’ll leave this country in a week and never look back! My chest tightened at the thought, but it was the only way out. I had got away once and was sure that I could do it again.
If only I hadn’t accepted the invitation to the award function... I wouldn’t be in this nightmare right now. If I hadn’t been so foolish... The pain of regret gnawed at , but I couldn’t afford to dwell on it. Not now.
I was thankful when I finally spotted a taxi in such a secluded place. It almost felt too good to be true, but I wasn’t about to question my luck. I flagged it down, collapsing into the backseat as soon as it stopped. The driver gave a curious look through the rearview mirror, but I didn’t care.
"Where to, miss?" He asked, his voice gruff but polite.
I opened my mouth to say ho, but the words wouldn’t co. Not yet. I couldn’t go ho just yet. There was sowhere else I needed to be. Sowhere I’ve dreaded going back to.
"Not ho," I murmured, barely audible, but enough for him to hear. "Take to—" I whispered slowly.
As the taxi pulled away from the mansion, the distance between and Evander finally grew once again, and a strange sense of relief mixed with loss washed over . I pressed my forehead against the cool window, watching the dark streets blur by.
As I thought about the real reason I set foot in this country...
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What could be Claire’s real purpose? Any ideas?
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