Dominic trudged down the hallway, his footsteps heavy. He reached Aveline's room and swung the door open without knocking.
Aveline, who had been standing by the window staring at the night sky, turned sharply at the sudden intrusion, startled by his presence. Her brows furrowed in confusion, why was he here, at this hour, looking so furious?
"Do you… need something?" she asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dominic didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward slowly, his gaze locked on her, dark and unreadable.
Aveline instinctively backed away until her back hit the wall. Her breath hitched as Dominic closed the distance. He raised his hand, making her flinch and shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for a slap or worse. But instead, she felt something cold, his fingertips tapping against the side of her neck.
Her eyes shot open, confusion mixing with fear, and she met his intense stare. Her heartbeat quickened, pounding violently in her chest.
"Why did you remove the collar?" Dominic asked voice cold.
Aveline clenched her fists, mustering the courage to speak. "Because… it made me feel like a slave. Like I was owned, and I.. "
Her words were cut off abruptly when Dominic's hand suddenly wrapped around her throat, squeezing firmly.
"Of course you're owned," he hissed, his face dangerously close to hers. "I do own you, Aveline. Since the day you stepped foot into this mansion. Or have you already forgotten?"
His lips curled into a cold, mocking smirk as he tightened his grip.
Aveline gasped, clawing at his forearm, her lungs burning for air. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. "St… op…" she managed to choke out.
Dominic chuckled darkly. "Stop? You disobeyed me, and disobedience demands punishment… doesn't it?"
Her tears slipped down her cheeks, her voice breaking as she stammered, "I… I'm s-so…rry…"
For a moment, Dominic's eyes wavered almost for a moment , but his expression quickly hardened again. Slowly, his grip loosened. He leaned down until his lips were near her ear, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.
"Make sure you wear that collar… or I won't be so merciful next time."
With that, he released her, stepping back and straightening his posture. Without another glance, he walked toward the door.
"We're leaving for a place tomorrow," he said flatly, pausing at the doorway. "Be ready before eight."
Then he was gone.
Aveline collapsed onto her knees, gasping for air and rubbing at her reddened neck. Her hands trembled as she walked toward her bed, where the collar rested on the blanket.
She picked it up slowly, her expression unreadable.
"Maybe I should have listened to Eve's escape plan…" she whispered under her breath, her voice hoarse. "But if Dominic finds out, it'll put her in danger." She winced, touching the sore marks on her skin. "He has such a strong grip…"
one hour later
Luna and Eve crouched behind a marble pillar, hiding in the shadows. A few feet away, two guards stood watch outside Aveline's room, their rifles slung lazily over their shoulders.
Eve fidgeted nervously, whispering, "How are we supposed to get in? This is crazy, Luna. We should've waited until tomorrow… not in the middle of the night."
Luna smirked faintly, her tone confident. "Relax. Just follow my lead."
Before Eve could protest, Luna stepped out of the shadows, walking straight toward the guards with an easy smile. Eve stared, wide-eyed, then scrambled after her.
One of the guards straightened immediately, his hand instinctively resting on his weapon. "You're not supposed to be here," he said sternly. "Leave. Now."
"But we just want to see Aveline," Luna replied sweetly, her smile widening as though her charm alone could bypass rules. "We're her friends."
The second guard shook his head, firm but polite. "Orders from Dominic. No one enters here at night."
Luna sighed dramatically. "Tch. Too bad, then. Come on, Eve. Let's go."
Eve nodded hesitantly, turning to leave..
But in the next heartbeat, Luna spun back around, her movements sharp and precise. From her hair, she pulled a small concealed blade and, before the first guard could react, plunged it deep into the side of his neck.
The man's eyes widened, but no sound escaped him, blood streamed down as he collapsed instantly.
The second guard reached for his gun, but Luna was faster. She kicked the weapon from his grip, grabbed him by the collar, and stabbed him directly in the same place she stabbed the first guard. Within seconds, he slumped lifelessly to the floor.
Eve froze in horror, her entire body trembling. "H…how… what did you…?"
Luna crouched casually, wiping the blood from her blade with a fabric from the dead guard's uniform. Her grin was chilling. "I hit the carotid artery. Cuts off blood flow to the brain."
Eve swallowed hard, nausea rising in her throat as she stared at the motionless bodies. A cold shiver ran down her spine. Just who was Luna, really?
"Let's go," Luna whispered with a wicked glint in her eye. "Our friend is waiting."
---
Inside her room, Aveline was fastening the collar around her neck when the door creaked open. She looked up to see Luna step in, red stains on her sleeve, with Eve trailing nervously behind her.
"What are you doing here?" Aveline asked, her tone cautious, sensing something off.
"Oh, we've come to get you out of this miserable mansion, darling," Luna said with a sly grin, stepping closer.
Aveline's brows furrowed, her gaze shifting to Eve. "I told you I don't want to escape."
Eve hesitated but stood her ground. "It's for your own good, Aveline. You can't stay here. He'll destroy you."
"I have my reasons for staying," Aveline snapped, her voice rising for the first time. "You can't just force me to leave. I'm the one enduring this, not you!"
Luna chuckled, tilting her head. "You weren't even wearing a collar earlier. What are you, A rebellious pet?"
Aveline's glare sharpened. "You both need to leave. Now."
Eve clenched her fists, conflicted and frustrated. Her next words came out strained. "…Luna. Do it."
Before Aveline could react, Luna stepped forward in a blur. She pressed a white cloth over Aveline's nose and mouth. The sickly-sweet scent of chemicals filled Aveline's lungs.
Her eyes widened as she tried to push Luna away, but her strength drained quickly. Her vision blurred, her body grew heavier by the second, and within moments… everything went black.
Luna caught her before she hit the floor, lowering her gently, a satisfied smirk curling her lips.
"Sweet dreams, little dove," she whispered.
Eve stood frozen, her heart pounding violently as she stared at Aveline's unconscious form. Something about Luna's expression the way she enjoyed this made unease coil deep in her stomach.
Luna hoisted Aveline's limp body onto her shoulders, her breathing steady and unbothered despite the weight. Her footsteps were soft but deliberate as she moved toward the basement door.
"Isn't she heavy? Do you… need some help?" Eve asked hesitantly, following close behind, her voice trembling slightly.
Luna didn't even glance back. "No, she's not. Just lead the way. Quickly."
Eve swallowed hard and nodded. "O-Okay," she said, stepping in front of her and guiding them toward a narrow passage hidden behind stacked crates.
The two women descended into the basement, where the air grew damp and cold. Eve crouched and pushed open a concealed wooden panel, revealing a dark tunnel beneath. Luna's brows arched slightly as she stepped forward, still carrying Aveline.
"How did you even know about this place?" Luna asked, suspicion faint in her tone.
"I… I was cleaning down here when I found it," Eve answered quickly, not daring to meet her eyes.
Luna hummed softly but said nothing more. The tunnel was long, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours before they finally reached the other side. A faint gust of cool night air greeted them as they emerged outside the mansion gates, completely unseen.
"Ahhh, finally…" Luna exhaled, shifting Aveline off her shoulders and lowering her gently onto the grass. She stretched her arms and tilted her head back, inhaling the crisp breeze. "Mmm, the cool air feels good."
Eve crouched beside Aveline, checking her breathing. "We made it," she whispered in relief.
But Luna's lips curled into an unsettling smile. "It's time for us to say goodbye, Eve."
Eve blinked, confused. "What… what do you mean by that?"
Luna didn't answer. Instead, she calmly reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and dialed a number.
"Get the car ready," she said, her tone cold and precise. "Send one of the men to me."
She hung up and turned back to Eve, her expression shifting into something darker. "You helped me, so I won't kill you," she said softly, almost mockingly. "But I do need to knock you out."
Eve froze, her eyes widening in shock. "W-What are you talking about? I thought we were getting Aveline out of here! What are you saying, Luna?!"
Luna tilted her head, grinning faintly. "Oh, sweet Eve… You really thought I was helping you?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I was sent to take Aveline. My boss wants her."
Eve's heart thudded in panic as distant footsteps approached from behind them. Before she could scream, Luna's hand shot forward, Her knuckles slammed into the side of Eve's neck, striking the carotid sinus.
Eve gasped once, then crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
"Goodnight, little helper," Luna murmured.
A tall man in black emerged from the shadows, his steps heavy and controlled.
"Carry her," Luna ordered coldly, nodding at Aveline's limp body.
The man scooped Aveline up effortlessly and walked toward the waiting car. Luna crouched briefly, brushing Eve's hair back gently as if mocking affection.
"Goodbye, friend," she whispered with a sly grin before standing and disappearing into the darkness.
---
Inside the Mansion
Lucas shuffled out of his room, yawning and rubbing at his tired eyes as he headed toward the kitchen for water. As he passed the hallway leading to Aveline's room, something caught his attention, a faint shadow on the floor.
He squinted. It looked… like a body.
Frowning, he rubbed his eyes again, thinking exhaustion was playing tricks on him. But when he looked closer, his breath caught.
"…What the fuck?" he muttered, his drowsiness vanishing instantly.
Heart pounding, Lucas sprinted down the hallway, and as he got closer, the sight hit him like a punch to the chest. Two of the mansion guards were sprawled on the floor, their throats slit cleanly, blood pooling beneath them.
Lucas froze, his pulse hammering in his ears. "No… no, no, no."
He stumbled forward, grabbed the doorknob to Aveline's room, and muttered under his breath like a prayer. "Please be there. Please…"
He shoved the door open.
The room was... Empty.
"Shit!" Lucas cursed, his stomach dropping. Panic surged through him as he bolted down the hall, his bare feet pounding against the floor.
He didn't hesitate, he ran straight to Dominic's room and banged violently on the door. "DOMINIC! OPEN UP!"
The door flew open within seconds. Dominic stood there, shirtless, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with irritation.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" he snapped, his voice low and dangerous.
Lucas's throat felt dry, his voice breaking as he stammered, "A… Aveline… she's gone."
Dominic's expression froze, the annoyance vanishing instantly. His gaze turning into something else.
"…What did you just say?"