Chapter 7 Vincent

• There was no chance of slipping past them without being seen. Eloise's gaze darted around the room, searching for any possible means of escape or a tool to assist her.
• She noticed a small, ornate vase on a nearby table and grabbed it, hoping to use it as a weapon if needed. But as she moved back toward the door, she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching.
• Her breath hitched. She had to act fast. Eloise moved to the closet and ducked inside, holding her breath. The door to the room creaked open, and she heard a few voices murmuring.
• The guards were checking the room, presumably ensuring that everything was secure and that Vincent’s orders were being followed. Eloise’s heart raced as she heard them moving closer, their voices growing louder.
• "I thought I heard something," one of the guards said.
• Another one replied, "Must have been a false alarm. Let’s just make sure everything is in order."
• Eloise remained silent, her body pressed against the cold, hard wall of the closet. Her mind raced, trying to think of another way out. She knew she couldn’t stay hidden forever. The guards would eventually leave, but she couldn’t afford to be discovered.
• After what felt like an eternity, the guards finally left, their footsteps receding down the hall. Eloise emerged from the closet, her heart still pounding. The idea of making a run for it seemed increasingly impossible with the level of security in place.
• Defeated, she slumped against the door, sliding down until she sat on the floor. Tears filled her eyes when she realized how bad things had gotten for her. The mansion was a prison, and she was trapped with no clear way out.
• Vincent stepped into the room, his eyes immediately locking onto hers. “Princessa,” he called out, a wicked smile playing on his lips as he walked closer.
• “I don’t want to see you,” Eloise snapped, trying to sound defiant, but her voice wavered.
• Vincent’s smile only widened as he took another step toward her. “Awwn… why don’t you hand over the phone, princess?” he asked, his voice unnervingly gentle.
• “What phone?” Eloise tried to feign ignorance, but Vincent’s knowing smirk told her it was useless.
• He reached out, his hand moving closer to where she held the phone hidden behind her back but then stopped. “Do you think Francesca can get you out of here?” he asked, his tone dripping with Arrogance.
• Eloise gasped, her heart sinking as she realized he had heard everything.
• “She can’t,” Vincent continued, his voice now cold and commanding. “So hand over the phone, or would you rather bend over?”
• His words sent a chill down her spine. She hesitated, but she knew she had no choice. Slowly, she passed the phone to him, her hand trembling.
• “Good girl,” Vincent murmured, his smile returning as he took the phone from her. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek, a mockery of affection that made her skin crawl.
• “Get some sleep. Tomorrow will be better,” he said with a smirk, his voice laced with a promise she couldn’t trust, before turning and leaving the room.
• As the door clicked shut behind him, Eloise sank onto the bed, her body trembling. She had been so close, but Vincent had crushed her hope with terrifying ease. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized just how trapped she was.
• ***
• Lola put the last piece of clothing into the basket before suddenly turning her gaze toward the door that Vincent had just burst through. He looked terrible—scared too. She quickly ran to him, noticing how loudly and heavily he was breathing.
• "What's wrong?" Lola asked, her voice filled with concern as she looked him over.
• "I... I—" he stammered, struggling to catch his breath, fear evident in his eyes.
• "Calm down and tell me," she urged, holding his hands gently.
• Vincent took a moment to steady his breathing, inhaling and exhaling deeply. "I... I just saw Uncle Atone shooting someone," he finally managed to say, but Lola didn’t seem as surprised as he had expected.
• "You knew?" he asked, looking at her in disbelief.
• "Well... sort of," she admitted, avoiding his gaze.
• "You didn’t tell me?" His eyes widened in shock.
• "What are you going to do about it?" she asked, but he fell silent, unsure of what to say.
• "He’s involved in illegal activities. He kills people, and there’s a torture room in this building. He always warned us not to go there, but somehow, I found out," she explained.
• "Kills people? Is that supposed to be a job?" Vincent asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.
• "Well... I heard they kill whoever gets in their way," Lola said, then gently cupped his face in her hands. "Promise me you’ll stay away from there," she pleaded, looking into his eyes.
• He almost got lost in her crystal-blue eyes. Smiling, he nodded.
• "Don't forget, today is your birthday... your sweet sixteen," she said, playfully pinching his cheeks.
• "Nothing special about it," he muttered, but she suddenly leaned in and pecked him on the lips.
• "Did I make it special?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. Vincent’s smile widened, still in shock that she’d done that. He nodded.
• "Yeah," he replied softly, and she leaned in again, capturing his lips in a kiss.
• It was his first-ever kiss, shared with someone he’d known for years, someone he really, really liked—or perhaps even loved.
• ~~
• "Make sure everything is perfect," Adone ordered, his voice laced with authority. The room was filled with servants, each one nodding obediently, their eyes cast downward. They knew better than to challenge his commands.
• "Vincent," Adone called out, and Vincent, who had been standing quietly at the back of the room, immediately looked up. His heart raced, but his expression remained neutral.
• "You're in charge of serving drinks tonight," Adone continued, his gaze piercing through Vincent. Even though Vincent felt the burden of responsibility bearing down on him, he nodded without hesitation. "Don't fuck this up. These guests are important."
• Vincent took a deep breath, realizing how serious the situation was. The room fell silent as Adone's words hung in the air like a threat. "You're all dismissed," Adone finally said, waving his hand dismissively. The servants quickly shuffled out of the room, their footsteps barely making a sound on the polished floor.
• But just as Vincent turned to leave, Adone's voice cut through the silence once more. "Vincent," he called, and Vincent froze in place. He turned back to the man who controlled his destiny slowly.
• "Come here," Adone ordered, his tone cold. Vincent obeyed, approaching with caution. His heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his head bowed, trying to appear as submissive as possible.
• "I heard you ran into something that was supposed to be private," Adone said, his words dripping with accusation. Vincent’s blood ran cold.