Viella POV

"I finally give up." I muttered, stabbing into my food. "Food is everything."

And honestly? I meant it. My dignity could wait-I devoured every bite like I hadn’t eaten in days. By the time I leaned back, I noticed Dante hadn’t touched a single thing.

He was just... watching me. Fork in hand. Eyes sharp. Amused.

I blinked. "Uh... you won’t eat?"

"I think I’m full." His lips curved into the most irritating smirk.

I frowned. "Of what? Watching me eat like a hamster?"

Instead of answering, he reached under the table and pulled out a small box. He slid it across to me.

Curious, I opened it-Inside... was a phone.

I looked at him. Hard. "Oh. So this whole dramatic dinner was just to rub it in my face because you destroyed mine back then?"

He didn’t deny it. Just tilted his head like he was enjoying my outrage.

I took the phone in my hand.

Hmm. Should I cross the line? My lips curled into a smirk. Maybe I should.

Before he could say a word, I tossed the phone straight into the fountain beside us. Water splashed up.

Dante raised one brow. Unbothered.

"Oops, my mistake." I dusted my hands off. "Not a big deal. I can buy my own, with my own money. I am an independent woman after all " I smirked again, getting up. "Thanks for the food... fiancé." The mocking edge in my tone was deliberate.

Then I walked off.

But instead of being furious, Dante leaned back in his chair, watching me leave like I was the best entertainment he’d ever seen. That damn smirk stayed glued to his face.

---

Of course, reality hit the moment I was outside. No money. No phone. And it was freezing.

"Ugh, Viella, you genius." I muttered, rubbing my arms. Why do you always do this to yourself?

Because he thinks he can control me? Ha. No way.

But then headlights flashed. A car pulled up, slowing beside me.

"Hey, beautiful. Need a ride?"

Great. Just great. They were drunk-had to be. No sober man would call a pajama-clad mess in the middle of the street beautiful.

"Nope." I snapped, walking faster.

They followed. One guy got out, swaggering toward me. "Come on, let’s have some fun-"

Before I could even scream, his face drained of color.

I froze. Slowly turning my head... and there he was.

Dante. Tall, broad, eyes colder than ice.

"Wanna have fun?" he asked, voice Cold . He pulled out a gun, twirling it lazily. "How about with this?"

The men stumbled over apologies before bolting like rabbits.

Silence.

Then his gaze fell on me. "So, , Miss independent woman hm? Brave enough to walk alone at night now?" He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Or do you finally want me to take you home?"

I bit back a retort. My teeth chattered-it was freezing.

Dante noticed. Of course he did. A quiet chuckle slipped from his lips as he shrugged off his jacket. Without a word, he draped it around me.

It was warm. It smelled like him. And it was huge on me.

He leaned down, voice brushing my ear. "You look as tempting as the night you wore my shirt."

My eyes went wide. Heat exploded in my cheeks as the memory slammed into me.

I shoved him lightly. "Just-just take me home already!" I stomped toward his car, refusing to face him.

But I could feel his eyes burning into me the whole way.

---

The ride home had been silent. Painfully, awkwardly silent. Dante didn’t say a word, didn’t even look at me, just drove like some cold mafia cauliflower.

When we finally pulled up, he didn’t just leave. Oh no. He lingered.

"What?" I snapped when his eyes wouldn’t leave me.

He tilted his head slightly, like he was filing me away in his mind. "See you soon." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

See me soon?? See me- No. Absolutely not. The only thing I was seeing soon was my pillow. And a rocket to new planet.

And then, just before he slid back into his car, I caught his low murmur.

"I think I should burn the place down."

...Excuse me?? What in the arsonist mafia Shakespeare was that supposed to mean?!

Before I could process, the front door swung open. Lily rushed out with a shawl. "My lady!" She wrapped it around me and then glanced at Dante’s retreating car. Her eyes were sparkling. Sparkling.

Oh no.

She leaned in close. "So...You enjoyed your little princess Carry?"

I froze. My entire soul left my body. "You... you saw that?"

Lily folded her arms, looking smug. "Saw? My lady, I witnessed the whole scene. He didn’t even let me touch you! He just picked you up-like you weighed nothing-looked at me like I was in his way, and left. It was like something out of a romance novel."

I covered my face with my hands. "Oh god, no-"

"Oh god, YES," Lily sang. "The way he tucked you into the car like you were the most precious thing in the world? My lady, that wasn’t a pickup. That was an abduction with love. Do you know what that means?"

"It means I need to move to another continent," I muttered.

She shook her head, grinning like the devil. "It means Lord Dante is dangerously, hopelessly in love with you. You should’ve seen his eyes."

"Lily!" I hissed. "If you breathe a word of this to anyone-"

"Relax," she interrupted, smirking. "Your secret’s safe. But don’t think you can fool me. You were practically glowing in your sleep. Dreaming of him, maybe?"

I threw my shawl at her face. "I WAS DREAMING OF FOOD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

Lily’s laugh followed me all the way inside, while my brain replayed his voice on a loop.

"See you soon."

"I think I should burn the place down."

Great. Just great.

Not only was I stuck in a mafia novel, but my own maid had turned into a fangirl witness to my slow, inevitable doom.

---

Told you, you can’t run away from me.

I will tie you beside me

if you ever

try to run away...

-Vivien.

I jolted up

My real name. The one I buried the day I woke up in this stupid mafia novel.

I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to steady my breathing. It was just a dream. Just a dream. Right?

But the feeling wouldn’t leave. That strange weight pressing down on me, like someone had whispered it not in my dream but right beside my ear.

And then-

I saw it.

A shadow. Long and sharp, stretching across my balcony.

For a second my brain froze, buffering.

Okay, maybe it’s just a tree branch moving with the wind.

...Except my balcony is on the third floor. There are no trees that tall.

Slowly, I reached for the only weapon near me-a candle lamp. Because apparently, in this mafia world, pepper spray doesn’t exist (I just forgot to buy one)

I tiptoed closer, ready to chuck the lamp at whatever monster was waiting outside.

But before I could make a move, the shadow leaned against the railing and spoke.

"Ah... seems like you’re finally done with your dream, Miss Viella."

My stomach dropped. That voice. Calm. Smooth. Way too familiar.....

I swallowed. "Who’s there?"

The shadow tilted his head, and in the dim light, I saw a faint smile. "Aw, you forgot me again."

"...Closet guy?"

He chuckled. "Bingo."

My blood ran cold. Before I could even scream, he moved-fast. Too fast. One second he was outside, the next he was inside my room, pinning me down on the bed. The candle lamp slipped from my hand

His hand clamped over my mouth, his breath ghosting over my ear.

"I told you not to try to find out my identity. It ruins the fun." His voice was low, almost teasing, but there was something sharp under it. Something dangerous. "And I also told you not to mess the storyline... but seems like you already did. So now... I’ll give you one last chance."

My eyes widened. Storyline. He said storyline. That means-he knows.

I pushed against him, muffling a protest, but he only pressed closer, his tone soft but cutting.

"You’re too curious for your own good, Viella. So I’ll make this simple for you. Leave this place. Leave the plot. I’ll send you somewhere else, where it’s only you-no mafia, no Alina, no Dante. Don’t you want that?"

I stared at him. My whole body stiff.

He was offering me an escape. Something I’d secretly dreamed about since the day I woke up in this cursed novel. But the way he said it... it wasn’t kindness. It was like he was dangling it in front of me just to watch me squirm.

"Why are you... helping me?" I whispered once he removed his hand.

His smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Because... I just want to."

"And you think I should trust you? Just like that?"

He leaned back, finally letting me breathe. "You don’t have other choices. I helped you find the bracelet, didn’t I? I’ve helped you more than you realize. All I want is one thing-don’t try to find out who I am. And in return... I’ll keep your little secret too."

My blood ran cold. He knew. He knew.

He straightened, stepping away like nothing happened, while I was still frozen on the bed.

Then I hurriedly look over for my phone to turn on the flashlight but i realized I don’t have one. I cursed under my breath.

He turned halfway to the balcony, throwing one last smirk over his shoulder.

"Oh, and don’t bother complaining about not having a phone. I already fixed that."

"What-"

But he was gone. Vanished into the night.

I scrambled out of bed, heart pounding, and opened my drawer.

There it was.

A passport. Tickets. A fake ID with a different name. And on top of it-

a brand new phone, sleek and expensive.

He’s definitely richer than me. I muttered.

My hands trembled as I picked it up. On the back of the phone case, a sticky note was neatly pressed.

"My number’s already saved <3"

For a long second, I just stared. My brain went completely offline.

Then-

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FU-" I clamped my mouth shut before the whole mansion heard me.

I knew he was watching. Smiling. Waiting for me to take the bait.

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TO BE CONTINUED