Next Morning

The sound of water spilling across the table snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts.

"Lady Viella?"

"...Lady Viella??"

I blinked, finally focusing, only to see Lily standing there like a ghost. While I am standing with tilted glass, water dripping onto the tablecloth. Great. I was about to flood the dining room.

"Are you alright?" she asked, brows furrowed,

"Yah, Lily, I’m fine." I waved her off and lifted my glass, pretending to sip-until-

"You know," she said casually, "this morning while I was throwing out the garbage... I noticed Lord Dante’s men standing around our house." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I choked. Coughing, sputtering. She just stood there. Unbothered.

So he wasn’t even trying to hide it anymore? Stalking me in broad daylight? What a-

"Tsk." I clicked my tongue and muttered, "Psychopath."

My eyes drifted to the phone lying on the table. Last night’s conversation flashed back, His stupidly smug voice echoing in my head.

I looked dead at Lily. "Lily... will you help me? Even in my stupid decisions?"

Her lips twitched before she deadpanned, "Lady, every decision you make is stupid."

"...Wow. Not the pep talk I needed."

She shrugged, wiping the table like she hadn’t just stabbed me with facts.

I sighed, stood, and hugged her dramatically. "Fine. Just... send me coffee to my room. I need some inner peace before my brain explodes."

Leaving her frozen in place, I skipped upstairs happily-

---

The moment I reached my room, I slammed the door shut and threw myself on the bed. My eyes immediately landed on the passports and fake identity papers lying on my desk. My stomach twisted.

"...Why are you trying to help me?" I whispered at them

Reaching for the phone, I scrolled through the contacts until I saw it-the number saved as just one letter: E.

"E?" I muttered. "Isn’t he making it too obvious now?"

My lips curled. Elias. Always the mysterious figure, both in the book and in this twisted reality. He had appeared out of nowhere like some ghost ally, offering me papers and escape routes. Too convenient.

I groaned loudly, rolling across the bed "Ughhh I should have read till the end! Why did I skip? Why?! If I had just read the last Chapters, I’d know his damn story! Stupid past me!"

Dragging myself to the balcony, I gripped the railing and glanced across the neighborhood. And there it was-Elias’s mansion, standing silently across the distance.

I squinted at the house. "What are you plotting in there, Mr. Closet Guy?"

Just as I was about to retreat inside, headlights flashed. A sleek black car pulled up right in front of Elias’s mansion.

I froze.

The door opened. A girl stepped out.

Black hair, long and glossy. She walked toward Elias’s gates Like she’d been expected.

"...Who the hell is that?" I whispered, leaning dangerously far over the railing.

Before I could get a clearer look, a voice cut through.

"Miss Viella," someone called, tone annoyingly professional. I turned to see one of Dante’s men standing guard at the wall, arms crossed. "Please be careful leaning over like that. If you fall, I’ll lose my job."

I glared down at him. "Then maybe don’t stalk me outside my own house, huh?"

When I looked back-the car was gone. The mysterious girl too. The mansion gates closed, silent as ever.

I stood frozen for a moment, staring at the empty street, my heart hammering.

"Very well," I muttered under my breath, teeth grinding. "Keep your secrets then."

I turned on my heel, slamming the balcony doors shut behind me while throwing one last dirty glare at Dante’s watchdog below.

I looked at the clock. Six more hours left.

I smirked, tapping my fingers against the desk.

"Well, Mr. Closet Guy-or should I say, Elias..." I whispered to myself, the madness bubbling inside me. "I hope you like my little surprise."

With that, I cracked my knuckles, opened my laptop, and started typing furiously. My smirk only grew wider, my reflection on the screen looking like some real villainess. Which, to be fair... wasn’t that far from the truth.

---

Dante’s Mansion

"Omo, my darling, my lion, my grandson-"

"Nonna, please," he sighed "I’m just going for a simple business trip. Why are you acting like I’m leaving forever?"

His grandmother dramatically clutched her chest. "A simple trip? A simple trip?! I’ve gone so many days without seeing your face, and now you’re leaving again for two whole days? How am I supposed to survive this pain?"

Dante’s lips twitched. "I’ll bring you perfume. The whole stock, whichever brand you want."

Her eyes sparkled for a split second, but she quickly narrowed them again. "You think you can bribe me with perfume, you stupid boy?" She smacked him on the shoulder.

Dante chuckled softly, warmth slipping through his usually cold mask. His men, watching from a corner, exchanged glances.

"...Is it just me, or does boss look... human right now?"

"Yeah. Creepy."

The softness evaporated when Dante’s phone buzzed. He checked the screen, his jaw tightening, the warmth gone as quickly as it had appeared. He kissed his grandmother’s hand goodbye, straightened his coat, and walked out.

"Airport, sir?" one of his men asked.

Dante’s glare shut him up instantly

.

"Meeting can wait."

---

Viella’s Mansion.

The moment Dante stepped inside, the air changed. Her men froze. Nobody dared speak, not even to greet him. His presence was a storm rolling into the house-silent.

He went straight upstairs, his footsteps echoing down the hall, and stopped in front of her room.

He knocked.

Silence.

He knocked again, harder this time.

Still no answer.

His hand twitched as if ready to break down the door, but then he noticed-it wasn’t even locked.

"Foolish girl," he muttered under his breath, pushing it open.

The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of the laptop on her desk. There she was-Viella, fast asleep, slumped forward with her cheek against her arm, lips parted slightly as she breathed. No makeup, Simple dress up.

For a moment, Dante simply stood there, staring. His eyes lingered on the faint pink of her lips, the way a strand of hair had fallen over her cheek. He inhaled sharply, catching himself, and forced his gaze away-only to find it sliding back to her again.

Quietly, he approached. Instead of waking her, he slipped one arm beneath her knees, the other around her back, and lifted her with ease. She stirred faintly but didn’t wake. He carried her to the bed, laying her down with surprising gentleness, and pulled a blanket over her.

Straightening, his gaze shifted to the laptop still glowing on the desk. He walked over and glanced at the screen. Dozens of photos filled the tabs-beautiful villas, seaside houses, mountain retreats, dreamy escapes.

His lips curved, but it wasn’t exactly a smile.

"Seems like you like such houses..." he murmured, brushing his fingers over the laptop before closing it. His voice dropped lower, almost a whisper. "...Should I build one and keep you there forever?"

With that, he left a small folded note on her nightstand, tucked into the edge of a book she had been reading. Then he slipped out of the room, silent as a shadow.

---

Viella’s POV

A few hours later...

"Yaaawn~ Damn, that was such a good sleep... finally after days." I stretched lazily, but then froze.

Hold up.

I blinked at the ceiling, then at my surroundings. Bed. Blanket. Pillow perfectly tucked under my head. Huh? I clearly remembered falling asleep at my desk, drooling like a raccoon after pulling an all-nighter.

"Did I... start sleepwalking or something?" I whispered, rubbing my eyes.

Then I noticed it-my laptop. Closed. Shut neatly. Then I looked around to see something small sticking from under the lamp side.

Curious, I grabbed it and unfolded the piece of paper.

"Don’t be childish again

leaning on railings.

What if you fall, dumb girl.

I’m going out for 2 days, so behave.

- Dante."

...

Wait.

W A I T.

"When the hell did he come here?!" I almost screeched, but quickly slapped a hand over my mouth.

Before I could even process, a knock came at the door.

"Knock knock~ Lady are you awake?" Lily’s voice floated in.

"Ah-yes, come in."

Lily walked in with a tray but her eyes instantly landed on the note in my hand. Her face bloomed into the most annoyingly dreamy smile ever.

"Did Lord Dante leave that? Aww, so sweet! I didn’t know you made him so crazy about you, Milady."

"...Crazy??" I choked on air.

"Y-You knew he came? Why didn’t you wake me up?!"

Lily giggled, shaking her head. "I didn’t! He just appeared suddenly, went straight into your room, and before leaving he ordered all of us not to disturb your sleep."

I rubbed my temples. Of course. Classic Dante.

"At least... it’s a good thing he’s leaving for two days. Much easier for my plan," I muttered under my breath.

"Uh? Did you say something, Milady?" Lily tilted her head, confused.

"Um-nah, nothing." I plastered on a fake smile. "Go prepare dinner. And bring lots of wine."

Her eyes widened. "Wine... for dinner?"

"Yes." I smirked, leaning back dramatically. "Tonight, I shall celebrate my temporary freedom!"

Lily just blinked at me, clearly thinking I’d lost my mind, before bowing with a sigh.

"As you wish, Milady."

She left.

And I smirked to myself, clutching Dante’s note.

"Oh Dante... you left me a warning? Cute. But just wait till you see the surprise I’ll have prepared for you..."

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TO BE CONTINUED