When they reached the home of the Adairs', Ilona didn't speak to anyone. She climbed the stairs to the room she was staying in and closed the door behind her without looking back.
She felt as if her heart was broken but also about to burst from her chest. Kicking off the terrible shoes she'd been forced to wear beneath her dress; she moved to the bed to lay down.
Ilona realized before she could rest, she would have to get out of this ridiculous dress. She reached behind her back, feeling for the ribbons and laces. She managed to catch her finger in the loop of one of the bows, but unfortunately, when she pulled it, it didn't actually untie the knot but made it tighter.
Reaching over her shoulder, she tried to grab at the buttons there, turning around in front of the mirror and craning her neck to try to see. Ilona clawed and grabbed at any clasp or tie she could see, trying in vain to escape the beautiful dress that she was now sure was suffocating her.
