XXIV. Run.
. . . . .
"Hmm?. . . You accept?" He mused, his voice smooth and almost playful as he began to circle around me.
His movements were deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey, and I could feel the intensity of his gaze trailing over me.
What the fuck did I just say? I accept? That's not what I'm supposed to say! I was about to say no, to decline!
"Interesting choice, Lucrezia. . ." he said, his tone dripping with amusement. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to take the bait so easily."
I can only stand still, mouth agape. Unable to utter anything from the shock of my own words.
I, myself, did not expect that my own consciousness would betray me like this. How could I have let that slip? I had never intended to agree to his twisted game.
"I-I. . . I c-clearly said that I decline!"
His laughter rang out, light and mocking, sending a shiver down my spine. "Oh, but you already accepted, Lucrezia. You can't just take it back now."
"No. I-I won't bet with you."
"Oh, darling. . . Are you chickening out now?" He mocked me.
Huh? Chicken out? That ego of his. . . I swear— arghh!!
"Fine! Fine. Fine. I'll take part on your little wager." I finally snapped.
I can only hope I won't regret this.
'Oh I will surely regret this.'
"So here's the thing. . . I'll give you a 15 minutes head start. You must run and hide within this villa. Anywhere you want. You may roam freely. . . But. . ." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper. "Don't stray too far. Don't even dream on going over the gates or the walls. You will be shot."
What the fuck? Roam freely but I'll get shot? What the fuck?
"So, you're saying. . . I only have to hide in this villa?"
He nodded, that infuriating smirk still plastered across his face. "Exactly. This is your playground for the next hour."
A game of hide-and-seek huh? What if I go hide on the roof? Is he underestimating me that much? Wait. . . Am I even allowed to be on the roof? Clearly the soldiers around the villa are under orders to shoot anyone on sight.
Could I really outsmart him?
"Well, darling. . . What can you say?"
I shot him a glare. "What can I say? This is insane! You think this is some kind of joke?"
He chuckled softly, clearly enjoying my agitation. "Oh, I assure you, this is very serious. But it's also quite entertaining, don't you think? The thrill of the chase. . . it adds a certain spice to life."
It's not entertaining if I'm the one being haunted. Jerk.
"You have the chance to outsmart me, to turn the tables. Isn't that exciting?"
"Exciting?" I scoffed. "You call this excitement? It feels more like a nightmare."
He stepped closer, his gaze piercing through me. "But every nightmare has its moments of clarity, doesn't it? This is your opportunity to show me just how clever you can be."
Too bad for him, I don't plan on revealing my cards yet.
'It's best to make him think I'm a lost cause right now. . .' I needed to play this carefully, to keep my true intentions hidden beneath a facade.
"How will I know if the time is up for me to venture through the place?" I asked.
"Here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device, handing it to me with a flourish.
I took it cautiously, examining the sleek gadget in my palm. It looked like a timer, with a digital display that glowed faintly.
"What is this?"
"It will count down your fifteen minutes." He explained, his eyes glinting with amusement. "When it reaches zero, you'll know it's time for me to start the hunt."
Seeing the device in my hands now made me realize that, yes, I have indeed fallen into his trap. He obviously prepared this beforehand. 'He must've planned to coax me into accepting no matter what. Even resorted into provoking me.'
"And how am I supposed to know when an hour is up?"
He raised an eyebrow, his smirk unwavering. "You'll know when the timer with you goes off. It's quite simple, really."
I frowned, not satisfied with his answer. "Once the hour passed, am I free to go out of my hiding place and then leave this place?"
His expression shifted slightly. "Ah, that's the catch, isn't it? You see, once the timer goes off, it doesn't necessarily mean you're safe to roam freely. You'll still have to be cautious."
"What do you mean?" I pressed.
He leaned in closer, his voice low and conspiratorial. "Once the hour is up, I'll still be coming to find you. And trust me, I won't be playing nice. The real game begins then."
"So you're saying that even if I manage to hide for an hour, I'll still have to face you?. . ."
What the fuck? So my only actual option is to climb the walls and escape? I knew this damned lunatic won't make it simple for me to escape.
"Yes, Lucrezia. . ."
"Then what's the point of this wager of yours?" I snarled, frustration bubbling up inside me. "You're just setting me up for failure."
"Believe what you want to believe my dear. . ."
I knew it.
I already knew it.
I knew the outcome before he even said anything but my damn mouth just had to say the opposite from my thoughts and accepted this.
Damned mouth, I swear—
I sighed. Trying to calm down. 'All I have to do is go over the walls. . .'
Go over the walls. . . Evade the soldiers. . . Then escape.
"Okay. I understand now." I muttered.
"Then shall we begin?"
"Yes."
And at that, the timer starts ticking.
. . . . .
I pushed open the door and slipped into the hallway, my heart pounding like crazy. The villa's opulent decor felt like a cruel joke in this situation I'm currently in. I had to stay focused.
Dakari, however, remained inside the room, seated on the bed with that infuriatingly cocky smirk on his face. He watched me as I hurriedly ran out.
As I sprinted down the corridor, I glanced at the windows lining one side. They were tall and elegant.
I passed through several closed doors. I made sure to keep the villa's layout in my mind.
Finally, I reached a large window and peered outside. The drop was significant, but if I could find a way to scale the walls without being seen by the soldiers patrolling below, it might just work.
I looked on the timer with me, "12 minutes and 23 seconds. . ."
The garden below was expansive, with hedges and trees that could provide cover if I managed to get down without drawing attention. 'But first, I needed to find a way to reach the ground safely. . .'
I spotted a door at the end of the corridor, slightly ajar. It could lead to a staircase or another part of the villa. Without hesitating, I dashed toward it.
'Just as I had suspected. . . It lead me to the grand staircase of the villa.' I moved forward cautiously, glancing from side to side to see if any personnel were nearby but found none.
I reached the bottom and paused, taking a moment to survey my surroundings. The grand foyer opened up before me, with tall ceilings and lavish decorations that felt out of place in this tense moment. To my left, a set of double doors led further into the villa, while to my right, an exit opened directly into the garden.
I had to make a decision quickly. The garden offered potential cover, but I needed to be cautious about how I approached it.
If soldiers were patrolling outside, I could easily be caught.
I glanced at the timer again. "9 minutes and 47 seconds. . ." Time was running out, and I couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. 'Ugh. . . I hate this game.'
With a deep breath, I moved toward the exit on my right, keeping low and quiet as I approached the door. I carefully pushed it open just enough to peek outside, scanning for any signs of movement in the garden.
I slipped outside into the garden, moving swiftly but quietly. I kept low to the ground, using the vibrant blooms and bushes as cover as I made my way toward the trees.
"6 minutes and 46 seconds. . . My time is running out."
I paused to catch my breath, glancing back toward the villa. I could still see Dakari's silhouette in the window, watching intently, and it sent a chill down my spine.
'He already knows what I'm planning. He already foreseen all of this. He's just taking his time or perhaps this is his way of entertainment.' I cursed inside my head as I shot a glare towards his direction before focusing on my task.
"5 minutes and 12 seconds. . ." The timer continued its relentless countdown.
From my vantage point, I could see armed men patrolling the area. They were even patrolling in pairs. 'I obviously can't attack them. . . Maybe I should just—. . .' I immediately rushed towards the walls. Grabbing hold of the sturdy vines that clung to the stone, I began to climb.
The rough texture of the wall felt reassuring beneath my fingers, and I focused on each movement, pulling myself up.
With a final push, I reached the top of the wall and swung my leg over.
'Holy fuck— I actually made it!' I cheered inside my head.
My attention shifted to the trees that now surrounded me, their thick trunks and dense foliage providing a natural barrier between me and the villa.
"I have to keep moving. . . I have 1 minute and 23 seconds left." Wait what? Damned time!
Run.
I took off, sprinting deeper into the woods. The slippers I had worn when I left the room were nowhere to be found, but I couldn't be bothered anymore. Branches snapped and leaves crunched underfoot as I navigated through the dense underbrush.
Beep beep.
'Times up? Already?!' I immediately turned off the alarm and saw it shifting into a 45 minutes countdown.
45 minutes of hunting me down.
I kept my senses sharp as I moved forward. Then, I heard it— the unmistakable sound of metal clanging against metal. The gates of the villa opening.
'The bastard is truly out for my head!' My attention then went back to the device he gave me. 'This. . .' I thought it through for a second. 'There's no mistaking it. . . This device might have tracking device attached to it.' I immediately turned it off, gripping it tightly in my hands, I smashed it against the rough bark of the tree, shattering it into pieces. "To think I was too occupied to even consider that possibility. . . Tsk." I began running again, making sure to keep my movements as quiet as possible.
The forest floor was littered with leaves and twigs, but I focused on stepping lightly, avoiding any noise that might give away my position.
. . . . .
I had been running for more than 30 minutes now, and the only thing I had seen was an endless expanse of trees. No signs of anyone, no paths, no buildings— just the dense forest surrounding me.
"Fuck. . . I don't think I can go any further." I stumbled down, leaning against the tree, my breath coming in ragged gasps. 'I feel like passing out. . .'
I took a moment to steady myself, closing my eyes and focusing on my breathing. 'Inhale. . . exhale. . .'
Phew.
Pushing off the tree, I forced myself to move again. I couldn't afford to give up.
. . . . .
As I moved, I slowly saw another wall. "Fuck. . . No way. Is this still his territory?" The wall was weathered and covered in vines. "Well fuck. I ran for almost an hour only to be met with this. . . Damn it!" I exhaled. "Can't really say I'm surprised."
Rich people truly love having a huge ass forest within their territory.
I slumped down against the cool stone, my legs finally giving in beneath me. 'After all that running, all that effort to escape, I only found myself disappointed in the end. How fucking pathetic.'
Rustle. Rustle.
And just as I had suspected. . .
"Ms. Viviana?. . ." A man emerged from the shadows, revealing his appearance before me. He had black hair, dark eyes, and a fairly handsome face, though his hair was unkempt and wild, as if he had been searching for me for quite some time.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Tough luck." I muttered to myself as my eyes dimmed. I still remained seated on the ground. Not finding any strength to even fight back.
Someone had been following me.