The silk dress clung to Liana's frame, elegant yet suffocating. It was a deep crimson, chosen deliberately red, like the collar around her neck. A warning. A mark of ownership.
Two maids had dressed her, brushing out her hair, dabbing perfume on her wrists, painting her lips a soft shade of pink. They had done it in silence, their eyes avoiding hers, their hands careful but detached. They had done this before.
Now, she stood at the entrance of the grand ballroom, the golden chandeliers casting a soft glow over the sea of wealthy guests. Laughter and the clinking of glasses filled the air, but Liana heard the whispers beneath it.
Is she the new one?
She's lasted quite some time, hasn't she?
She doesn't look broken yet.
Valic stepped beside her, dressed in a sleek black suit, a glass of wine in hand. He didn't look at her, but his voice was low and smooth. "Behave, pet."
Liana's nails dug into her palms.
A gloved hand pressed against the small of her back, guiding her forward. Every instinct in her body screamed to resist, to run, but she forced herself to move. This wasn't the time to fight. Not yet.
The ballroom was extravagant, filled with the elite of high society—men in tailored suits, women in shimmering gowns, all adorned in the kind of wealth that drowned out morality.
They barely glanced at her as she passed. To them, she was just another pretty object.
Another trophy.
A waiter approached with a tray of drinks. Valic plucked a glass of champagne and handed it to her.
Liana hesitated.
His fingers brushed against her wrist, a silent threat.
She took the glass.
Valic smiled. "Good girl."
Hatred churned in her gut.
The party continued around her, filled with murmured deals and laughter too smooth to be real. Liana stayed still, keeping her face blank, waiting for the moment Valic would lose interest. But he didn't.
Instead, he lifted his glass and spoke loud enough for the nearby guests to hear.
"I must say, I'm quite proud of this one."
Eyes turned toward them.
"She's been with us for years now," Valic continued, amusement laced in his voice. "Still has some fight left in her, but I'm patient. She'll learn."
Liana's jaw clenched.
A man in a white suit stepped forward, smirking. "May I?"
Valic gestured lazily. "Be my guest."
The man extended a hand toward Liana's face, tilting her chin up. His fingers were cold. "Pretty thing."
Liana forced herself to stay still.
"She doesn't look very obedient," the man mused.
Valic chuckled. "Not yet."
A woman in a silver dress approached, her lips curled in amusement. "I hear you've been shocking her with that collar."
Valic smirked. "Would you like a demonstration?"
Liana's pulse spiked.
The woman's smile widened. "Yes."
The guests murmured in interest.
Valic turned to Liana. His fingers brushed against the side of the collar, near the control.
Liana met his gaze, cold and unflinching.
"Say, please, Master Valic," he said softly, just for her.
Liana's fists trembled.
The room watched.
Silence stretched between them.
Then, Valic sighed. "Stubborn thing." He pressed the button.
A sharp, searing pain jolted through her body. It wasn't as strong as the first time, but it was enough. Her legs buckled, her vision blurred, her breath hitched.
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
Liana gasped, but she didn't scream. She wouldn't give them that.
Valic crouched beside her, his voice a quiet purr. "Say it, Liana."
Her body burned, her muscles twitching from the aftershock.
But she lifted her head.
And she spat at his feet.
Gasps filled the room. The laughter stopped.
Valic stilled.
For a long moment, there was silence. Then he laughed.
A deep, amused chuckle.
Slowly, he stood, brushing a speck of dust off his sleeve. "She really is my favorite."
He turned to the guests. "Enjoy the party. I need to remind my pet of her place."
A guard grabbed Liana by the arm, dragging her back toward the doors.
She didn't fight.
She didn't beg.
She only stared at Valic, her hatred burning brighter than the pain.
The bruises on Liana's body hadn't fully healed. The aftershocks of the collar still made her limbs tremble at unexpected moments. But none of that mattered.
Because tonight, she was going to escape.
She had been waiting. Watching. Learning the patterns of the guards, the shifts in the estate's security, the weak spots that Valic had overlooked in his arrogance.
She didn't know if she would succeed. She only knew that she would rather die trying than stay here another night.
Liana sat in the dimly lit servant's quarters, pretending to polish silverware as she listened to two guards talk near the entrance.
"The south gate is being repaired," one of them muttered. "Won't be done until next week."
Liana didn't react, but inside, her heart pounded. The south gate.
It was the least guarded section of the estate. She had seen it herself when Valic had paraded her around like a prized pet. If she could reach it, she had a chance.
She inhaled slowly, steadying herself.
The timing had to be perfect.
That night, Valic hosted another gathering smaller than the last, but still an opportunity. These parties meant fewer guards patrolling the halls, more distractions, more noise to cover her movements.
She wore a simple black dress, her collar hidden beneath her hair. She had swiped a small knife from the kitchen earlier, slipping it into the folds of her skirt.
Now, she stood near the edge of the room, waiting.
Valic was entertaining a group of men, swirling his wine, smirking as he spoke. His focus was elsewhere.
Good.
Liana turned and slipped through the side door.
The hallway was empty.
She moved quickly, keeping to the shadows. Her heart pounded, her pulse a sharp rhythm in her ears.
Step. Pause. Listen. Move.
She reached the stairwell leading down to the lower levels. These halls were quieter only a few guards stationed at the main exits.
She pressed herself against the wall, peering around the corner. Two guards stood near the door leading to the gardens.
Her grip tightened on the knife.
She didn't hesitate.
Moving fast, she stepped forward, driving the blade into the first guard's side before he could react. He gasped, stumbling. The second guard turned, reaching for his weapon
Liana slammed her elbow into his throat. He choked, staggering back.
She grabbed his fallen knife and drove it into his leg.
He dropped with a pained groan.
She didn't wait to see if they were still conscious. She ran.
The night air was cold. Fresh. Real.
Liana sprinted through the garden, the gravel crunching beneath her bare feet. Ahead, she saw it—the South Gate.
It was damaged, barely held together with temporary metal bars. She could fit through if she was fast.
She reached it, fingers gripping the bars, pulling.
A voice behind her.
"Going somewhere, pet?"
Ice filled her veins.
Slowly, she turned.
Valic stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, watching her with amusement. Behind him, three guards approached.
Liana's breath came fast.
Valic sighed, shaking his head. "I was hoping you'd last a little longer before trying something stupid."
Liana's grip tightened on the bars.
She had two choices.
Go back.
Or run.
She ran.
Valic's smirk faded. "Get her."
Liana slipped through the bars just as the first guard lunged. His fingers brushed her wrist, but she yanked free, sprinting into the forest beyond the estate.
The trees blurred past. Her lungs burned. Her legs screamed.
Behind her, she heard shouts. Footsteps. Dogs.
They were coming.
But she didn't stop.
She would never stop.
Not until she was free.
She lunged for the gap in the gate
A hand clamped around her wrist.
Pain exploded in her shoulder as she was yanked backward, her body slamming into the gravel. The knife slipped from her grasp.
She kicked, thrashed, clawed at the hand holding her.
"Enough."
Valic's voice was calm.
The guards dragged her to her knees. Blood dripped down her leg where the gravel had scraped her skin raw.
Valic crouched in front of her, tilting his head. "You really thought you could leave?"
Liana breathed hard, her chest rising and falling in sharp bursts. She refused to look away.
Valic sighed, shaking his head like a disappointed teacher. He reached into his pocket.
Liana barely had a second to react before he pressed the button.
Agony ripped through her.
Her muscles seized. Her body convulsed. The collar burned like fire against her throat, sending shockwaves of pain through every nerve.
She collapsed onto the ground, her fingers twitching uselessly.
Valic knelt beside her, his voice soft. "Do you know what happens to pets who misbehave?"
Liana gasped, her body still trembling from the aftershocks.
Valic grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
"They learn."
He nodded at the guards. "Take her to the basement."
Liana's stomach dropped.
Not there.
Anything but there.
The guards lifted her, dragging her limp body back toward the estate. She fought weakly, but her limbs refused to obey.
Valic followed at a leisurely pace, humming a tune under his breath.
Liana barely heard it over the pounding in her skull.
She had failed.