Chapter 25 —Eva
It seemed like Demyon had a habit of ruining my day whenever things were going smoothly between us. He’d done the same thing back in St. Petersburg, where he yelled at me for wandering off alone after I’d already loosened up around him.
I couldn’t understand why he’d put in the effort to make me smile and even lower my guard, only to end up ruining everything with his stupid rage.
Contrary to my initial thoughts, I hadn’t expected to enjoy the night as much as I had. However, his dirty jokes and smooth talk were too enticing to ignore. What he didn’t know was that while he was talking, his words were taking me back to the night of our wedding.
I’d tried to bury the memory of what happened, to pretend like I wasn’t ashamed of myself. But the more he spoke, the more the illicit thoughts flooded my mind. Just by reminiscing on the way we devoured each other like hungry animals, that sexual heat began spreading across my body.
I couldn’t help recalling the sound of my own moans and the intensity of his thrusts. Demyon had no idea how wet I was and how I fantasized about him leading me to one of the restrooms. It had always been one of my darkest fantasies—to make love in a toilet of a high-end restaurant.
I’d seen crazy stuff like that in movies, read about it in romance novels, and just wanted to experience it for myself. Since he and I were already intimate, I figured we could make it a reality if he was in on it.
Honestly, considering how turned on I’d been, I was willing to chip in the idea and let him smash again. I’d already made up my mind—after he left to take that important phone call—that when he returned, we’d head to the restroom together.
But he just had to lose control and ruin everything.
Ethan was my cousin, and he was the last person I would’ve expected to run into today. The last time I saw him was about two years ago during Thanksgiving. After that day, we never saw or heard from each other again until that night at the restaurant.
He’d been just as surprised to see me after such a long time. Carried away by that joy and excitement, we embraced each other, smiling and laughing. It was a harmless hug—just two cousins enjoying each other’s company.
However, that wasn’t how it looked from Demyon’s point of view. In that twisted mind of his, Ethan was trying to steal me from him, and I consented to it.
I wasn’t sure what pained me the most: that he thought I was cheap enough to be wooed by just anybody, or that he swung that punch and embarrassed me in front of everyone.
I hated how he was so determined to make me hate him by any means. Each time he had the chance to prove he wasn’t the monster that I thought he was, he ended up doing the exact opposite.
He was a ruthless man whose first instinct at the slightest provocation was violence. How long was I going to keep enduring this? How long until he one day lost control and hit me? Was this the kind of man I wanted to raise my child with?
I lay in bed that evening, thinking about how unfortunate I was and how I never would’ve been in this mess if I’d never cracked that code. If I’d just stayed back in my dorm that night instead of going to check out that warehouse, none of this would’ve happened.
Just a month ago, my biggest problem was my father’s creditors blowing up my phone with empty threats. At the time, it seemed like such a big deal, but after what I’d seen so far, I’d give anything to go back to that life.
Maybe I’d have liked it here under different circumstances, but not these ones.
***
Later that night, at about nine o’clock, I stepped out of my room with the intention of wandering around the building in order to clear my head.
Everything was fine at first until I realized that all the hallways were emptier than usual. There were no guards stationed at their posts—none whatsoever. I didn’t think much of it and just kept going.
However, it soon came to my attention that the whole mansion was as quiet as a cemetery, and there was still no sign of any guards. While walking down one of the empty hallways, I heard the maids’ muffled voices coming from a nearby room.
They seemed to have gathered together and were chatting about God-knows-what. The sound of their belly laughs piqued my curiosity, and I quietly walked over to the slightly ajar door.
From where I was standing outside, I peeked through the gap between the door and the frame. I did a headcount of the women in the room—it was all the maids in the house. I wondered if there was some party going on that I didn’t know about.
By now, the maids were the closest thing to friends I had in the cursed place. On several occasions, they’d kept me company and helped me forget my predicament.
Bored out of my mind, I was about to push the door open and join in on the conversation when I heard something that sparked a bold idea in my head. One of the maids was telling the others about how Demyon’s gang had a serious altercation with a rival group.
According to her, that was the reason why the mansion was left unguarded. She said that all his men were rounded up this afternoon, ready for war. Apparently, the maid was sleeping with one of the guards, and that’s how she got such firsthand information.
I couldn’t help thinking that whatever was going on might have had something to do with the call he received on our date night. Whoever was unfortunate enough to have started a fight with this devil should be ready to meet their maker.
Demyon Tarasov was as evil as they came. I’d seen him in action, and he was a force to be reckoned with. However, even though I was certain that he would win this war, a part of me couldn’t help worrying about his safety.
Then that bold idea struck me when I least expected it.
Wait a minute. If the house is unguarded, then this might be my chance to get the hell out of here, I thought to myself, my brain already reeling with the possibility of my escape.
All the maids were having fun in one room, meaning no one would see me leave. Sure, the CCTVs would capture my movement, but before anyone could track me down, I’d be long gone.
I stepped away from the door, my heart pounding in my chest. This was the only opportunity I would ever get to escape this place, and I wasn’t going to sleep on it. No.
The first thing I needed was some cash, and I knew exactly where to get it. I picked up my pace, hurrying through the empty corridors as I made my way to Demyon’s study.
For some reason, the man never bothered to lock the place whenever he went out. Maybe because he knew no one was bold enough to walk in there without his permission.
Not me.
I pushed the door open and waltzed in, heading straight to this desk. I knew men like him always had loads of cash stashed away in their drawers.
I wasn’t wrong.
There were about three bundles of cash neatly arranged in one of his drawers. I was pretty sure that I wasn’t the only one to have stumbled upon them. The cleaners must’ve seen the cash too. But no one dared steal from Demyon Tarasov.
I wasn’t a thief, but these were desperate times, and desperate measures were needed. With this money, I could disappear for a really long time—someplace he wouldn’t find me.
Without hesitation, I picked up one load of cash from the drawer and gently closed it back. I spotted the blinking red light of the CCTV above, but that didn’t stop me. I looked right at the camera with a blank expression. No guilt. No remorse.
I knew he was going to see the tape, and I wanted him to know that I did this on purpose.
Quietly, I walked out of his study with the confidence that no one was going to stop me. I headed back to my former room, grabbed a backpack, and stashed the cash into it.
While the maids were busy having fun in that room upstairs, I walked out through the front door, calm and confident.
The walk from the mansion to the front gate took forever, but eventually I made it. By the time I was outside, I drew a deep, long breath, inhaling the sweet scent of freedom.
I glanced back at the giant gates behind me, and a cocky grin played at the corners of my mouth. At last, I’d escaped this gilded cage without even trying. Impressive.
I turned around and walked away.
***
The cab pulled up outside my childhood apartment, then drove off after I got out. I slung the backpack over my shoulder and exhaled sharply before walking toward the front door.
I was about to knock when I realized the door wasn’t locked. That’s strange; Dad never left the front door open. My hand hovered over the door handle, my eyes squinting ever so slightly.
I glanced around. The neighborhood was quiet tonight, the streetlamps casting long shadows across the sidewalks. The door creaked open, and I walked into the dark apartment.
“Dad?” I called, my voice low and cautious. “Hello?”
Something snapped beneath my shoes—broken glass or maybe a shattered ceramic. I groped the wall until I found the light switch and flicked it on. My eyes narrowed as I adjusted to the brightness, revealing an empty space.
My backpack slipped off my shoulder, and my eyebrows rose in disbelief. It didn’t look like anyone had been here in a while—the place was cleared out, and nothing was left behind.
What I’d stepped on was a broken flower vase that used to be on the table at the entrance. Shocked to my bones, I dared to walk further into the abandoned apartment, hoping my eyes were deceiving me.
Everything was gone: the furniture, the appliances, the pictures—all gone. I found my way to his room, and even that was cleared out. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the signs made it clear that he’d run away.
He’d taken his things and fled without me.
I felt my heart ache inside my chest as tears stung my eyes. The realization hit me hard. He’d abandoned me with his debts and a number of dangerous creditors who would do anything to get their money back.
And to think I came here with enough money to pay off all he owed. What kind of father would do this to his own child?
My knees turned to jelly, too weak to carry my weight as it dawned on me that I was alone. That was when I remembered Demyon’s words about how I was safer behind the walls of his mansion. He believed that I wouldn’t last a day without him because his enemies had their eyes on me.
Now, I had two people’s enemies to look out for—Demyon’s and my father’s. It suddenly felt like there was a bounty on my head. I needed to run as fast and as far away from here as possible.
Leaving the mansion might have been a bad idea at this point. However, now wasn’t the time to blame myself; all I had to do was run.
I picked up my backpack and raced back downstairs. Unfortunately for me, a group of four men stood in the empty living room, arms crossed.
“Well, well, well,” one of them began, stepping forward with his eyes fixed on me. “If it isn’t the old man’s daughter.”
My heart sank into my chest, my brain thinking of the best possible way to get out of this mess.
“Where is he?” the man asked me.
I swallowed hard. “Trust me, if I knew, I’d be the first to rat him out.”
His scowl deepened. “Do you think this is a joke? Your old man owes me a lot of money, so I’ll ask you again…where is he?”
At this point, I was already sweating in awkward places, and my hands were trembling. “I swear…I don’t know.”
He nodded at his men. “Take her.”
“No, wait!” I stretched out my hand, my voice laced with urgency and a hint of desperation. “How much does he owe you? I’ll pay.”
The man pulled his head back in disbelief as he watched me reach for my backpack. “You…will pay his debt?” he questioned, casting a suspicious gaze at me.
I nodded, clutching my backpack like a lifeline.
“Is that where the money is?” He pointed at the backpack.
“Just tell me how much,” I said, avoiding his question.
He exchanged glances with his men, all of them wearing smug smirks on their faces.
“You know what,” he began, “hand the bag over, and we’ll let you go.”
Knowing the amount of money in there, there was no way I was giving it to them without a fight. It was my only ticket out of the mess with Demyon Tarasov. Handing it over would ruin everything I’d worked so hard for.
“No,” I said, my voice low and venomous.
“No?” His eyebrows rose. “I see you’re as stubborn as your old man.”
“Tell me how much he owes you, and I’ll pay. Then we can all go our separate ways,” I insisted.
One of his men leaned in and whispered something in his ear. The man then showed him something I assumed was a photo on his phone.
“This must be my lucky night.” He let out a wicked laugh. He raised the phone’s screen toward me. “This is you, isn’t it?”
It was a photo of Demyon and me walking out of the church on our wedding day.
I clenched my jaw and refused to answer.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He lowered the phone and faced his men. “Boys, I think we hit the jackpot with this one.”
They laughed, nodding in agreement.
“Seize her,” he ordered, wearing that smug smirk I hated so much.
“Stay back!” I warned, as though I stood a chance against them
When the first man came at me, I clenched my fist and swung a powerful blow in his direction. In all honesty, I didn’t expect to land that punch. But when my fist connected with his cheek, a tooth flew from his mouth, accompanied by a splash of blood.
To everyone’s surprise, the man fell to the ground. Out like a light. I was still trying to process what I’d just done when the others rushed at me. They bound my hands and feet. And while I was struggling against their strength, my left shoe slipped off my foot.
These men taped my mouth—muffling my screams for help as they bundled me out of the apartment. It was at this point that I knew that I’d fucked up when I ran away from the mansion.
It was clear that I’d just moved from bad to worse.