Chapter 13 Vivian
VIVIAN
Footsteps echoed down the hallway outside my room, followed by a sharp knock on the door. I opened it to find two of The Shadow’s men, their expressions as unreadable as ever, standing there with several large boxes. My stomach twisted, a mix of apprehension and relief washing over me.
“Miss,” one of them said gruffly, inclining his head slightly. “Your equipment.”
I stepped back to let them into the room. “Put those over there,” I instructed, gesturing toward the corner near the window where the light was best. The words felt strange on my tongue, like I was reclaiming some tiny piece of autonomy in a place where I had none.
They gently set the boxes down exactly where I’d indicated. A third man came in, carrying a desk that looked like it had been dragged out of some unused part of the estate. It was sturdy and simple—functional, if not aesthetically pleasing.
“Anything else, Miss?” one of them asked, his tone clipped but polite.
“No,” I said, crossing my arms. “That’ll be all.”
They left without another word. I stood there for a moment, staring at the stack of boxes. Anticipation bubbled beneath my skin.
This was what I needed. Something familiar. Something that was mine.
I wasted no time unpacking, carefully pulling out my laptops, cables, drives, and other tools. My hands moved on autopilot, arranging everything on the desk until it resembled the organized chaos of my workspace back home.
Sliding into the chair, I powered up my main laptop, the hum of the machine like a balm to my soul. For the first time since I was dragged here, I felt a small sense of purpose.
The first thing I tested was the Wi-Fi. Would someone like The Shadow have an easily accessible internet connection? I quickly found a network entitled ShadowLord. I rolled my eyes. How fucking original.
If it weren’t for my dire situation, I would’ve laughed out loud. The network was, not surprisingly, password-protected, but it only took me about ninety seconds to figure it out.
Fucking amateurs.
Finally, I had the opportunity to reach out to Will and Vivian. Opening my email account, I started with Will.
Will,
Celeste said you contacted her and that you’re safe back in the human world.
I pray to all the gods that have ever existed that you’ll be smart enough to stay where you are.
Do NOT try to save me, Will. I’m safe, and somehow I convinced The Shadow to provide me with my equipment.
I’m sure you saw the beastly men in the apartment as they gathered my stuff. I hope they didn’t fuck with you.
Listen. I know you like the back of my hand, so if I had to guess, you’re beating yourself up.
Yes, you made a dumb-ass mistake by entering that stupid fucking contest. But guess what?
You made it out alive. I’m sure no one else who failed to answer the riddle correctly can say the same.
And even though the situation seems harrowing, I assure you that I WILL find a way out of here.
In the meantime, keep your chin up and please, for the love of all the gods, don’t do anything stupid.
Love,
Vivian
Next, I touched base with Celeste.
Celeste,
I’m so sorry The Shadow kicked you out of my room. He’s such a fucking ass. It wouldn’t have killed him to let you stay for a while.
Nevertheless, it was such a relief to see your face and to hear your voice. I miss you terribly.
I appreciate your and Luca’s efforts, but I want to make something perfectly clear. Do not allow Vincenzo to go to war with The Shadow on account of me. Let me remind you that it was Will’s life or mine (or possibly both, if Ciro had made that call). At least this way we’re both alive.
I’ll figure something out, but in the meantime, please lay low and keep tabs on Will.
All my love,
Vivian.
My next task was to focus in and see if I could find any cracks or weaknesses in The Shadow’s infrastructure.
Focus, Vivian. Use what you know. Exploit what you can.
I started with a sweep of the estate, looking for any hint of a security system I could hack into. Cameras, servers, anything connected to a network. But the more I searched, the more I realized the truth.
There was nothing. No tech. No sophisticated surveillance system. Just magic and physical guards. It was almost laughable.
“Paranoid bastard,” I muttered under my breath as I closed one of the diagnostic windows on my screen.
Leaning back in the chair, I stared at the screen. The usual thrill of the hunt, of uncovering weaknesses, was absent. Instead, cold frustration gnawed at me.
But giving up wasn’t an option. Not yet.
Opening a new screen, I navigated to the encrypted files I’d been working on before my life had been turned upside down. Lines of code filled the monitor.
NexusCore.
Even seeing the name on the screen sent a flicker of pride through me.
It was my creation. A fusion of human and magical technology that had the potential to revolutionize both worlds. Working with Camilla and Alessandro at Vincenzo’s estate had opened my eyes to the possibilities and raw potential of blending their ancient magic with the logic of human innovation.
I wasn’t sure what I’d do with it. Sell it as a program? Auction off the tech to the highest bidder? Either way, the hope was that it would set me up for a life of my own creation.
I exhaled slowly. Would The Shadow let me work on it if he knew what I was creating? Or would he see it as a threat? Would he want to control it? Destroy it?
My hands moved to the diamond choker around my neck.
It hummed faintly against my skin, a constant reminder of his control.
My thoughts wandered back to his library, to the private collection room sealed behind that black door.
The memory of the bookshelves, the tantalizing mystery of what lay beyond, teased at the edges of my mind.
Could there be something in there that could help me finish NexusCore?
The thought sent a jolt of excitement through me. The private collection had to contain knowledge, artifacts, or something that could give me an edge. I needed no excuse to go back to the library. It was my favorite place in this godsforsaken estate. A reprieve from the coldness of this place.
The idea of sneaking back to the library, specifically the restricted section, made my heart race. It was reckless and stupid, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was worth the risk.
I shut my laptop and stood.
The choker hummed again as if in warning, but I ignored it. My pulse quickened with every step, the thrill of the unknown, of rebellion, taking hold.
This time, I’d be more careful. I wouldn’t get caught.
At least, that’s what I told myself as I slipped out of my room and into the shadowy halls.
The mansion was unnervingly quiet at night, the halls cloaked in shadow and the faint hum of magic an ever-present reminder that I wasn’t alone.
The choker around my neck was a constant weight, a tether that linked me to him.
But as I padded silently down the corridor on bare feet, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly watching me all the time.
The thought had haunted me ever since he’d told me the necklace wasn’t just decorative but a surveillance device, a leash to keep me in line. But even he had to sleep, didn’t he? Or at least lower his guard?
This is reckless, I told myself, but I kept going. What did I have to lose?
I walked through the expansive library to the private section, savoring the familiar scent of aged paper and ink. Running my fingers over the spines of the books, I let myself indulge in the simple pleasure of being surrounded by stories and secrets.
Somehow, amid the chaos of my captivity, this sanctuary of knowledge offered a fleeting sense of peace.
I plucked a few books from the shelves, drawn to titles that whispered of ancient magic and forgotten realms. I would take them back to my room, hoping to uncover something that could unravel the mysteries surrounding The Shadow and his hold over me.
But now, as I approached the door to the private library, its imposing presence reminded me of the barriers I faced. I’d tried it once before, only to find it locked tight. Of course, it was. The Shadow wasn’t stupid, and this room—the secrets it held—was clearly important to him.
I stopped in front of the door, my heart thudding wildly. A voice in the back of my mind whispered that this was a fool’s errand, that I was risking my life. But the truth was, I had nothing left to lose.
He’d taken everything from me.
My freedom, my job, my friends—my entire life, stripped away piece by piece until all that remained was this hollow version of myself, trapped in his gilded cage.
And yet, the bastard seemed to need me. Why else would he keep me alive, keep me close?
I was his best option for whatever the hell he had in mind by marrying me.
That sliver of power and leverage gave me the courage to press on.
And now that Celeste and Vincenzo were aware of my situation, I was sure The Shadow would think twice about killing me.
That would start another war with Vincenzo.
Pulling the bobby pin from my hair, I knelt in front of the lock. The vanity in my bathroom had yielded a few unexpected treasures, and this tiny scrap of metal felt like a lifeline now. Picking locks wasn’t a skill I used often, but I was decent at it.
Not as good as Celeste, though.
I missed her. Missed her fierce loyalty, her ability to make me laugh even when the world felt like it was crumbling. She would’ve been by my side now, grinning as she worked the lock with a practiced ease.
But Celeste wasn’t here.
It was just me.
The bobby pin slid into the lock, and I worked it with deliberate care, feeling for the tumblers. The click of success sent a jolt of satisfaction through me.
Still got it.