The next day, Mia and I met at a secluded part of the mansion, and there, she dressed me up as a maid. She said it was the best disguise and that it wouldn’t attract unwanted attention from the others.
As she predicted, the house was almost deserted, and nearly all the guards weren’t at their stations. A part of me couldn’t help wondering what kind of meeting would require Roman to take this many bodyguards with him. But on second thought, I didn’t care.
As part of the disguise, I had to wear a black wig with a hat that covered my face. Quietly, she led the way, avoiding the cameras in the hallway, and I followed her move. I didn’t realize how massive this place was until she began taking me through rooms and hidden passages I never thought existed.
She held my hand and would, every now and then, remind me to trust her. I did. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have ventured on this journey with her. She led me down to the basement, withdrew a key from her pocket, and unlocked a barred gate.
Carefully, she opened it, and it wasn’t until after we’d taken about three steps forward that I realized this was a tunnel with a bright, natural light at the end.
“We’re almost there, ma’am,” she whispered, her low voice echoing off the walls.
Freedom.
A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as we quickened our pace, my heart racing with anticipation. We reached the end of the tunnel, and I drew a deep breath, inhaling the scent of freedom.
A lonely road stretched beyond the exit, flanked by tall trees that cast long, eerie shadows on the pavement.
“Wow, we did it.” I chuckled, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Mia, we actually did it.” I grabbed her shoulders with a smile on my face.
“Now, you can thank me.” She beamed.
I pulled her into my bosom and whispered in her ear. “I owe you one.”
Just then, a black SUV appeared out of the blue, recklessly pulling over by the sidewalk. Startled by the sudden sound of screeching tires, I jumped out of the way, confused.
The driver hopped out of the car and walked over to open the backseat door. Three hefty men stepped out of the vehicle, all looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger fromThe Terminator.
I took a step back, my heart racing in my chest. “Mia, what’s going on? Who are these men?” I asked her, wondering if they were part of the escape plan too.
The driver opened the backseat door, and a tall man stepped out in an impeccably tailored white suit. A Cuban cigar was stuck between his lips, his gold rings glinting around his fingers.
He needed no introduction; he was clearly the boss of these men. But why the hell did he look so familiar?
“Mia, what’s going on here?” I asked again, this time through gritted teeth.
“Hello, Scarlett,” he said, approaching me with slow, menacing steps. “Remember me?”
My eyes narrowed at him, and that’s when it clicked in my head.
Shit!
It was the same man from the gala a few weeks ago. He was the one who stirred up tension amongst the guests and almost declared war on Roman.
Now, things were getting spooky, and everything felt wrong.
Mia stepped forward and glanced back at me, except this time, I couldn’t find that innocence in her eyes. It was like looking at an entirely different person.
“Roman’s wife,” she said to the man, gesturing at me. “As promised.”
He let out a puff of smoke. “You’ve done well, Mia.”
It was now that it dawned on me that I’d been sold out by someone I trusted. The betrayal didn’t hurt as much as the one who did it—and in that moment, my heart shattered into a million pieces.
Nikki had warned me about Mia, but I didn’t listen—and I sincerely regretted it. Mia’s kindness was a mask, and I fell for her lies like an idiot. Blinded by rage and my eagerness to leave, I didn’t question the signs in front of me. Now I’d walked into a trap, and there was no going back.
Chapter 26 – Roman
It’s been two hours since I returned with my men after a long meeting with the most brutal Bratva clients. These men were feared for their ruthlessness and infamous for double-crossing their partners.
