Kaivan gave a faint smile, even though his body clearly wasn't ready to move. "I'm fine. Just tie Rapi with the chains. They need you upstairs."
Felicia paused, frustration simmering beneath her silence. She turned toward Rapi's unconscious body, wrapping the iron chains tightly around him. Every pull was firm, fueled by tension. She added a large padlock before glancing back at Kaivan.
"Don't just lie there. You better come up soon," she murmured, then sprinted toward the stairs.
Kaivan lifted a tired thumb in reply, a weary smile lingering on his lips.
---
In the kitchen, the air grew warm with the scent of tea. The hotel staff who had just been freed sat in a circle, steam from their cups brushing their pale faces.
"Where are you all from, anyway?" one staff member asked, still baffled by everything.
"We… just happened to be passing by," Ethan replied casually, the excuse flimsy even to his own ears.
The tension returned when Raphael rushed in, breath quickened. "The master key isn't at the reception. It's going to be tough rescuing the rest like this."
A staff member seated at the edge of the table raised a hand. "There are only two master cards. Here, this is one of them. It can open every door, but only special staff use it."
Raphael accepted the card with a silent nod. He held it up for the others, giving quick instructions. Their eyes met, hope flickering faintly amid the fear still clinging to the room.
Felicia entered the kitchen in the next second, panting hard, cutting through the heavy air. Her once-elegant red dress was torn in several places, revealing the curve of her thigh. Small cuts dotted her skin. Sweat trailed down her temple, but her eyes burned with unshaken resolve.
Radit stared at her, half amazed, half amused. "You… look like a mess," he muttered, shaking his head.
Felicia didn't bother responding. She tied up her tangled hair, a few strands falling loosely by her cheeks. "Anything I can help with?" she asked, her voice cool but steady. For her, exhaustion was just another step in the path.
---
Meanwhile, in the silent lower floor, Kaivan sat on the ground, breath uneven. As he tried to stand, a cold voice echoed from the shadows, a voice he knew all too well.
"You… ruined Miss Vella's plans," Rapi hissed, sitting upright despite being bound. His glare was sharp, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Kaivan turned slowly. "Oh, you're awake," he replied flatly, though his eyes stayed cautious.
Rapi scoffed. "She's ruthless, Kaivan. You saw it yourself, she kills with a shard of glass. No hesitation. No mercy." His voice cracked, as if old wounds had been torn open again.
Kaivan listened quietly, then rose, his back straight. "That's exactly why I have to face her. Vella has no right to hurt the helpless," he said softly, conviction threading through each word.
He continued as he turned away, "She won't kill me. She needs me. So don't get ahead of yourself."
Without another glance, Kaivan started running, leaving Rapi in darkness.
"Wait, Kaivan! Listen to me!" Rapi shouted, but Kaivan's steps never faltered.
Silence swallowed the room. Rapi whispered, voice trembling, "You'll never understand… how terrifying Vella truly is." Tears slipped down his cheeks as shadows swallowed the last of the dim light.
---
Felicia and Raphael moved quickly, each holding one of the two master cards that granted access to every hotel room. After dividing the floors, they split up. Every step Felicia took was sharpened by vigilance. Her torn dress no longer mattered, her focus lay solely on saving the hostages.
When she opened one of the doors, she found Darius, the man she had deceived earlier to get an invitation to the party. Darius froze, stunned, but his gaze dropped almost immediately to Felicia's partially exposed skin beneath her shredded dress.
"You're… the girl from before, right?" Darius asked hesitantly, his eyes stuck on her thigh. "What happened to your clothes…?"
Felicia stepped closer, her gaze cold. She knelt down and began untying the ropes around Darius without acknowledging the way his eyes roamed over her. Their breaths brushed faintly between them.
"Sorry… about earlier. I didn't mean to shove you like that. I just, "
Felicia straightened, her eyes sharp. "I won't forgive you," she said quietly, yet with unmistakable firmness. "I hate rough men."
Darius fell silent, his face draining of color. "I can give you anything. My father is on the council. If you want something, anything, "
Felicia exhaled, disgust tightening her voice. "Enough. I'm sick of hearing your nonsense." With one last pull, she freed him from the ropes. "Get out. Now."
But Darius didn't move. He stared at her in confusion. "Why? I mean it, Felicia… I just want, "
His hand reached out, almost touching her,
Felicia slapped it away instantly and shoved him against the wall.
"Shh!" she hissed, eyes narrowing. Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. In a heartbeat, Felicia reached behind her thigh and drew a small concealed nunchaku.
"This door is open… someone must've escaped!" one of the guards shouted, their voices growing closer.
Felicia steadied her breath and readied her stance, her body tense like a shadow at dusk.
The moment the door swung open, Felicia moved. She slammed it shut behind the two guards who stepped inside, catching them off guard. Her nunchaku swung upward, striking the first guard squarely on the head. A heavy thud reverberated as he collapsed.
The second guard barely had time to react. Felicia pivoted, her leg sweeping low and knocking him off balance. Before he could recover, she struck him across the face, sending him sprawling unconscious beside the first.
Darius stood frozen, eyes wide. His expression wavered between awe and fear. The girl in the red dress who had smiled at him earlier had vanished, replaced by a figure he
couldn't approach without his heart trembling.
Her face was still beautiful, but her presence had changed. Something fierce simmered beneath Felicia's calm exterior, something that made Darius realize he never truly knew her at all.