Elara walked up the stairs slowly, Adrian’s coat heavy around her shoulders. It was the only thing stopping the cold from reaching her skin.

She found the room he had mentioned without trouble, and when she turned the knob, it opened at once.

She took a deep breath and stepped in. The room did not look like a bedroom. It felt too neat and too arranged, like a place meant to be looked at rather than lived in.

She did not stay there long. Her eyes moved to a door at the side, and she walked toward it, pushing it open.

It was the bathroom.

Finally alone, she let Adrian’s coat slip from her shoulders and fall onto the floor. She stood still for a long time, staring at nothing. Then she bent down and picked it up again, placing it carefully on the counter.

Standing in front of the mirror, she could now see everything clearly. The seam of her dress had not just come loose. It had been cut cleanly. The fabric hung uselessly on her upper body, exposing more than it covered.

A low scoff escaped her throat.

She still remembered Relanie’s words clearly, and there was no doubt left that she was the one who planned this.

Her thoughts shifted to Ziva without meaning to, and a deep feeling of regret spread in her chest. Leaving like that... it felt wrong. No matter what happened, she knew Ziva would never turn away from her. Not like the others.

She lowered her eyes. Even now, she felt very much exposed. Stripped of more than just her clothing. Her pride, her control... all of it were gone. And now, she stood in someone else’s space, at someone else’s mercy, carrying a debt she did not know how she would pay.

Slowly, she removed the ruined dress and glanced around. A large bathtub stood in the center of the room. It was very beautiful but to her, it looked like a mouth waiting patiently to swallow her.

The sight made a cold shiver run down her spine so she turned away and walked into the shower cubicle instead.

It was when she started bathing that something suddenly crossed her mind. She went still.

There was nothing for her to wear.

The costume dress was ruined. The only things left were the towels folded neatly on the rack beside the wall. She could not stay wrapped in that forever.

Her gaze dropped tiredly, a suffocating feeling covering her up as she tried to breathe under the pressure of the water. She could already feel the weight of everything. And tomorrow... she knew it would be worse.

When she stepped out of the shower, a knock sounded at the door making her to freeze in her steps.

Then she reached for one of the towels from the rack and wrapped it around herself before walking to the door. She opened it a little.

Adrian stood outside calmly, not muttering a word. He simply lifted his hand and held out a black shopping bag through the gap. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Elara looked at it for a moment, then reached out and took it. As soon as she did, he pulled his hand back and the door closed again.

Inside the bag was a thin silk robe. It felt soft and expensive... almost too much for something so simple. But there was nothing else to wear so she had no choice but to wear it. Along with it were a few medicinal items and a bottle of water.

After changing, she stepped back into the bedroom. It was empty.

Her eyes moved to the table, where another bag rested. It looked like it came from a restaurant, but she did not go to it. Instead, she turned and walked out of the room.

Downstairs, the floor was also empty.

She paused, wondering if he had left, but that thought did not sit right in her mind. Someone like him would not leave her alone here so easily. He couldn’t possibly trust her that much.

Her gaze moved, landing on a door nearby. She remembered he had gone in there earlier so she walked toward it and opened it gently.

The room inside was filled with sculptures, paintings, and several mini chandeliers. It looked more like a private gallery than anything else.

And there... In front of a large glass painting is Adrian, standing quietly. A glass of dark liquid in his fingers.

At first, she did not see him directly. Only his reflection. Then his eyes met hers through the surface.

He didn’t turn. He only held her gaze through the glass, his expression unreadable. Then a quiet snort left his lips. "You’re still awake," he said flatly, his voice cold. "I thought you had enough sense to stay behind a locked door."

Only then did he turn. His silver eyes met hers without a flicker. There was no warmth in them at all, just a distant, careless look.

He studied her in silence for a moment, then lifted the glass in his hand and took a slow sip, his gaze never leaving her. "If you came here expecting comfort," he added calmly, "you came to the wrong place."

His tone did not change. "And stop acting like the world has fallen apart because of one bad night."

Elara didn’t step back at his words. Instead, she moved forward a step. Then another. The space between them closed until she stood right in front of him, close enough to feel the cold aura radiating from his body.

"Is that what you think?" she asked softly, their feet nearly touching.

Adrian didn’t move. His half lidded gaze dropped to her lips, then returned to her eyes. A faint, mocking curve touched the corner of his lips, as if he found her sudden boldness more funny than intimidating.

Elara didn’t wait for him to respond. She simply rose a little on her toes and pressed her lips against his...