Christian opened his eyes slowly. His body felt like it's been hit by a truck or worse. He sat up slowly and looked at the thing that was in his hand. A vial with a label of detox. The nanomites in his body need to be removed and it's time to remove them since he didn't have any damage to his body. He wants to remove it before they find out that he still had it, they might kill him.

But he's puzzled on why he had detox in his hand. He reached for the bottle of water on the bedside table and drank it first. He didn't know how long he'd been sleeping but he drank the detox straight. He lay back down when the door opened.

A man with blond hair entered. It wasn't Ilya or Jacob that he expected. The guy is tall, handsome at the age of forty. He smiled and approached him.

"Do you need more water?

" He asked.

"Yes, please,

" Christian said. He nodded and went to the small fridge and took a bottle. He gave it to him. Christian sat up and drank it.

"Where's the bathroom?

" He asked as he looked around the familiar place. It's archaic with medieval stuff around. It was kept as classic yet it has modern things like television and speakers for music.

The man gestures to the door. Christian immediately slipped off from bed. Though he felt lethargic, he still ran to the bathroom to do his business. He washed his hands and face after he's done. Then, he wiped his face and put down the towel. He stopped and looked at the Eagle Embroider on it.

He left the bathroom and found the man sitting on the sofa comfortable as he checked on the tablet.

"Am I in Russia?

" He asked.

"Yes, in your mother's secret house.

" He said.

"Your mother purchased it in secret and put it on someone's name.

"

Christian looked around and there's an old toy that he got from Christmas when he was six. He approached it and looked around.

"This is your bedroom. Ilya put you here.

"

"How long have I've been sleeping?

"

"More than twenty-four hours.

" He said.

"I'm Claus, by the way.

"

"I know.

" Christian opened the curtains and found rails there instead.

"Huh, this house is a fortress.

"

"It's a fortress indeed and the two of us are the prisoners.

"

Christian chuckled. He's only wearing boxer shorts and they removed everything else from him. Including the necklace that Dmitri gave since he's a family to them.

"Now, everything I have is gone. Can I at least have that necklace?

"

Claus took out something from his pocket and tossed it to him. Christian caught it and then he checked it. He smiled.

"Dmitri and Demi gave it to me,

" Christian told him.

"Tsk, you are smitten with your girlfriend's family.

"

"Yes. They are the best family in the world.

"

"And you just said that yours isn't,

" Claus said as he stood.

"Yes, honestly.

" Christian looked around more and went to the walk-in closet.

"Nice that there are clothes in here. They strip me off against my will.

" He said. He went back to the bathroom when he felt like he needed it more than anything.

Christian takes a long warm shower since he sweats a lot because of whatever they injected into him. After he's done, he goes to the walk-in closet that is joined to the bedroom. He put new boxers on, jeans and a sweater. He stopped when he looked at himself in the mirror. Then, he remembered what they did in the Empire café.

He came out immediately and asked Claus to check on the Empire Café in the Philippines. Claus searched for it and gave the tablet to him. Christian froze seeing the café and they also mentioned that Demi and Bea are dead.

<><><><>

Natalia opened her eyes. Damn, headache.

"Hey,

"

She froze hearing that voice. She looked up at Ashton who gave her a glass of water and medicine. She took it and drank it. She lay back on the bed and pulled the sheet to her body.

"I'll prepare breakfast.

"

"It's fine. I don't want to bother you.

" She mumbled.

"You are not a bother to me.

"

She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Really?

" She asked. She pushed the covers and she didn't care if she's only wearing her panties and her strapless bra. She went to the bathroom to wash her face and probably puke. She had drunk a lot of alcohol. After her puking, she brushed her teeth and had a hot shower to wake her nerves.

Ashton tidied her bed and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He checked his phone and smiled when Pamela greeted him with a good morning. He promised the woman that he'll call her. So, he did. She answered shortly.

"Good morning, handsome,

" Pamela said in a sultry voice.

"Good morning, how's your sleep?

"

"It's good. What are you doing?

"

"I'm cooking breakfast.

"

"Hmm, I don't know that you could cook.

"

"You'll never know.

" He chuckled.

Natalia didn't take long in the bathroom. She wrapped her hair with a microfiber towel and she put her spaghetti top on and her silk shorts on. She didn't bother to put her bra on. She's alone in the house anyway. When she came out of her room, she smelled egg, bacon, rice, and soup. She went to the kitchen and found him laughing as he added something to the soup.

"Yeah, I'll cook something for you some other time. Or you can visit the Empire Café… Of course, it's free. It's free for you.

"

Natalia turned her heels and went back to her room. She's super hungry at that moment because he's cooking. But she's not hungry anymore. She removed the towel from her hair and she crawled to the bed and hugged her pillows. She stared at her digital clock. The time passed and then, the door opened.

"Talia, food is ready.

"

"I'm not hungry.

" She mumbled.

"Good that you already have your bath. Now, eat your breakfast.

"

Her lips wobbled as she hugged the pillow.

"Will you leave if I eat?

"

"Yes.

"

She slipped off from bed lifelessly and went to the kitchen to eat. She sat down. The table is set for the two of them. She drank her warm water first and then, she started eating. Ashton sighed and sat on the other chair. He stared at her for a while and then he started eating. She only eats a little amount of rice, one bacon, and one sunny side up egg. Then, she finished the soup. She stood.

Ashton reached her arm to stop her.

"You think that I'll just let you ignore me?

"

"Let me go.

" She said coldly.

Ashton let her go and she left the kitchen. He followed her to the living room. She sat there comfortably as she turned on the television. Her sight is too much for him to handle. She's seductive and all. But he can't fall for her tricks anymore. Also, he can't fall in love with the heiress.

"Talia, what did I do wrong?

"

"Nothing.

"

"Of course, it's nothing,

" Ashton said sardonically.

"Natalia, you've been like this after I woke up. I don't know what else happened, so enlighten me!

"

She ignored him as she scanned for the movies that she wanted to watch. He pulled out his phone.

"And I deliver something here in your unit?

" He asked. He looked at the box.

"What does that contain? I received a message that my order has been delivered.

"

She stopped and looked at the box. She took it from the table and gave it to him.

"After you eat, leave, and take this with you.

"

He looked down at the box and it has her name on it. He pushed it to her.

"It has your name.

"

She looked up at him with those tired eyes. It seemed like she's been crying forever.

"Just leave,

"

Ashton put it down and put his hand over his waist.

"We are friends, right?

"

"Not anymore.

"

"Fuck,

" he mumbled, and he reached his keys from his pocket and opened the box. Natalia watched him open it and checked it one by one. He creased his brows.

"Why did I order this?

" He asked, and looked up at her. She's only looking down at him with those tears forming. She smiled bitterly.

"To please yourself.

" She mumbled.

"Take it with you. I'm sure that your partner would love it.

" She went to her bedroom and locked the door. She leaned on the door as she held her mouth to avoid sobbing loud. She fell her butt on the floor. Pulling her knees to fold it, she wrapped her arms around it and shoved her face on her knees.

She never was hurt like this. Not even the first puppy love she ever had. Maybe, she loved him a lot back then and she chose to stay as friends with him. But now, when there's a big promise, Natalia hoped big for that promise. And it hurts her like bitch that all of the plans she had in mind with him shattered.