Adrianna turned back sharply to face him. She stared into those black eyes that were now burning with anger as all her words left her. Her heart felt heavy.

"Tell me your answer,

" he said menacingly. She felt as though she was stuck inside an iceberg, frozen, all life leaving her body. She stumbled back a little and pointed a shaky finger towards him.

"Don't you have anything to say? I asked you to marry me. So tell me, what are you thinking?

" he demanded.

But her mind was blank. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in horror. She thought,

"What has he done? This is against the treaty.

"

His eyes desperately searched hers, waiting…

She said,

"I have to tell Grandfather!

"

He narrowed his eyes and replied coldly,

"Sure, then I will just have to finish him off.

"

The moment she realized that Niiya was in a vulnerable position and that she had to act according to Dmitri's wishes, her demeanor changed. Her shoulders drooped and she searched for words as her expressions turned to helplessness. Her breathing increased and she lowered her head.

"Okay. If that's the cost of my freedom,

" she replied, tears rolling out of her eyes.

Dmitri smiled.

"Let's go back to the living room and announce it to everyone,

" he said, not wanting to waste any time.

Adrianna nodded. Her body felt so heavy that she didn't know what else to do. She had never thought that she would be coerced into marrying him in such a way. But why would Dmitri go to such dangerous lengths to abduct Niiya only to force her into marrying him? Was he punishing her for harming Keisha in the war? She was unclear of his intentions. Perhaps he was going to kill her eventually as a punishment…

She started to walk back to the living room. Her face was so pale that she looked deathly. Dmitri followed her.

She saw Kayla coming out from the living room. Kayla looked at her paled expression and Dmitri's shirt on her. Then, Kayla looked at shirtless Dmitri and gawked at his muscular and rippled body. Adrianna went up to her and slapped her right across the face.

"This is what you get for sabotaging my dress.

"

Kayla was shocked at Adrianna's outburst. She held her burning cheek and was about to attack Adrianna when she heard a dangerous growl. She looked up and saw Dmitri towering behind Adrianna with murderous look in his eyes. He shook his head as if to warn her. Adrianna walked away, and Dmitri said to Kayla,

"I would like to reward you with your life for sabotaging her dress today, but don't even dare think of harming a hair on her head. If you do, you will invite my wrath and. I will make sure that you die a very painful death. So consider your not dying today as your reward.

"

Dmitri left her with her hand still on her cheek which now bore the mark of Adrianna's slap.

Kayla shrank in her place. She had never received this kind of threat in her life.

Back in the living room, when Kuro saw the two of them coming inside, he looked at Sam to get a shirt for Dmitri. Only in his jeans, Dmitri looked freakishly strong. Every ounce in his body was either dense bone or sinewy muscle. He looked as though he could crush two men at any moment as though it were nothing.

Adrianna went and sat down in a corner under Ed's watchful eyes. She was embarrassed at herself, and he didn't miss her pale face and dejected expressions. He said softly, only for her to hear,

"Adri, refuse him. We will find a way to negotiate.

"

Adrianna looked at her grandfather. Did he know that Dmitri had kidnapped Niiya? That would be disastrous!

"Negotiate what grandfather?

" she asked like a scaredy-cat.

"We will offer him half of the blue moon territory and ask him to leave you,

" he said.

Adrianna sighed a relief. Before she could say anything, Kuro loudly said,

"So what have you two decided?

"

Dmitri looked at Adrianna, as she looked back at him and said,

"I will marry him… But, I have terms and conditions, which I would like to discuss with him.

"

While everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, Adrianna inwardly cried. Dmitri's smile deepened.