Chapter 26 

Aria’s POV 

“Hello, you 

I was startled. 

I had spent most of the morning wandering through the estate, unsure of what to do with myself. After last night, after everything, I had woken up feeling different. Free, in a way, but also lost 

And confused and. Also the thought of my impending death. Of the lack of chemotherapy 

I sighed 

For the first time since coming here, I wasn’t locked inside a room. I could go wherever I wanted. But the problem was! didn’t know what I wanted. 

And now, standing in one of the grand hallways, I tumed to see Nico leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed, his ever present smirk in place. 

“Didn’t mean to scare you, sweetheart.” His eyes flicked over me, amused. “You look like a lost kitten.” 

Trolled my eyes. Im not lost.” 

Nico chuckled. “Oh yeah? Because you’ve been walking up and down the same damn hallway for ten minutes.” 

I blinked. Had I really? 

He arched an eyebrow. “So, what’s wrong? Did Dominic finally bore you?” 

I snorted. “More like he left me alone for once.” 

Nico laughed. “And now you don’t know what to do with yourself, huh?” 

I hesitated. “Maybe.” 

“Come on, bella,” he said, stepping beside me as we walked down the hall. “Tell me–what do you like doing? What actually makes you happy?” 

I frowned slightly, the question catching me off guard. 

Happy? 

It had been so long since anyone asked me that I frowned a bit, as if the words were foreign and I wasn’t used to them. 

Well maybe I wasn’t. As someone who stripped most of the time, you slowly lose yourself you know. Have to worry about ‘bills and how much you can handle. 

But I became a stripper not just for bills but because I had a passion that I had never fully invested in. 

“I used to love dancing” I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. “Before all of this. Before my life turned into this.” 

Nico nodded, genuinely interested, “Dancing, huh? Like ballet?” 

I let out a small laugh. “No. More like contemporary. I loved movement. The way music could tell a story without words. It was beautiful actually, when I was younger I use to the to go to a ballet center to watch people dance.” 

His smirk softened just slightly. “Sounds nice. You seem like a beautiful soul.” 

1 shrugged. Beautiful soul? 

“I am more tainted. Like a black swan. Regardless though… it doesn’t matter anymore.” 

He stopped walking, turning to face me. “Why not?” 

I glanced at him. “Because my life isn’t mine anymore, Nico.” 

His eyes studied me for a long moment, something flickering behind them. Then he smirked again, but this time, it wasn’t his usual teasing one. 

“You know, Aria,” he said, “just because you’re here, doesn’t mean you have to disappear. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t 

matter.” 

Not when you would be dead soon. 

I wanted to say but kept quiet. 

1 exhaled, crossing my arms. “And what am I supposed to do? Put on music and start twirling through the hallways like at cartoon princess?” 

He grinned. “I’d pay to see that.” 

I shook my head, laughing despite myself. 

Chapter 26 

“See?” Nico said, nudging my shoulder. “That’s the first real laugh I’ve heard from you since you got here. That’s what you should be doing more of” 

I looked at him, surprised at how easy this conversation was. How, for just a second, I didn’t feel like some trapped possession 

I felt like myself 

It had been a long time since I’d talked to someone without an underlying threat, without feeling like I was just a pawn in someone else’s game. 

“You know,” Nico said, his hands slipping into his pockets, “I think I have something that might help with that.” 

Iarched an eyebrow. “With what?” 

“That lost look in your eyes.” He smirked. “Come on, follow me.” 

I hesitated, glancing around. “Where are we going?” 

“Just trust me, sweetheart. I promise you’ll like it.” 

Against my better judgment, I followed him. 

The ballroom was empty. 

know he have a lot of things, it’s like a little town in here. 

I didn’t even know Dominic’s estate had a ballroom, well I didn’t know he 

I could never imagine this. 

That here I was, standing in the middle of a grand, open space with polished wooden floors, high ceilings, and massive windows that overlooked the estate grounds. The chandeliers above sparkled, and the whole place had an old, elegant charm that made me feel like I had just stepped into another time. 

Nico walked over to a vintage record player sitting near the wall, flipping through the vinyls before pulling one out. “You like music, right?” he asked. 

1 folded my arms. “Obviously.” 

“Good. Then you’ll love this.” He placed the record down, setting the needle before soft, smooth jazz poured through the speakers. The melody was deep, rich, filling the space around us. 

Iraised an eyebrow. “Jazz?” 

Nico smirked. “I have taste, bella. You think I only know how to kill people?” 

I shook my head with a small laugh. “Honestly? Yeah, kinda.” 

He clutched his chest dramatically I’m wounded.” 

“Wait you actually kill people?” I gasped as if I was surpised. 

He raised an eyebrow which made me roll my eyes. “Alright, so what now?” 

He kicked off his shoes, then looked at me expectantly. 

“Take off your shoes.” 

I frowned. “Why?” 

“Because,” he said simply, “if you’re going to dance, you have to feel the floor.” 

I narrowed my eyes. “You dance?” 

He grinned. “I’m full of surprises, sweetheart. I took dance lessons as a child. Wanted to be a an filed with skills to achieve 

the mafia. And let’s just say since Dominic was dancing too, I wanted to join him. Friendship for life.” 

I threw my head back and laughed. 

“Dominic dance too? I would definitely pay good money just to see.” 

He grinned then brought his hand forward for me to take it. 

Something in his gaze was challenging, playful. It made me want to prove myself. 

I slipped off my shoes, feeling the cool wood beneath my feet. 

“Alright,” he said, stepping back. “Show me your moves.” 

I hesitated, then let my body remember. It had been so long, but the music–the rhythm–made it easy 

I started moving, slow at first, my body following the melody. My arms lifted, my steps turning into fluid motions, the way I used to before life had caged me in. 

But then- 

Chapter 26 

I stumbled 

I sucked in a sharp breath, my balance lost for a split second before I caught myself 

Nico chuckled. “Maybe you need to free your mind first” 

I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face. “Easier said than done.” 

Nico tilted his head, “What’s stopping you?” 

I exhaled “Everything. Nico. My mind is a complete mess and dancing is suppose to be freedom. I never wanted my turn into this nightmare?” 

His smirk faded, and for once, he looked. serious 

life to 

“I had dreams,” I admitted, my voice quieter now. “I wanted freedom. I wanted to be able to choose what I did with my life. 

But then everything happened, my mom, my dad’s debts, the can–stripping job, everything-“I swallowed hard. “And now I m here Owned Caged.” 

Nico studied me for a long moment, then stepped closer. 

“What if I told you,” he said smoothly, “that it doesn’t have to be 

I frowned. “What?” 

that way?” 

His voice dropped just slightly. “What if I told you I could help you get out of here?” 

froze 

My heart started pounding, my body suddenly on high alert. 

Nico smiled, but there was something in his expression–something calculated, something dangerous 

“You said it yourself, bella. You feel like a prisoner. But what if you didn’t have to be?” 

1 licked my lips, my throat dry. “That’s impossible.” 

He tilted his head. “Is it?” 

I stepped back slightly. “Why would you help me?” 

He shrugged. “Maybe I don’t like the way Dominic treats you. Maybe I think you deserve better. Or maybe.. his smirk returned, but it didn’t reach his eyes, “maybe I have my own reasons. 

My stomach twisted. 

This was wrong. 

This was dangerous. 

Nico was Dominic’s right–hand man. If he was saying this, then it meant something more. It meant cracks in the foundation. 

I swallowed. “What reasons?” 

Nico stepped even closer, his voice a whisper. “Let’s just say I don’t like playing second to him forever.” 

I sucked in a sharp breath. 

This wasn’t just about me. 

This was about Dominic. 

I opened my mouth, unsure of what to say- 

And then- 

A voice cut through the silence. 

“What’s going on here?” 

I turned sharply, my pulse racing 

Dominic stood at the entrance of the ballroom, his expression unreadable. 

But his eyes? 

His eyes were angry. It was as if they could shoot lasers at us. 

I gulped 

A chill ran down my spine, my body instinctively tensing. His presence was thick, too heavy to breathe properly.. 

I didn’t dare to move. 

suffocating, the kind that made the air feel too 

I could feel the storm brewing inside him, the tension crackling in the air like a live wire. 

I wasn’t sure who he was more furious at, Nico or me. 

Chapter 

Probably both 

The silence stretched, unbearable 

Then, finally, his voice cut through it 

“Leave” 

It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t harsh 

But it was a command. 

Thesitated, glancing between the two men, my stomach twisting 

I wanted to ask what was going to happen. Wanted to defend myself. But one look at Dominic’s face told me was mer 

off listening 

I took a shaky step back, then another, before turning and walking toward the door, forcing my breath to stay even 

As I reached it, my fingers trembled slightly as I pulled it open 

The moment I stepped out, the heavy door shut behind me with a deep thud 

I let out a shaky breath, pressing my back against the wall. 

Then, just as I started to compose myself, his voice came from inside 

“Don’t bother eavesdropping.” 

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