The Girl He Was Promised

Chapter 14 — The Woman Who Didn't Run

The ballroom remained in chaos.

Guests were still whispering about what had happened, while security personnel searched the upper floors.

Alexander stood beside Anastasia, his expression cold.

"Are you all right?"

Anastasia looked at him.

"I'm perfectly fine."

Alexander studied her face.

She wasn't trembling.

She wasn't frightened.

Instead, there was a strange calmness in her eyes.

Then she smiled.

"Actually, I'm curious."

"About what?"

"Why would Victor reveal himself if he didn't intend to attack?"

Alexander's expression sharpened.

"That's exactly what I'm wondering."

Lorenzo, Daniel, and Tyler returned from the staircase.

"He's gone," Lorenzo said.

"How?" Alexander asked.

"Private service corridor. It leads to the hotel's underground parking area."

Daniel added, "We've checked the security footage. Someone disabled two cameras for exactly forty-seven seconds."

Tyler frowned.

"Professional."

Anastasia smiled.

"Not professional enough."

Everyone looked at her.

She pointed toward the ballroom.

"Look at the man you caught earlier."

The three men immediately turned.

The man Alexander had stopped was being questioned by security.

Anastasia continued.

"He wasn't trying to escape."

Alexander understood.

"He was creating a distraction."

"Exactly."

She looked toward the staircase.

"Victor didn't come here to fight us."

Daniel nodded.

"He wanted us looking in the wrong direction."

Anastasia smiled.

"And he succeeded."

Lorenzo looked impressed.

"Until now."

Anastasia turned toward him.

"Exactly."

Victor had already left the hotel.

But Anastasia wasn't finished.

She walked toward the security desk.

"Excuse me."

The head of hotel security approached.

"Miss Smith?"

"I need access to the surveillance recordings."

He hesitated.

"Only authorized personnel—"

Anastasia calmly took out her phone.

"Then call the hotel owner."

The security chief froze.

Anastasia smiled politely.

"Or I can call him myself."

Alexander almost smiled.

He knew that tone.

It was the tone Anastasia used when she had already decided she was getting what she wanted.

Within minutes, they were inside the security room.

Anastasia sat in front of the monitors.

Chloe and Elena joined her.

Vivian stood behind them.

Alexander and his three friends watched from the other side of the room.

Anastasia replayed the footage.

"Stop."

Elena paused it.

"What?"

Anastasia pointed toward the screen.

"That camera."

A man in a waiter uniform appeared briefly in the hallway.

Chloe zoomed in.

"That's not one of the staff."

Anastasia nodded.

"And look at his shoes."

Vivian leaned closer.

"Combat boots."

"Exactly."

Anastasia smiled.

"He's part of Victor's team."

Daniel looked at her.

"How can you tell?"

"The way he walks."

Daniel raised an eyebrow.

"You're that observant?"

Anastasia smiled.

"Among other things."

Alexander crossed his arms.

"I've been trying to tell them."

Anastasia glanced at him.

"Don't look so proud."

"I am."

She laughed softly.

Elena continued analyzing the footage.

"Wait."

She pointed toward another monitor.

"There."

A black vehicle was leaving the underground parking area.

Chloe immediately checked the plate.

"Fake."

Anastasia smiled.

"Expected."

Alexander looked at her.

"Then what are you thinking?"

She leaned back.

"Victor wanted us to believe he escaped through the underground parking area."

Daniel frowned.

"You think he didn't?"

"I think that's exactly what he wants us to believe."

Lorenzo smiled.

"So where did he actually go?"

Anastasia looked at the security map.

Her eyes stopped at the hotel's western wing.

"Here."

Tyler looked at the map.

"That's the service entrance."

"Yes."

"And?"

Anastasia smiled.

"Nobody checked it."

Alexander immediately understood.

"Because everyone assumed the underground parking area was his exit."

Anastasia stood.

"Let's go."

Alexander stepped beside her.

"I'm coming."

"I didn't say you couldn't."

He smiled.

"Good."

The group moved toward the western service corridor.

Anastasia walked in front.

Alexander stayed beside her.

Behind them were Lorenzo, Daniel, Tyler, Vivian, Chloe, and Elena.

They reached the service entrance.

The door was slightly open.

Anastasia stopped.

She raised one hand.

Everyone became silent.

She listened.

Nothing.

Then she noticed something on the floor.

A tiny black device.

She crouched.

"Don't touch it."

Chloe stopped.

"What is it?"

"Signal jammer."

Daniel's expression changed.

"That's why the cameras went down."

Anastasia nodded.

"But it was placed here after Victor left."

Alexander looked at her.

"Meaning?"

Anastasia smiled.

"Meaning Victor wanted us to find it."

Vivian laughed.

"So he's playing games."

Anastasia stood.

"Yes."

Her eyes became sharp.

"Unfortunately for him, I don't like losing."

They returned to the ballroom.

The gala was slowly returning to normal.

Anastasia looked around.

Victor had entered the event.

He had shown himself.

He had created a distraction.

Then he had disappeared.

But why?

She suddenly smiled.

"I know."

Alexander looked at her.

"Know what?"

"Why he came."

Everyone waited.

"He wanted to confirm something."

"What?"

"Whether I still remember."

Alexander's expression hardened.

"Remember what?"

Anastasia looked at him.

"The organization."

She paused.

"And whether I still have the information I took from them six years ago."

Silence.

Daniel asked,

"Do you?"

Anastasia smiled.

"Yes."

Alexander's eyes narrowed.

"Where?"

She looked at him.

"Somewhere nobody would think to look."

Tyler grinned.

"You're enjoying this."

Anastasia smiled.

"Maybe a little."

Alexander shook his head.

"You really aren't afraid of him."

"No."

She looked toward the ballroom entrance.

"Victor wanted to see whether the sixteen-year-old girl he remembered was still there."

Her smile became confident.

"She isn't."

Outside the hotel, Victor sat inside a moving car.

His associate looked at him.

"Did she fall for it?"

Victor looked through the window.

"No."

"Then what happened?"

Victor smiled.

"She understood."

The associate frowned.

"Understood what?"

Victor looked at the photograph on his phone.

"That I was testing her."

"And?"

Victor's smile disappeared.

"She tested me back."

He looked toward the hotel.

"She's more dangerous than I expected."

His associate remained silent.

Victor leaned back.

"Find out what she took six years ago."

"Yes."

"And don't underestimate the people around her."

The associate nodded.

"Understood."

Victor looked at the photograph again.

For the first time, there was no amusement in his eyes.

Only caution.

Because the girl he remembered was gone.

And the woman who had replaced her—

was ready for war.