THE BILLIONAIRE FAKE BRIDE

Untitled Episode5

Ria pov

The room was quiet. It did not feel peaceful.

It felt like something was about to happen.

Silas took a step back one step. That small movement changed everything.

I was still pressed against the marble floor, my body not understanding that I was free. My body stayed still for a little long trying to catch up with what was happening.

Silas was still looking at me. His eyes were different now. They were no longer in control, no longer owning the space. His eyes were confused, searching and uncertain.

He felt this way when I said “no mark”

Something inside him broke when I said it. I saw it happen for a second. It was like the ground inside his chest shifted and did not settle back properly.

Silas did not speak again, he did not move towards me.

Even though this was supposed to be my chance to leave. But I did not move. Because if I left now everything would change. And I could already feel that this was not about stealing something anymore. It had become something more dangerous.

Silas turned his head slightly like he was listening to something inside himself.

His voice was lower now softer.

"Then who are you?" he asked again.

But I did not answer because I could not afford to.

The truth felt like a trap. I did not want to get caught.

My fingers were pressed against the floor searching for balance. The marble was cold and smooth and it felt real.

But I had no weapons left, the knife was gone.

My only chance now was to be fast. Silas was not looking at me the way anymore; he looked human. And humans make mistakes. That was my chance.

I shifted slowly carefully one inch at a time.

His eyes followed me. He has not stopped me yet.

I pushed myself up and my legs were shaking under me. My dress was torn and my breath was uneven.

But Silas still did not move; he was waiting for something.

That was when I heard footsteps outside the room. My stomach tightened instantly it was not him it was someone

Silas turned towards the sound and his attention shifted away from me.

"Dwayne" he called out his voice rough but controlled.

I did not wait, I moved, I slipped sideways towards the bedroom door.

I was quite controlled by every step measured against the sound of approaching boots.

I froze beside the door, half-hidden behind the wall. A man stepped in, tall, alert with eyes he was a bodyguard.

His gaze swept the room landing on Silas first the broken silence.

Then it shifted towards me for half a second.

I did not breathe, I was still.

Silas did not look at him fully "check the perimeter," he said slowly.

Dwayne hesitated, a fraction too long that was enough. He started moving into the room one step, then another.

My heart was slamming against my ribs if he turned fully if he looked towards the bedroom there would be no chance.

Silas said something but I did not hear it. I was already moving. I slipped out of the bedroom door and into the corridor as quietly as I could.

My heels barely touched the marble, every sound felt too loud.

Behind me Dwayne's voice rose slightly "sir, everything in here?"

Silas did not answer immediately and that pause almost killed me.

Then he said " leave it".

Those words pushed me forward. I did not stop, I ran, not fast, not too slow just controlled enough to survive.

The hallway stretched ahead like a tunnel of light and silence clean too open with no guards yet. That meant I still had time. But time never lasted long in places like this.

I reached the service exit and it was locked, of course. My fingers trembled as I pulled out the tool I had kept hidden.

Not much left, enough for one last chance.

Behind me a voice, distant "check the level" Dwayne closer than I wanted. My hands worked faster click, the lock gave way.

I slipped through the cold air and it instantly rain, heavily. I stepped into it without hesitation and the night swallowed me whole. The city lights blurred through the rain as I moved down the side steps, my heart pounding enough to drown out everything else.

My purse was pressed tightly against my side. The diamonds were inside the reason I was here, the reason I could not stop now.

I did not look back not once because looking back meant hesitation and hesitation meant death.

I reached the street corner finally slowing enough to breathe.

Rain soaked through my gown instantly clinging to my cold skin.

I leaned against the wall for half a second catching myself.

I made it.

I actually made it a laugh and almost escaped me.

I opened my purse slightly enough to check the Blue Sovereign, seven diamonds still there.

My breath steadied, for the first time tonight I had won something.

I turned away from the building disappearing into the rain.

But I did not see it. I did not see the way the light caught the stones, did not see the dullness beneath the shine, did not see how wrong they looked under the storm light.

Back in the suite Silas stood alone again the silence had returned. It was not the same anymore.

Dwayne's footsteps faded down the hall. Silas did not move, he just stared at the space where I had been.

Slowly he walked towards the bed. The silver case was open and one more left.

His jaw tightened. Not with anger, something else.

He reached slowly, touching the lining, then paused when something did not feel right.

He picked up one remaining stone in the case and held it under the light still.

His eyes narrowed slightly because real diamonds did not feel like this.

For the first time since I walked into his world Silas Vane realized something was wrong very wrong.

Outside the rain kept falling somewhere, in it I ran forward carrying something that did not belong to me or maybe something that never belonged to anyone at all.