Victoria followed the butler down a quiet hallway, her steps slower than his, her mind still trying to catch up with everything that had happened in the last few hours.
Or was it a day?
She wasn't even sure anymore.
The man walking ahead of her moved with quiet precision, his posture straight, his pace steady. When he finally stopped in front of a large door, he turned slightly and opened it with a gentle push.
"This will be your room, Miss Solomon," he said, his voice calm and polished.
She blinked.
Her room.
For a second, she just stood there, staring past him into the space beyond, like her body had forgotten how to move.
Then she stepped in.
And stopped.
The room was… too much.
Not in a loud way. Not in a flashy, overwhelming way. It was simple, but in a way that made everything feel expensive. The colors were mostly white and black, clean and soft, the kind of balance she had only ever seen in movies or on screens she couldn't afford.
Glass walls stretched across one side, revealing the city beyond. The bed sat in the center like it belonged in a magazine. Everything was placed carefully, deliberately, like someone had designed the space to look effortless.
She turned slowly, taking it in piece by piece.
"My name is Gray," the man said behind her. "If you need anything, you may call for me."
Victoria snapped out of it slightly and turned back to him. "Thank you… Mr. Gray."
He gave a small nod, then stepped out, closing the door quietly behind him.
And just like that, she was alone.
Victoria stood there for a moment longer, then let out a soft breath she didn't realize she had been holding.
"Okay…"
Her voice sounded small in the room.
She took a step forward. Then another.
Her fingers brushed lightly against the surface of a nearby table. Smooth. Clean. Not worn, not sticky like the ones she wiped every night at the bar.
A small, disbelieving smile tugged at her lips.
"This is… real?"
She moved further in, her gaze shifting from the bed to the walls, to the glass, to everything around her like she was afraid it would disappear if she looked away too quickly.
In her entire life, she had never seen anything like this up close.
Only in movies. In passing. In dreams she didn't dare to take seriously.
And now she was standing in it.
Living in it.
A soft, breathy laugh slipped out of her before she could stop it.
"Victoria Solomon," she murmured to herself, shaking her head slightly, "look at you…"
She reached out, pressing her palm gently against the glass wall, peering out at the city below. The height alone made her stomach flip slightly, but the view…
It was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
For a brief moment, something light stirred in her chest. Something close to excitement.
Then it hit — hard.
Her smile faded.
Her hand slowly dropped from the glass.
Her sister wasn't here.
Her mother wasn't here.
They would never see this.
The thought settled heavy and uncomfortable.
She couldn't call Mercy to come look at the view. Couldn't push her mother's wheelchair across this smooth floor, couldn't watch her eyes light up at something this beautiful.
She couldn't even tell them.
Her throat tightened.
A year.
She had agreed to a year.
The weight of it pressed down on her all at once, much heavier than it had felt when she signed those papers.
At that moment, it hadn't felt real.
Now it did.
She took a step back, her legs suddenly feeling weaker than they had any right to be.
This wasn't just a deal.
It was a separation.
A quiet, forced distance she couldn't argue with.
Victoria turned and walked toward the bed, sitting down slowly like her body needed to catch up with her thoughts.
Her hands rested in her lap as she stared ahead, her mind running in circles.
Her mother's treatment would be covered.
Mercy would be safe.
They wouldn't struggle the way they always had.
That mattered.
It had to matter.
But the cost of it all…
She swallowed, her eyes stinging slightly.
"…It's just one year," she whispered to herself.
The words didn't feel convincing.
Still, she repeated them in her head, over and over, like maybe they would start to make sense if she tried hard enough.
At some point, without realizing it, she lay back against the bed.
The softness alone was enough to make her pause, but her body was already giving in, exhaustion pulling at her harder than anything else.
Her eyes closed.
And just like that, she slipped into sleep.
• • •
When she woke up, the room was dark.
For a moment, she didn't move, her mind still half caught between dreams and reality. Then her eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the dim light around her.
The city outside had changed.
Lights stretched endlessly, glowing against the night, stars faint above them. From this height, everything looked distant. Quiet.
Beautiful in a way she had never seen before.
Victoria pushed herself up slightly, her gaze fixed on the view.
She was used to the city from the ground. From crowded streets, from tired walks home, from noise and stress and exhaustion.
Not like this.
Not this calm distance.
A soft knock broke the silence.
She turned quickly.
"Come in," she said, her voice still slightly hoarse from sleep.
The door opened, and Gray stepped in, pushing a trolley.
"Good evening," he said. "I hope you rested well."
Victoria nodded slightly. "I… did. Thank you."
He moved inside, placing the trolley neatly near the table. The aroma of the food reached her almost immediately, warm and rich in a way she wasn't used to.
"Dinner," he said simply.
Her eyes dropped to it, then back to him. "Thank you…"
"Mr. Solberg will not be present this evening," he added. "He has a meeting with his father."
She nodded again, quietly.
"You would typically dine in the main hall," he continued, "but arrangements have been made for your comfort tonight."
"I understand."
Gray gave a small nod, then turned slightly. "There are a few additional items prepared for you."
He stepped aside, revealing a neatly placed box.
Victoria frowned slightly and moved closer, opening it carefully.
Inside was a phone.
A laptop — New. Untouched.
She blinked.
"The device contains all necessary contacts," Gray explained. "Staff, security, and management."
She ran her fingers lightly over the phone, her thoughts briefly drifting to the one she used before. The cracked screen that lagged with slow response.
This one didn't belong to that life.
"You are advised to be cautious with online activity," he added. "Your identity is to remain controlled. No personal disclosures without approval."
Victoria nodded slowly. "Okay…"
"The wardrobe has been prepared as well," he said. "If anything is required, you may request it."
Her gaze flickered toward the closet, then back to him.
"Thank you… really."
Gray gave a final nod, then stepped out, leaving her alone once again.
Victoria stood there for a moment, the room quiet around her, the weight of everything settling in again.
Then slowly, she exhaled.
• • •
Meanwhile…
A black car came to a stop in front of a worn, dimly lit motel.
The contrast was almost laughable.
Martin stepped out first.
The night air didn't seem to touch him. He adjusted his sleeve slightly, his expression calm, unreadable, like this place meant nothing to him.
A guard followed behind, silent as ever.
They walked toward one of the rooms, the guard stepping ahead to open the door.
Inside, a man stood waiting.
Blonde hair and average height, with a familiar posture.
The moment he saw Martin, he straightened and lowered his head.
"Good evening, boss."
Martin stepped in, his gaze settling on him briefly. "Good evening, Calvin."
Calvin smiled slightly, though there was a careful edge to it. "Everything went smoothly, I assume?"
Martin didn't answer immediately.
The guard then stepped forward instead, placing a briefcase into Calvin's hands.
"That," Martin said calmly, "is for your performance."
Calvin's grip tightened slightly as he opened it just enough to glimpse what was inside. His expression shifted instantly.
Greed. Excitement.
"Boss… this is—"
"It should cover your debts," Martin cut in smoothly. "And ensure your availability when I require you again."
Calvin nodded quickly. "Of course. Anytime."
Martin watched him for a moment, then turned slightly toward the door.
"And stay out of sight," he added. "My soon-to-be-wife, should not recognize the man who helped her get into the mess she is currently in."
Calvin let out a small breath of amusement. "Understood, Boss!"
"I'm leaving the country for a while anyway," he added.
"Good." Martin didn't linger.
He stepped out, the guard following behind, the door closing quietly after them.
And just like that, whatever had been set in motion…
Was already far deeper than Victoria realized.