Late at night, the shadows of the trees were mottled outside the window.
Claire walked to the door, took off the hairpin on her head, inserted it into the keyhole, and twisted it twice.
With a click, the door opened.
When she stepped out of the room, the lights in the dark corridor weren’t on.
Following the route last time, she fumbled down the spiral staircase. The servants should have rested, and the dark hall was dead silent.
Claire climbed out of the window on the first floor. Only then did she finally see that this place was like a huge European-style palace.
It was no exaggeration to say that it was a castle.
Looking up, there were dozens of floors, and a bright moon hung on the spire of the tower.
Claire had discovered that the palace was built on the mountainside.
She climbed over the tall fence, with slippers on her feet, and ran for two hours without stopping before finally reaching the city center.
She couldn’t take a plane without a passport.
So she could only go to a long-distance station nearby.
When she came to the ticket window, however, the staff told her that her ID card was required if she wanted to buy a ticket.
Claire leaned against a corner of the wall crestfallen.
She didn’t even have an ID card.
No matter what, since she had escaped, she would find a place to hide first.
She rubbed her hair and got up.
As soon as she walked out of the gate of the station, suddenly countless white lights lit up, shining towards her at the same time.
The lights were so dazzling that Claire covered her eyes with her hands. From the gap between her fingers, she saw a dozen black cars parked side by side in front of her.
Obviously, they were here for her.
The door of a car was opened, and Spark got out of the car slowly.
Still in a mask, he wore a black shirt, which made his skin look even fairer. His tie was pulled open and hung loosely around his neck. With a hand in his trouser pocket, he walked gracefully towards Claire.
Claire stepped back subconsciously, turning her head to escape.
The man suddenly grasped her shoulders, gently pushed the scattered hair away from her forehead, and said with an indulging smile. “Claire is too simple. Do you think my security system is so easy to be hacked? Even if you hacked the surveillance system, the You Palace is also full of guards, and no one can escape.”
Claire’s eyes widened. “So, you knew it from the beginning? Watching me run out, watching me turn from joyful to anxious, do you enjoy this cat-and-mouse game? Pervert!”
Spark cupped her small face and said creepy words in a gentle tone, “Claire, I am not playing a cat-and-mouse game with you. I just want you to know, even if you escape from my You Palace, you can’t escape from this city. The entire East Continent is my territory. I have eyes everywhere in this place.”
“…”
Claire was exhausted physically and mentally and didn’t want to talk.
Getting in the car, Spark hugged her on his lap and looked at her feet.
Because of running, Claire’s slippers were worn out, and her toes were exposed, red and stiff with cold.
“Idiot, why didn’t you change your shoes when you ran away?” The man bent over, took off Claire’s shoes, and wrapped her little feet in his palms.
Back in the room of the You Palace, Spark put Claire on the bed, then took out a veil and put it on Claire’s face.
Claire turned her head and avoided. “What are you doing?!”
“Put it on. Don’t let anyone see your face.” The man covered half of Claire’s face with the veil and then reached out to unbutton her clothes.
Claire quickly grabbed the knife and held it in front of her, like a furious little wild kitten.
“Claire, go take a hot bath.”
Claire looked at the man vigilantly. “I can take a bath myself. Get out!”
“Okay.” Spark stood up and walked out of the room.
The moment the door was closed, Claire seemed to be drained out of strength and fell backward.