ra thought she''d be up all night, but she fell asleep almost instantly. In her dream, Z was there.


    She''d never seen Z''s face-not in real life, not even in dreams-so everything was just darkness and shadows. Through a thick, smoky haze, Z''s voice cut through, sharp and using.


    "Why did you leave me?"


    The anger in his voice softened, turning raw and vulnerable.


    "Don''t leave me... please."


    A dull ache spread through ra''s chest. She wanted to say something, anything tofort him, but the truth was heavy: she''d somehow gotten married, almost by ident. Whether she wanted it or not, it was done, and nothing could change that.


    The dream shifted. Suddenly, she was back in that little vi, standing by the coffee table. A dimmp glowed nearby, lighting up the two red marriage certificates on the table.


    Her heart twisted painfully. She nced at Z, desperate to see his reaction. All she heard was, "Aren''t you going to exin?"


    Even though she knew it was just a dream, panic rushed through her. Her heart hammered, and she couldn''t get a single word out.


    "ra, you said as long as the red bean bracelet was on your wrist, we''d always be together, right?"


    "You told me you loved me. That you weren''t just messing with me."


    "You made so many promises. I remember every single word. Guess you were lying."


    "How could you marry someone else and make me look like a joke?"


    Sweat beaded on ra''s forehead. She tried to speak, to exin, but her mouth wouldn''t move, like it had been sewn shut. Not a sound came out.


    Desperate, she lunged for the two little red booklets, wanting to rip them apart- maybe that would make things right, or at least make him feel better.


    But Z just stood up, slow and deliberate, and started to walk away into the darkness.


    ra scrambled after him. "Z, where are you going?"


    The more she tried to catch up, the farther away he seemed.


    "You don''t care about me. I just want to disappear-leave this world for good."


    "ra, I want you to remember me. Forever."


    She jolted awake, gasping for breath, her heart pounding wildly.


    That was so like Z-intense, fragile, all-consuming when it came to love.


    ra was drenched in sweat. She nced outside; the sky was still pitch ck. There was no way she''d get back to sleep now.


    She got out of bed and wandered to the balcony. Outside, a few yellow streetlights glowed softly in the yard. Suddenly, an idea shed in her mind-could she sneak out tonight, while everyone was asleep?


    She quickly pulled on some clothes and slipped downstairs. Halfway through the


    hall, she nearly bumped straight into Aiden.


    He was awake too?


    Aiden''s eyes were ringed with dark circles. When he saw her, he gave a polite nod. "Ma''am."


    ra froze, said nothing, and pretended she was just heading for a ss of water.


    She listened carefully, making sure Aiden wasn''t in the foyer anymore. Once she was sure he''d left, she made her way quietly to the front door.


    It opened-she couldn''t believe her luck. She broke into a run, heart pounding with hope.


    She didn''t go near the main gate;


    she knew the guards would never let


    her out. Instead, she skirted the


    edges of the property, looking for any hidden way out.


    As she passed a small, out-of-the-way house, she heard a woman singing inside.


    The voice sounded familiar. She remembered, once, when she''d visited Palm


    Bay, a messy-haired woman had stopped her and even called her by name.


    ra paused, uncertain, but didn''t dare get too close. Instead, she hurried toward the farthest edge of Palm Bay.


    Palm Bay was Dn''s territory-expensive, private, surrounded by beautiful walls three meters high.


    The walls looked nice, but standing in front of them, ra felt tiny and powerless. There was no way she could climb over without adder.


    She walked along the wall, hoping to find a tree close enough to help her escape. But every single tree that might have worked had been chopped down, right to the stump.


    Were they cut down just thesest few days?


    After running herself ragged, she still couldn''t find a way out.


    Exhausted, she ended up back by the little house with the singing. This time, she walked up to the door.


    If she wasn''t getting out tonight, she might as well find out who this crazy woman really was.