Adrianna bit her lip and fell silent. She did not move out of his embrace because she now knew what Dmitri was capable of if she contradicted him. Niiya and Ookashi glared at Dmitri and then looked at Adrianna. What had happened in the past two days? Niiya's world was spinning in front of his eyes and he felt dizzy. Feeling angry, he shouted at Dmitri, "Stop crossing your lines Dmitri! Leave her alone."

Dmitri frowned and said, "My lines are already defined Niiya. You're the one who needs to know his lines." Once again, he kissed Adrianna in front of Niiya just to calm himself down as he was strongly contemplating killing Niiya.

​​

"We are getting married in a week's time. I will send you all personal invitations. Don't worry.

"Oh! On a second thought, it is possible that I won't invite either of you. You see, our clan weddings are tightly wrapped in our culture," added Dmitri.

Niiya asked Adrianna, "Is it true Adri?"

Adrianna nodded as she pursed her lips again. She looked at Dmitri with eyes that pleaded for him to not take this any further and to let it go.

Niiya watched the two of them as he felt a sharp pain in his throat. He had loved this girl for such a long time and had finally gathered enough courage to tell her about his feelings. And now he had to suffer this humiliation?

"Adrianna, what kind of cruelty is this? Does it fill you with some cold malice? Don't answer me because your cruelty will not be all right with some twisted logic of yours. I loved you and you abused it. Honestly, I don't think I am angry right now. Rather, I am bitter, but that is worse. Anger can pass over fast, but bitterness… bitterness will last."

Dmitri smiled at him with contempt as though he was looking at someone who had bitterly lost a battle.

As Adrianna's eyes became misty, she said, "I am sorry… but I never loved you Niiya…" Which was the truth; she had only begun to respond to his advancement.

Not wanting to see her sad anymore, Dmitri took her away from there, his arm still wrapped around her shoulders, as Niiya glowered at them from behind. Had he not been kidnapped, this situation wouldn't have arrived. He had to find the person who was behind his abduction. He promised to himself that the moment he would find him or her, he would destroy them so badly that they would beg to die.

Ookashi watched them as a mute spectator. She pitied her brother. She held his hand and took him back home. He couldn't have continued to be at school any longer in his condition.

Dmitri took Adrianna to the area where Nate and Liam were standing and waiting for him. They had noticed his merciless behavior, but didn't utter a word for he was known to be merciless and cold. It took exactly a minute for him to break off the friendship between Adrianna and Niiya. He had brutally announced to the world that Adrianna was his and that no one should dare approach her.

Nate knew that Adrianna was his mate, so he was all the more careful not to speak a word, but Nate was worried about Ookashi. How would he face her? He had been badly missing her every day since they had abducted Niiya and had decided not to meet anyone.

Dmitri wouldn't let go of Adrianna. Touching her was a drug for his anxieties. He continued holding her hand as they went to the cafeteria.

Adrianna was feeling as though the seed of sadness had planted itself in her heart and it had found the right conditions to nurture there. How could she tell Niiya that to save him, she had chosen to fall into a lifetime of captivity? Was she falling into a trough? She shuddered as she thought of everything that had happened in the past. How will things take shape now?

The food was ordered. Adrianna hadn't eaten anything since morning and had been really hungry during class, but somehow, now, she couldn't find her appetite. She had sat near Dmitri because she didn't know what else to do. When the food arrived, Dmitri saw that she wasn't eating anything. He took a spoonful from the plate and made her eat. He wanted to pull her onto his lap and tightly hug her. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ears, he said, "Adri, eat…"