Page 16 of All The Pretty Little Lies

"Luca, he texted me. He told me our father found out he was trying to stop the wedding,” I admit.

Oscar's eyes widen. "When? What exactly did he say?"

I shake my head, trying to recall the details through the lingering fog. "Just a few hours ago. He said it wasn't safe, that he couldn't stop what was coming. He told me to delete the messages and to not contact him again."

Zaire curses under his breath. "That confirms it. They must have caught him trying to interfere."

"We need to move," Oscar says, his voice tight with urgency. "Vesper, I know this is a lot to take in, but we don't have much time. We have a plan to get you out, but we have to act now."

I look between them, my mind racing. All I have ever wanted is to make my own choices. Maybe it’s time I do. A cold resolve settles over me, cutting through the last of the drug's haze. "What do I need to do?"

"Tomorrow, my uncle will force your father's hand. Someone from our family will arrive to collect you to take you to Russia." Oscar's words hang in the air, heavy and ominous.

I feel as if I've been plunged into icy water, my breath catching in my throat. The world around me seems to blur and fade, the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirp of crickets muffled by the roaring in my ears. I stare at Oscar, searching his face for any sign that this is some cruel joke, but his expression remains grave.

Oscar cuts in, his voice tight with urgency. “You have to go with them.”

"To Russia? Are you insane?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Zaire's arm tightens around me, a gesture meant to be reassuring, but it only serves to heighten my nerves. The balcony suddenly feels too small, the night air suddenly becoming too thick.

"I know it sounds crazy," Oscar says, his voice low and urgent. "But it's the only way. If you resist, they'll use force. They'll drug you again, maybe worse this time. But if you go willingly, we can control the situation."

I shake my head vehemently, ignoring the way it makes the world spin. "Control the situation? How? By shipping me off to some frozen wasteland where I'll be at the mercy of your psychotic uncle?"

"Vesper, please," Zaire interjects, his dark eyes pleading. "We have people in place. Your father needs to see you leave, but you will not make it to the plane. I promise you. You will never step foot in Moscow. But we need you to play along, just for a little while."

I push away from Zaire, stumbling slightly as I put distance between us. The cool stone of the balustrade presses against my back, grounding me. "And what about Luca? You expect me to leave while my brother is missing?"

Oscar steps forward, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "We're not asking you to abandon him. Our people are looking for Luca as we speak. But right now, you're the one in immediate danger."

I laugh, a bitter, hollow sound that seems to echo in the still night air. "Immediate danger? I'm standing here in my own home, surrounded by guards who've known me since I was a child. How is that more dangerous than being shipped off to Russia?"

"Because those guards, this home, they're not what you think they are," Oscar says, his voice tight with building frustration. “The moment that plane touches down in Moscow, you'll be married to Dmitri. No ceremony, no guests, just a piece of paper and a signature. And once that happens, you'll be trapped. Everything up until this moment has been orchestrated by our uncle to get you to Russia, and in order to use you as a bargaining chip against your father.”

I close my eyes, trying to process this flood of information. When I open them again, I fix Oscar with a steely gaze. "You said you have a plan. Do you promise me it will work? That if I say yes that I’m not trading one jailer for another?"

“Yes,” Oscar declares. “It will work. You just have to trust us and let it all play out.”

I hesitate, but if they’re right, and I wake up tomorrow to a sudden change in plans, I have no choice but to trust them. As much as I don’t want to believe this will happen, it’s hard to deny the certainty of their words. It leaves me with no choice

“Tell me what I need to do.”

VESPER

I driftoff into a hazy sleep, my mind still swirling with the remnants of Oscar and Zaire's visit. The drugged tea lingers in my system, pulling me deeper into unconsciousness. Vivid dreams dance behind my eyelids - snippets of conversations, flashes of concerned faces, and the weight of a decision that will change everything.

When I finally stir, the room is bathed in the soft glow of early morning light. For a moment, I'm disoriented, the memories of last night feeling more like fragments of anelaborate dream than reality. I stretch, my muscles protesting slightly, and reach for my phone on the nightstand.

The screen illuminates, momentarily blinding me. As my eyes adjust, I see a notification that makes my heart skip a beat. A message from Oscar. My fingers tremble slightly as I swipe to open it.

Be ready. Reset your phone and leave it behind. There’s a new one waiting for you in the car.

My heart races as I read Oscar's message. This is it. The moment of truth. I take a deep breath, steadying myself for what's to come. Victor is making his move. Five minutes pass before someone is pounding on my door.

"Vesper! Get up now!" My mother's voice, usually so controlled, carries a note of urgency that sends a chill down my spine.

I scramble out of bed, nearly tripping over the silk nightgown tangled around my legs. "What's going on?" I call back, pretending to have just woken up.

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