𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑥 ✔︎ || 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑑

40

~ phoenix ~

I had nothing to do!

If I had to endure one more hour of feeling this bored, I was pretty sure I would combust.

First, my newfound hobbie was cancelled. Katarina suddenly refused to teach me how to pole dance and I had a nagging giving suspicion it was thanks to a certain scary mob boss. Second, my other source of entertainment - annoying that certain scary mob boss - wouldn't work if that certain scary mob boss wasn't here to begin with. So overall, I was extremely very bored.

I groaned for the millionth time, yanking at my hair.

"Stop that, Birdie!" Rina chided, "Your hair will fall out."

I rolled my eyes. "Then give me something to do!"

"I did! Why don't you read those magazines?"

I stared at her, questioning her sanity. "They're in Russian, Katerina."

"Then learn Russian!" she replied, matter-of-factly.

Fighting the urge to roll my eyes, I shot to my feet. As I wandered around the room, an idea sprung to mind.

"Let's go shopping!" I exclaimed. I almost laughed at my excitement. Six months ago, I would have groaned at such a suggestion but here in this strange, unfamiliar place, I desperately needed normality.

Rina snorted, as she sat painting her toe nails. "Have fun trying to convince your boyfriend."

Instantly, blood rushed to my cheeks. "H-he's not my boyfriend... exactly..." I cleared my throat, quickly changing the subject, "besides he's not even here!"

Katerina looked around her room as if she'd suddenly spot Ilya. Now I really wanted to roll my eyes.

"Of course he's not here, you stupid girl! He's in his office!" she reprimanded.

"What?" I demanded, incredulously. "Why didn't you tell me that? I thought he went abroad again or something!"

"You never asked, Birdie," she replied, dismissively, "and I saw him just this morning."

"Where?"

Rina didn't even look up at me as she waved me out of her room. "Third floor. Now, shoo. Your whining is hurting my ears."

I scolded my middle finger when it tried to jump up without my permission. She's not worth it, I consoled.

Finding the elevator, I hopped in and jabbed the '3' button, humming as the doors closed. I mulled over what I'd find on the new floor. When finally the doors pulled apart, I looked on either side, wondering which direction to pick.

Eenie. Meenie. Minie. Moe.

My finger landed on my right, so left I went. My eyes scanned my surrounding. Most surfaces in the Ivanov Mansion was constructed from glass, bulletproof I guessed. This floor was no different. The glass railings were daunting as they revealed the dangerous drop a hundred feet below. I glanced away quickly, feeling my stomach clench.

Annoyingly, none of the doors had plaques. From the corner of my eye, I spotted a moving figure.

Vik! What a coincidence!

"Hey, Vik," I yelled, shooting across the distance between us.

The guard seemed to sigh as I approached.

Ignoring his glum expression, I asked, "Do you know where Ilya's office is?"

"Of course," he answered with narrowed eyes, as if I'd asked a stupid question.