The Phantom's Game | 18+

Chapter 21

A relieved sigh escaped the woman's lips while her gaze was fixated on the box, studying its content. They were a minute away from finishing the game, much to their relief. Vincent let out a heavy breath the moment he saw the content of the box. It was the right one.

Then a loud sound of a clockwork rang throughout the ballroom, indicating that their time was up, and the two of them held the box at the same time.

"Time is up, lady and gentleman, and it appears you two have found the correct box," Valentine's voice vibrated throughout the space of the room. "I must say, Isadora, you are certainly much more intelligent than I expected."

"Much smarter than you, I guarantee," Isadora retorted back and let out another pained wince, the pain flaring up in her leg once more. "Shit, Vincent, this wound needs to be treated."

"Since you two won this game, I'll give away two of my territories of your choosing. Avondale and Ironwood Streets, you choose."

Vincent scoffed, holding the box in one hand and securing his other arm around the brunette's waist to hold her steady. "Why don't we discuss this later? She needs medical attention at this point."

"Very well. You two are free to leave," Valentine replied and turned off the microphone before making his leave through the underground tunnels.

Vincent wasted no time to pick Isadora up bridal style, and hurried out of the ballroom without a second glance as soon as the doors opened just for them. The dimly lit corridors seemed to close in around them as they hurried through the maze of twisting passageways. The clockwork noise that had filled the ballroom earlier slowly faded away, replaced by the steady beat of their hearts and the faint sounds of their own breathing.

Isadora clung to Vincent, holding onto him for dear life as droplets of blood trailed down the passageways. "Do not let me go, Vincent..."

"Never. You got me," He whispered back to her, the determination evident on his face while he carried her out of the building.

After walking to a safer distance, where his car was parked, a loud boom shattered within their earshot and the two of them quickly turned their heads back to see the building erupted with fire, leaving no evidence behind. The duo simply watched the building go up in flames and crashed down, a vision of destruction that mirrored the pain and chaos Isadora had experienced. Vincent's grip on her tightened, and he quickly brought her to the car.

He opened the door and placed her carefully on the passenger seat. Immediately, the woman buckled up her seatbelt because safety first, obviously.

Once Vincent settled himself in the driver's seat, he buckled up quickly and switched the gears, driving the car out of the parking lot. A comfortable silence befell the two for a while until Isadora spoke up, "Taking me to the hospital, are you?"

"No, I'm taking you to my place then I'll call a doctor for you," Vincent answered her, his gaze fixated on the endless road before them.

"Why not the hospital? It's much quicker and safer," The woman turned her head a 90-degree angle as she looked at him, confusion in her eyes.

"You want to risk our lives after what we just went through? I don't trust the hospitals, especially the government ones. They might sell us out if we take that route."

He had a fair point.

Isadora acknowledged his points and let out a deep sigh. "You're right... they might. Oh, how that rhymes."

The corner of Vincent's lips curled upwards in a blink of an eye. "How poetic of you, Izzy."

She let out a soft but amused chuckle. "Did you just call me by my nickname?"

The sight of her cracking a smile was a contrast in comparison to what she had endured earlier. Vincent noticed that, deep down, he liked seeing her smile. All he had ever known was a scowl and a frown, but never a smile... yet seeing her do that, a warmth enveloped his entire being as his gaze focused on her lips.

"Vincent, focus on the road," Isadora nudged in a softer tone, amused how he was staring at her.

Then, he snapped back to reality and returned his focus on the road ahead of them. "My bad, I was distracted."

Despite the pulsating pain in her leg, the woman laughed quietly to herself. Afterward, they drove in a comfortable silence to his mansion. It was distant from the city, so he could enjoy the peace and quiet of his own abode. It was a half an hour drive from where they were, and Isadora managed to handle the pain quite well throughout their journey to his place.

"We're almost there, Dora," Vincent spoke up after a while, driving towards a large mansion with trees and smaller plants surrounding the building.

The lush greenery caught Isadora's attention the most, noting how well-maintained it was.

"It's a beautiful place you have here, Vincent," she commented, trying to ignore the ache in her leg.

Vincent parked the car in the driveway and got out, walking around to open the door for her. "Thank you. I've had this place for a few years now, and welcome to my humble abode."

Without waiting for her response, he picked her up into his arms once more and made his way towards the entrance of the mansion, the double white birch doors opening just in time to let them inside.

Once inside, Vincent gently set Isadora down, examining her leg and applying pressure to ease the pain. "Let me get you to the couch and take care of that for you," he said reassuringly. "I want you to be comfortable."

Isadora nodded, slightly impressed by the grandeur of the mansion. The interior was a magnificent sight; ornate lighting and chandeliers lined the high ceilings, elegant and modern furnishings, and marbled statues arranged neatly at the bottom of the staircase. Vincent's mansion was simply outstanding and reflected his opulent wealth.

A moment later, he carefully placed her on the couch in front of the fireplace, taking a look at her bloodied bandage. His rough hands and fingers were nothing but gentle when he touched her injured leg, making sure to be as careful as possible.

"The bullet needs to be taken out quickly. I'll call a friend of mine for you," He spoke up, his gaze shifting from her leg to her beautiful dark brown eyes.

With that, Vincent got up to his feet and reached for his phone in the pocket of his pants. His fingers curled around the metallic object and scrolled through his contacts list before tapping on a certain name, placing the phone to his ear. Meanwhile, Isadora leaned back in the comfortable couch, feeling a sense of relief in the warm embrace of the room.

The fire crackling in the fireplace was riveting, its orange flames casting dancing shadows on the walls. She couldn't help but admire the exquisite detail of the chandeliers, the glimmer of the gold and crystal catching the firelight.

She watched as Vincent moved about in the room, his body language flowing in harmony with the grandeur of the mansion.

Suddenly, Vincent ended the call and turned towards her. "He's on his way. His name is Dr. Armstrong, he'll patch you up in no time."

"Oh great, this bullet is a pain in the ass... or in the thigh, specifically."

"I'm rather surprised you can crack a joke at this time despite your unfortunate incident," Vincent looked at her in amusement, his lips curled into a faint smile.

Isadora smiled and said, "I'm not going to let one bullet stop me from having fun."

"Fair point, my dear Izzy."