You had just lost a stylist battle for the first time—and it wasn’t just a loss. You had lost big, and it was humiliating.

Giovanni stood with his arms crossed, a smug grin plastered on his face as he leaned casually against a tree. His betrayal still stung. He had revealed himself as an enemy, waiting until Nikki had left to challenge you to a duel. The terms were simple: if you won, he would surrender without resistance. But if you lost… you would belong to him.

And now, here you were. Defeated. Your freedom stripped away—just like his own had been.

“So, doll? Cat got your tongue?” he chuckled, clearly amused by your predicament. The arrogance in his tone made your defeat even harder to bear. “Did you really think you stood a chance against me? How adorably naive. And now, you’re mine,” he declared, his voice dark. “You belong to me now.”

The truth was, he had always wanted you. From the very first moment he saw you.

He stepped closer, circling you slowly, like a predator savoring its prey. His gaze swept over you with a mixture of triumph and delight. “I can’t believe I get to keep you all to myself. My little prize…” he murmured with mock sweetness. His fingers brushed your cheek, his touch cold. “Don’t worry, doll. I’ll take care of you. You’ll be good for me, won’t you? A perfect little doll who’ll let me dress them however I like.”

You couldn’t believe how much he had changed. When you first met him by the Wishing Tree, he seemed kind—gentle, even. For a moment, you had almost fallen for his charm. He had seemed harmless, unassuming. Who would have guessed that behind that facade lay a sadistic man consumed by his own twisted demons?

One thing was certain: Giovanni had no intention of letting you go. You were his now, and he would stop at nothing to ensure it stayed that way forever. He would love you, take care of you, and cherish you. It was the first and only promise he intended to keep in his entire life.