It was a bitterly cold night, but Nikolai looked quite pleased, wearing a luxurious tuxedo and leading Viktoria by the hand. She was wearing a sparkling silver evening gown, looking every bit the part of a frozen goddess, but inside her mind was completely blank. She managed to smile when Nikolai smiled and nodded when talking to his wealthy buddies, but it all seemed unreal, like a movie playing before her eyes.
"Can I excuse myself to use the bathroom?" she asked Nikolai.
He gazed at her intently, trying to gauge whether she was rebellious. "Don't be gone too long, dear. The show is starting in ten minutes."
"I won't," she assured him.
Nikolai's two bodyguards followed her from behind but stopped outside the double doors of the bathroom which were covered in gold plates.
