Vanessa stared at the girls for a long moment after Stephanie spoke.
Then suddenly…
She laughed.
It wasn't a warm laugh.
It was sharp. Sarcastic.
Almost mocking.
"Oh really?" Vanessa said slowly.
"You're leaving?"
Stephanie stood firm.
"Yes."
Maya stayed close beside her, nervous but determined.
Vanessa leaned back comfortably in her chair, studying them as if they were children making a foolish decision.
"And how exactly do you plan to survive here without me?"
Neither of them answered.
Vanessa smiled coldly.
"You think France is some friendly playground where two girls can just walk around and magically survive?"
She stood up slowly.
"If you don't want to work with me, that's fine."
She walked toward them.
"But you will return every single thing I gave you."
Stephanie frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Vanessa didn't reply.
Instead, she suddenly grabbed Stephanie's phone straight from her hand.
The movement was so fast that Stephanie didn't even react in time.
Vanessa turned to Maya and snatched her phone too.
"These," she said, holding them up.
"Mine."
Maya looked shocked.
"But—"
Vanessa cut her off.
"You think these things were gifts?"
She walked around the room collecting everything they had brought with them.
The shopping bags.
The shoes.
The accessories.
Every single thing.
Stephanie stayed quiet.
But while Vanessa was busy collecting the items, she moved quickly.
She slipped the envelope Adrian had given her out of her bag.
Carefully.
Quietly.
Then she hid it inside her clothing, pressing it safely against her chest.
By the time Vanessa turned back toward them, Stephanie's bag was completely empty.
Vanessa looked satisfied.
"Good."
She gestured toward the door.
"You can leave now."
Maya looked around the room one last time.
Just hours ago, they had thought this place was a dream.
Now they were leaving with nothing.
Nothing except the clothes they were wearing.
The girls stepped outside into the cool night air.
The large gate behind them closed with a heavy sound.
For a few moments, they simply stood there.
Maya wrapped her arms around herself.
"What do we do now?"
Stephanie remained silent.
Then suddenly, her eyes widened.
Her heart dropped.
"Oh no…"
"What?" Maya asked.
Stephanie's voice was filled with frustration.
"My phone."
"What about it?"
Stephanie shook her head slowly.
"Adrian's number was in there."
Maya blinked.
"You mean… you don't have his contact anymore?"
Stephanie looked back at the large house behind them.
Vanessa had taken everything.
Their phones.
Their belongings.
Their connection to anyone who could help them.
Everything.
Except the hidden money pressed safely against Stephanie's chest.
But right now…
That didn't solve the one thing she had just lost.
Adrian.Chapter 37: Nothing Left
Vanessa stared at the girls for a long moment after Stephanie spoke.
Then suddenly…
She laughed.
It wasn't a warm laugh.
It was sharp. Sarcastic.
Almost mocking.
"Oh really?" Vanessa said slowly.
"You're leaving?"
Stephanie stood firm.
"Yes."
Maya stayed close beside her, nervous but determined.
Vanessa leaned back comfortably in her chair, studying them as if they were children making a foolish decision.
"And how exactly do you plan to survive here without me?"
Neither of them answered.
Vanessa smiled coldly.
"You think France is some friendly playground where two girls can just walk around and magically survive?"
She stood up slowly.
"If you don't want to work with me, that's fine."
She walked toward them.
"But you will return every single thing I gave you."
Stephanie frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Vanessa didn't reply.
Instead, she suddenly grabbed Stephanie's phone straight from her hand.
The movement was so fast that Stephanie didn't even react in time.
Vanessa turned to Maya and snatched her phone too.
"These," she said, holding them up.
"Mine."
Maya looked shocked.
"But—"
Vanessa cut her off.
"You think these things were gifts?"
She walked around the room collecting everything they had brought with them.
The shopping bags.
The shoes.
The accessories.
Every single thing.
Stephanie stayed quiet.
But while Vanessa was busy collecting the items, she moved quickly.
She slipped the envelope Adrian had given her out of her bag.
Carefully.
Quietly.
Then she hid it inside her clothing, pressing it safely against her chest.
By the time Vanessa turned back toward them, Stephanie's bag was completely empty.
Vanessa looked satisfied.
"Good."
She gestured toward the door.
"You can leave now."
Maya looked around the room one last time.
Just hours ago, they had thought this place was a dream.
Now they were leaving with nothing.
Nothing except the clothes they were wearing.
The girls stepped outside into the cool night air.
The large gate behind them closed with a heavy sound.
For a few moments, they simply stood there.
Maya wrapped her arms around herself.
"What do we do now?"
Stephanie remained silent.
Then suddenly, her eyes widened.
Her heart dropped.
"Oh no…"
"What?" Maya asked.
Stephanie's voice was filled with frustration.
"My phone."
"What about it?"
Stephanie shook her head slowly.
"Adrian's number was in there."
Maya blinked.
"You mean… you don't have his contact anymore?"
Stephanie looked back at the large house behind them.
Vanessa had taken everything.
Their phones.
Their belongings.
Their connection to anyone who could help them.
Everything.
Except the hidden money pressed safely against Stephanie's chest.
But right now…
That didn't solve the one thing she had just lost.
Adrian.