Chapter 5 Raisa fell asleep

to call Adrian. She knew she had to be transparent about her decision, even though Adrian might forbid her. She dialed Adrian's number and waited anxiously.

"Hello, Raisa," Adrian's voice came from the other end of the line, as attentive as ever.

"Hello, Adrian," Raisa answered, her voice shaking slightly. "I wanted to talk to you about tonight's event."

Adrian was silent for a moment, before finally answering, "What do you want to say?"

"There's a social event at the hotel tonight, for seminar participants," Raisa explained. "I wanted to join, just to socialize for a bit."

Adrian breathed heavily, and Raisa could picture his face contemplating. "Is it really that important, Raisa?" he asked in a softer but still concerned tone.

"I think this is a good opportunity to meet more people, and... enjoy a little time," Raisa said, trying to sound reassuring. "I promise I won't be long. I'll stay inside the hotel and be careful."

Adrian was silent for a long time, making Raisa even more anxious. "Okay, Raisa," Adrian finally answered in a calmer tone. "But only for a moment, and the guards will remain there. If there is anything suspicious, you must return to your room immediately. Don't take any chances."

Raisa breathed a sigh of relief, even though she knew that this was the limit she had to accept. "Thank you, Adrian. I'll be careful, I promise."

After the call ended, Raisa felt a mixture of relief and burden. She knew that Adrian had allowed her, but with conditions that still made her feel constrained. Still, this was a small step forward that she appreciated.

That night, Raisa wore the simple yet elegant dress she had brought for the event. She stood in front of the mirror, trying to convince herself that this was a small step toward the freedom she desired. When she went down to the hall where the event was being held, Adrian's guards kept their distance, making sure they didn't disturb her, but also remained vigilant.

The hall was already filled with people chatting casually. Soft music played, and decorative lights added to the warm atmosphere. Raisa grabbed a soft drink from the table and started walking around the room, exchanging greetings with some of the people she had met during the seminar.

As she was enjoying her conversation with some of the other participants, a young man approached her and introduced himself. "Hi, you must be Raisa, right? I saw you at the seminar earlier. My name is Faris."

Raisa smiled and shook Faris' hand. "Yes, I'm Raisa. Nice to meet you, Faris."

Faris seemed friendly and enthusiastic, and their conversation flowed easily. They talked about light topics, ranging from the seminar material to everyday life. However, Raisa was always aware of the guards' gazes watching her from a distance.

"So, did you enjoy the seminar?" Faris asked with a smile.

"Yes, very much so. I learned a lot and met new people," Raisa replied. "And you? Did you find the seminar useful?"

Faris nodded. "Of course. The material was very in-depth, and I was happy to participate. Besides, meeting people like you made everything more memorable."

Raisa smiled, feeling a little flattered by the compliment. However, before the conversation could progress any further, one of Adrian's bodyguards approached her.

"Excuse me, Miss Raisa," the bodyguard said politely but firmly, "your time is almost up. Mr. Adrian asks you to return to your room immediately."

Raisa felt a little disappointed, but she knew that this was part of the deal. "Okay, thank you for reminding me," she replied with a small smile.

She turned to Faris. "I think I should return to my room now. Thank you for the conversation, Faris. Hopefully we can meet again."

Faris looked a little disappointed, but he smiled anyway. "Of course, Raisa. Nice to meet you. Hopefully we can meet again sometime."

Raisa nodded and then walked back to her room, escorted by the bodyguard. As she walked through the hotel corridors, she felt relieved that tonight's event had not caused any problems. However, the feeling of being constrained remained, even though Adrian had given her permission.

When she arrived at her room, Raisa sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating everything that had happened today. She felt proud that she had managed to gain some freedom, but she also knew that the road to greater freedom was still long. Adrian might love her in his own way, but she knew that too much possessive love could be a barrier to her happiness.

Raisa lay in bed, staring at the cold ceiling of the hotel room. She knew that she had to keep fighting for her freedom, even if it meant facing the possessive Adrian. Although Even though it was difficult, Raisa believed that in the end, Adrian would understand her need to live a more independent life.

And with that thought, Raisa fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would bring more opportunities to prove herself and achieve the freedom she dreamed of.