Daniel savored a marinated clam tartine, its flavor distinct but not unpleasant: a marinated oyster atop a bed of spicy kimchi on a light rice base. The banquet's menu was a blend of cultures, seamlessly mixing French dishes with Asian cuisine. Despite having little appetite, stress compelled Daniel to eat, fearing he might faint and ruin his last chance at escape.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror - pale, eyes nervously darting, chewing mechanically. Catching Maxim's curious stare, he moved on to another culinary treat.

"Damn, it's still moving," Maxim whispered in shock, eyeing in horror the large, thinly sliced lobster the waitstaff had just brought, replacing its unfortunate predecessor. The lobster did indeed twitch its limp tentacles. Daniel chuckled softly as he picked up an oyster.

"This one's still alive too, can you believe it?" Daniel said, swallowing another oyster with relish, enjoying Maxim's disgusted reaction. Maxim was constantly hovering, and Daniel needed to maintain the right distance at the appropriate moment for the mise-en-scène he had prepared.

The evening's program specified a performance by the banquet's host, the renowned banker Li Zheng, at eight o'clock - a time considered auspicious in Asia. The guests were of considerable importance, not much less so than the Singaporean tycoon. Alexander was perhaps the least important among them, the invitation clearly intended for his father, but once again, he had chosen to elevate his son's status. The presence of the guests' bodyguards further highlighted their status; these guards could swiftly evacuate their charges from any danger.

Daniel tried not to dwell on the consequences of any mistake he might make. It was better to try and fail than to spend the rest of his life regretting doing nothing. He swallowed two more tartlets without really tasting them and checked the ornate gold wall clock, as if trying to make the time go faster - five more agonizing minutes to go. Gold was a prevalent motif in the hall, incorporated subtly and tastefully. The atmosphere exuded old money, Ivy League education, and a refined sense of proportion - qualities often lacking in first-generation nouveau riche.

Alexander approached them, gracefully escorting Nastya, who looked almost beautiful in her white dress that accentuated her olive-toned skin and was complemented by elegant makeup. Daniel couldn't deny that they looked quite harmonious together; her natural appearance even enhanced the authenticity of their relationship. To Alexander's credit, he looked particularly impressive that evening, dressed in a dark green, almost black tuxedo by Desmond Merrion. The suit deepened the shade of his eyes, and his casually styled golden waves of hair and Hollywood-style smile charmed everyone. If Li Zheng had been disappointed to see the less successful son instead of the father, he was undoubtedly won over now.

Georgy, dressed in a black Brioni tuxedo like Daniel's, looked appropriately understated, given his role. Alexander gave him a quick look, furrowing his brow at Georgy's noticeable nervousness but continued on. At Georgy's subtle gesture, Daniel joined the end of the line, deliberately letting Maxim go first. Maxim scowled but didn't protest, as the guests moved inexorably towards the stage. Behind them, the Arab Sheikh Al Rashid and his large entourage stood out in their white flowing kandura and gutra against the darker crowd.

Daniel took a deep breath- i-d-e-a-l. The moment had come. It was the perfect opportunity. He knew Alexander had been briefed on what to do in the event of an attack: never resist the guards, even in panic, allow himself to be taken and quickly removed from danger. The three bodyguards would prioritize Alexander's safety above all else, followed by Nastya, his fiancée, and then Georgy, his right-hand man.

Cold sweat trickled down Daniel's back, sharpening his senses. His heart raced, his ears rang, and his mouth was dry. He had rehearsed the action many times, masking the sounds with running water, so there should be no mistakes. With a sweaty finger, he made two moves: the first to unlock and the second to trigger.

The magical sound of the harp and the soft murmur of the crowd were abruptly shattered by a harsh, dry burst of gunfire.

In a split second, the hall erupted in terrified screams. Daniel darted to the left, catching a glimpse of Alexander shaking off Nastya, ducking under Tengiz's outstretched arm, dodging Maxim, and lunging at Daniel like a predatory beast. Desperately trying to escape, Daniel jumped too but was knocked to the ground by Alexander's weight, hitting his head hard. Dazed, he tried to regain his senses and focus, but it was too late. They were both seized, their heads forced down, and dragged away. Daniel blinked, still processing the fact that he'd just sabotaged his only chance to escape.

Alexander was panting heavily, pale, and visibly agitated. Suddenly, he broke free, pulled Daniel close, and began covering his face with kisses, mumbling unintelligibly.

"I'd die if anything happened to you... Damn... Danny... I can't take it anymore... Danechka... You're mine, mine...."

Daniel swayed weakly from the sudden, jerky movements, his mind numbly registering: failed, failed...

"Give me the phone, now! Sasha, let him go!" Georgy, not waiting for Daniel to recover from the shock, reached into his tuxedo pocket and pulled out the phone.

"Get the fuck away! What phone? Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Alexander yelled, teetering on the edge of hysteria. "Let go of him!"

"Calm down, Sasha," Georgy hissed, stepping back and handing the phone to Marat, who quickly unlocked it and began doing something. "We're all going to get in trouble because of this asshole."

Nastya, who had covered her mouth with her hands and was staring at him and Daniel in shock, suddenly let out an ugly, bitter sob - a wail of anguish that snapped Daniel out of his stupor. In an instant, he twisted in Alexander's arms and headbutted him in the nose. There was no fear or confusion, only white-hot rage. Alexander, that bastard, had ruined his entire plan by rushing in to save him! Him, his plaything, whom he had humiliated and put through hell and planned to continue using. Alexander let out a muffled groan, loosening his grip for a moment but then tightened it again, growling to the side.

"Max, don't be an idiot! Give me the sedative! Quickly! He's in shock."

"In shock, yes," Georgy sneered, his voice laced with excitement. "Bastard!"

"Georgy, shut up!" Alexander squeezed Daniel's cheeks to open his mouth. Someone grabbed his hands, tilted his head back, and slipped a pill into his mouth. Daniel twitched fiercely, trying to spit it out. Alexander, his eyes frantic, repeated gently, "Hush, Danny, hush. It's just medicine, you need to calm down."

The loathsome face blurred, distorted as if seen through water, swam and then disappeared. The last thing Daniel noticed before he collapsed was the local guards bursting into the room. Then he slept, and his dream was strange, fragmented: at times he was gently rocked, then something pricked his shoulder, giving him a strange, artificial alertness, then he and Alexander moved sluggishly through the airport, and he gazed unfocusedly at the border control officer, while Alexander laughed merrily at the officer.

"He had a bit too much to drink. Mr. Li Zheng knows how to throw a party," and the officer's face immediately grinned subserviently at the mention of such an important name.

Then he was shaking on the plane, although it seemed to be flying smoothly - probably, the effect of a large amount of sedatives. Soon he would wake up and forget about the nightmare. For now, he needed to sleep; he was very, very tired.

He woke up in familiar surroundings, rubbing his throbbing temples in bewilderment, unable to understand how he had gotten here. He looked around and shuddered - Alexander was sleeping next to him in his home clothes, frowning in his sleep, his lips curving childishly as if he too had been having a bad dream. Except Daniel had woken up in his own nightmare, while Alexander would wake up in a fairytale. Daniel stood up on unsteady legs, realizing that yes, the escape had failed, that another punishment awaited him, likely more subtle and painful. The words Alexander had said in that room before everything went dark - "I can't take it anymore"- echoed clearly in his mind...

"I can't take it anymore..." Daniel repeated silently, stepping out into the living room, which felt too vast in his current state, and moving toward the balcony that beckoned to him. There was no point in trying to leave through the front door - he'd be caught anyway, punished regardless. He wanted to end it all at once, to stop the agony, to escape the most vile feeling in the world - hope.

Daniel turned the lock and opened the balcony door, where a brisk wind happily whipped the heavy drapes up, sending chills through his body and finally waking him, dispelling the medicated heaviness. He stepped barefoot onto the icy marble slab, his hands grasping the smooth, round bar of the ornate cast-iron lattice. He tensed, shifted his weight, placed his left foot on the patterned ledge, and swung his right foot over the lattice... Suddenly, strong hands gripped his shoulders, yanking him back. Daniel cried out, blindly hitting the back of someone's head and scrambling to his feet.

Strong arms wrapped around his neck, choking him, stifling his scream, and dragged him back into the room, where they threw him to the floor. Daniel tried to leap to his feet but was winded, only managing to glare at his would-be savior. Maxim, of course. A sleepy, disbelieving Alexander hovered fearfully beside him, baring his teeth and trying to speak.

"D-Danny... D-Danny... What are you doing... I'm sorry..."

"I'm going to kill myself anyway, but I'm not going to serve any more time for something I didn't do," Daniel wheezed, turning away and curling into himself. "I hate you... I hate you..."

"Don't say that, Danny, please don't," Alexander collapsed beside him, clutching him tightly. "I'll do anything, anything you want, just don't..."

"He needs to go to the hospital," Maxim said discreetly. "Too many different drugs have been administered; intoxication is evident. They need to pump his stomach and clean him up."

"To the hospital, to the hospital," Alexander mumbled, clinging to Daniel, who had lost the will to fight. "It's just intoxication, Danny. You don't want this; you want to live."

At the clinic, the overpowering urge to end his life faded after a few hours of stomach pumping - damned Maxim was right. But he was still strapped to the medical bed. Everyone ignored his requests to be untied, treating him with soft smiles as if he were mentally ill. Daniel met Dmitri and Ksenia Astakhov with sepulchral silence, seeing no point in negotiations.

Time stretched endlessly. Drips were removed, he was scrubbed clean, a straw was brought to his mouth for drinking, and food was insistently offered, but he shook his head. If they treated him like a voiceless animal, he would behave accordingly. He spoke out only in the evening when they began to persuade him to eat his dinner.

"Untie me, then I'll eat," he said, closing his eyes as he received a soft refusal. He didn't want to eat; let them see it as another suicide attempt - he didn't care.

Alexander showed up the next day. Tired and pale, covered in unkempt stubble with eyes inflamed from lack of sleep, Alexander looked like a stranger, barely resembling the charismatic Alexander Bystritsky. Daniel examined him with hatred and turned away with a stiff neck.

"Hello, Danny. Look at me, please. If you don't want to, fine - let's talk. I'll have the nurse unstrap you," and the hefty nurse immediately began unbuckling the straps. "Please, Danny, no more..." Alexander's voice broke. "I came here to talk, not to threaten. Don't be afraid. I'll reduce your sentence to a year if you promise not to try to kill yourself again."

Daniel remained silent, gritting his teeth and rubbing his arms. Although the restraints allowed him to turn slightly and didn't cut off his circulation, his muscles were still stiff.

"I'll give you a real job, not as a marketer but as a consultant. You can do strategy consulting for me. You can study remotely, start working on your doctorate, choose any university with distance learning - I'll pay for everything. I'll give you your car back, but you'll always ride with a bodyguard. I'll find another one, not Maxim. It was easier for you with Tengiz, wasn't it? Danny, say something."

"Something," Daniel said hoarsely, recalling a line from a conversation long ago.

"You once answered the same way," Alexander said, his voice betraying his judgment. "Danny, just a year instead of the remaining two."

"You want to buy me," Daniel said, weighing whether to believe it or not.

"Not buy you, but just... provide acceptable conditions. You dreamed of a PhD - here's your chance. You can work or not work..."

"And where's the guarantee that this year won't stretch out?" Daniel turned to him; the despair he felt lent weight to Alexander's words. "You reopened the case, didn't you? It was only temporarily closed?"

Alexander frowned, confirming that Daniel was right.

"I need guarantees too, Danny. And a year won't stretch out."

"Okay. So, what, you want to play the relationship game again?" Daniel grinned suggestively. "Or do you want to keep fucking me in silence?"

Alexander remained silent, sniffing tensely. Daniel swung his weak legs over the edge of the bed on the other side of Alexander and stood up, holding the silicone tubing of the urinary catheter pouch. He walked to the window, noting impassively that this time it wasn't just a fleeting warmth; spring - early and bold - had asserted itself fully. Raindrops briskly tapped from above, the sun radiated brighter and more generously, and the bare brown crowns of the trees no longer seemed bereft. Life flowed by while he merely existed miserably.

"I don't understand the sudden change. I doubt it's because I nearly fell off the balcony. What do you want from me?" Daniel asked, not expecting an answer, but one came, as poignant as the question.

"I love you, Danny. I realized it long ago, but I kept it to myself - you didn't care about my love. In Singapore, when I thought you might have been killed, I realized I couldn't stay silent anymore, couldn't try to push you away anymore. And when you attempted suicide, it nearly destroyed me. I want to spend the rest of my time with you peacefully, to see you smile, to touch you, and for you not to look at me with anger."

Daniel, who had turned cold, believed it immediately. Perhaps he had suspected before that there was something more behind Alexander's affection and intense attraction, but he hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. Love threatened even heavier chains, even more dire consequences - how could he be sure that a man who was becoming obsessed with him, who realized he had complete power over him, would let him go afterward?

"Your love is frightening, you know," Daniel ran his fingers through the bars, tracing the cold glass with his fingertips. "I don't want to hear about it."

"Okay, you won't," Alexander rustled through his clothes, standing up as well and approaching him cautiously. "I know I'm morally twisted, and that you hate me. But you were good at pretending before, please continue. You can think of me as buying you - whatever you want. I'll pay off your bank debt, cover your schooling, and as a parting gift, I'll purchase a house in America so you can live there with your mom when she..."

"Don't mention her," his nails scraped against the glass. Daniel turned around, jumping up angrily. "This has nothing to do with you, got it?"

'Understood,'" Alexander stood slouched, hunched in front of him, gazing at him with a loyal dog's eyes. "Do you agree?"

"Is there an alternative?" Daniel asked dryly and chuckled nervously when Alexander shook his head. "Then why bother asking? Do as you wish, Master."

"Danny," Alexander said with a pained tone. "Your life will be different, believe me - completely different. You'll make up for lost time, heal, spend the rest of your days doing what you enjoy."

"Fucking you for it," Daniel sighed. "And you know what, screw you and your twisted love and your handouts. As far as I understand, there's still an alternative if I don't accept - staying in this clinic. I'll undergo treatment here, rehabilitation, ensuring I don't slit my wrists or hang myself. It's a fine prospect for me: I'll do without schooling and money, but I won't have to get in the sack with you."

"I'll give you guarantees," Alexander responded quickly. "I'll provide substantial leverage against myself, I'll figure out what exactly, but I'll provide it. If you refrain from using it against me for this entire year, and then destroy it once your case is closed. We'll both be mutually dependent. Will you agree?"

"It sounds more convincing, but until I see the leverage, I won't give an answer," Daniel interrupted as he walked past. "And also, what does your Gosha think about it?"

"He's unaware of my decision, so he doesn't have an opinion," Alexander trailed behind him like a tethered man. "Please, agree. I'll select something substantial today and give it to you, upload it to the server, and sign it with my electronic signature."

"So that's how it was possible," Daniel whispered bitterly, settling on the edge of the bed. "Just reaching the point of no return and wanting to leap off the balcony instead of futilely trying to convince you it wasn't my fault."

Alexander let out a long sigh and, disregarding the latter, continued.

"I brought you something to make your stay here more comfortable. Dmitri Vasilyevich insists you remain here until he's certain there won't be any incidents. You're not allowed gadgets yet, but you can have books," he squatted down, searching Daniel's implacable gaze, gently touched his ankles, and recoiled when Daniel lifted his feet onto the bed, almost kicking him. "I'll return tomorrow. Rest."

As the door quietly closed behind him, Daniel lay back on the bed, lost in thought. He had limited options: staying in the clinic would undoubtedly drive him insane, especially if the duration was significant. On the other hand, a year - exactly a year - with Alexander, provided he shifted to more substantial projects instead of continuing with trivial marketing tasks, approving banners and copies, might be the better choice. He just needed to ensure he received genuine leverage, not some fabricated bullshit - yes, a significant threat to the future might even give pause to the impulsive, enamored Alexander. The smiling, the kissing, the leg spreading - Daniel shuddered but acknowledged he could endure it. And it drew him into a peculiar emotional whirlwind, one he was certain should not be repeated.

The door creaked open again, and the nurses and orderlies began bringing in the "something." Daniel smiled sadly at the offerings: a capsule coffee machine, a small clothing rack, a stack of new, sealed books, baskets of fruit, trays of healthy snacks, nuts, protein cookies, a small refrigerator promptly filled with perishables... and a large bouquet of solemn lilies that exuded a sweet, melancholic fragrance throughout the room. Daniel requested the bouquet be taken away, the catheter removed, a shower, and a change of clothes. Refreshed and composed after the shower, Daniel helped himself to a handful of lychees and a large, red-sided apple from the basket, selected a book - "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" - and settled onto his bed, marking the definitive turning point that had undeniably altered his fate.