Just then, something clicked for Zachary. A sudden realization hit him.—At Steven’s house“Scarlett! Why are you just standing there? Come on, JR just dropped their new collection—if we’re late, we’ll miss it!”The urgent voice of a girl echoed from a distance.Scarlett blinked, startled. Instinctively, she glanced down at her outfit.It was a weird move—one she didn’t even understand herself. She tilted her head, visibly confused.“Scarlett!” The voice called again, this time sharper.She quickly looked up and shouted back, “Coming, coming!”Then she started running toward the voice. Her friend was waving at her, getting closer by the second. The tension in Scarlett’s chest eased, her lips curling into a small smile.But the smile froze on her face.Because the closer she got, the clearer it became: her friend had no face.Still, the faceless girl kept waving at her like some mechanical doll, her voice turning hollow and creepy.“Scarlett… come here… come…”Scarlett’s
“Any word from Melvin?” Zachary asked.The assistant hesitated before answering. “Mr. Sanders took his mother to the hospital. He’s still there. He hasn’t called back.”The hospital?Something clicked in Zachary’s mind.—At City General Hospital, Melvin helped his mother onto the bed. The doctor said her dizziness was due to extreme emotional stress.“Melvin, I’ve had this for years,” Mrs. Sanders said hoarsely. “If something’s come up at the company, go. Don’t worry about me.”But Melvin was staring blankly at the medication the nurse had just brought in. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about the dizziness?”“I didn’t want to worry you,” she replied with a weak shake of her head. “You’re always so busy. And it’s nothing serious.”Shawn rushed in. “What happened? Why is she in the hospital?”Melvin quickly filled him in and added, “Just stay with her for now.”He looked like he wanted to say something else, and his hesitation didn’t go unnoticed.“What is it?” Mr. Sanders aske
But even with blood trickling from the fresh cut, Vivian didn’t flinch. She actually smiled.“You won’t do it, will you? That’s your problem, Sarah—you’re too soft. That’s why you’ll never beat me.”Sarah scoffed. “You think I’m scared to kill you? Please. I just think death would be letting you off too easy. You’ve ruined so many lives—you don’t deserve a clean way out. I want the law, the same one you mock, to make you pay.”Vivian gave a mocking laugh. “The law? Oh, that reminds me. That night at the bar? I recorded everything. What if I accidentally leaked that footage, huh? That’d be a real mess.”“You recorded it?” Sarah’s voice shook with fury as she dropped the broken shard. Her whole face was flushed. “How could you?!”“I like having leverage,” Vivian said casually. “So maybe next time, don’t come at me with a sharp object. You never know—I might get in a bad mood and drop a few videos online just for fun.”Sarah’s pupils contracted. Her breath hitched. “You’re vile.”V
She glanced at the closed door and let out a soft laugh.“You really think you can win her over?”“That’s none of your business,” Leon said, eyes filled with distrust.“I should go,” Vivian said lightly.Leon nodded. “By the way—she asked me to pass along a message.”“Oh?” Vivian tilted her head, intrigued. “What message?”Leon gave a slow, amused smile.“She said… you’re going to regret this.”Vivian’s eyes lit up with interest. She strolled to the tightly shut door and raised her voice deliberately.“Think you can let me talk to her?”“No,” Leon replied flatly.“Oh, come on. I’m not gonna hurt her,” Vivian said with a playful tone. “We’re both in this mess together, aren’t we? Maybe I can even help you out.”Leon looked at her coolly and shook his head.“She won’t want to see you.”“You don’t know that,” Vivian said, her voice picking up with excitement. “Why not try?”The living room fell silent for a moment. Just then, a voice came from behind the door—calm, clear, an
Leon’s smile faded. He straightened up and said, “This is my place. There are people watching both inside and out. If you need anything, just tell the guard outside—they’ll bring it in.”He paused, then added, “I’ll have some books sent in so you don’t get bored. You can watch TV, but forget about contacting the outside world. I've got people intercepting all communication. Until I take you back to my country, this is your life now.”Sarah frowned. “You’re taking me to your country?”“Yeah. You know how much reach Zachary has in East Coast. The only way to keep you safe is to keep you hidden. If you really want to stay away from him, working with me is your best shot.”She didn’t respond, but her silence said enough—she wasn’t going. She wasn’t even entertaining the idea.“I’m not going,” she said flatly.Leon’s voice turned cold. “That’s not your choice to make.”He’d already planned it all out. Once things in East Coast were wrapped up and the Reynold family collapsed, he’d ha
Sarah narrowed her eyes when she said “you all,” and Leon chuckled under his breath.“Who else do you think, besides me?”“You’re really asking that?” She gave him a sharp look. “You and Vivian—obviously. I just want to know if there’s anyone else involved.”Leon’s smile turned sly. “What if I said yes?”He toyed with the hem of his shirt, lashes flickering, but Sarah didn’t hesitate.“It’s the Chancers, isn’t it?”Leon raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”“Come on. In this whole city, who else wants me dead? It’s either you, Vivian, or one of them. And look at me now—do I really seem like someone you need to keep secrets from? I’m already drained. I’m not here to fight. I just want to sit with my thoughts and be left alone.”But the calmer she sounded, the more Leon wanted to push her—just to see if he could still get a rise out of her.“What thoughts?”“Like… the car crash three years ago. Or the one I just survived. Or what happened to Scarlett. I’m guessing you an