Masuk
Doug came back empty-handed again, his chest churning with regret and refusal to accept how things ended.He convinced himself Monica just needed one more chance to see her true feelings. That had to be it.So he put everything he had left on the line and set up one final kidnapping.-When I woke up again, I found myself locked in a basement.In my hand was a simple device with two buttons, one on the left, one on the right.Chad and Doug both had timed bombs strapped to them. The countdown ticked steadily, each beep cutting through the air.Doug looked at me with a twisted kind of hope, a stubborn smile pulling at his lips."Monica, you were just confused before, misled by Chad. This time, you'll see clearly who your heart belongs to and choose me, right?"It hit me instantly. This insane man had kidnapped himself and Chad and was forcing me to choose.Tears rushed down my face. "Doug, stop this! Get someone to disarm the bombs now! I know exactly what I want. I don't need
"Say one more word about her, and I'll kill you."Chad's eyes burned with something wild and unrestrained, the veins on the back of his hand standing out."If we're talking about being ruthless, you don't even come close to me. But I will never hurt her. Who do you think you are? You got her and couldn't even treat her right. You don't deserve forgiveness!"Doug pressed a hand to his face, then looked straight at me, reaching out like he was sure I would come back."Come here. Take my hand, and we'll go get married right away."I didn't even feel like responding anymore. Instead, I rose onto my toes and pressed a light kiss to Chad's cheek."That's my answer."Doug's face twisted with anger and humiliation. He turned and walked off."Fine! I'll wait for the day you come crawling back, begging me! You ungrateful little thing. Playing hard to get, huh?"I let out a small laugh. He hadn't changed. He was still so confident that he couldn't even accept the fact that I didn't love
Chad stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body as he pressed a key into my palm."Go hide in the basement, and don't come out. I've got this. Don't worry."I pushed his hand back. "It's okay. I'm not scared anymore. I have to face him sooner or later. He's not going to let this go."The moment Doug saw me, his eyes went red."Monica… Why didn't you contact me? He kidnapped you, and you're still staying with him? Do you have any idea what I went through to find you?"I looked at him quietly. There was no sharp ache in my chest anymore."Didn't expect you to be this worked up over an enforcer. Where was all that urgency when all those people died on Moonfall Island?"Doug froze, words catching in his throat. The joy of finding me twisted into something uneasy."What are you doing? Stop this and come home with me."I couldn't stop the tears this time. I took a step back, my voice breaking."What am I to you? "Your wife? Your girlfriend? A toy? Or just a dog you keep on
"You're all useless! A living person gets taken right under my nose, and you can't even find her?"Doug looked half-crazed. He hadn't slept in over 40 hours, running nonstop until both his body and mind were stretched to the breaking point.No one in the room dared to breathe too loudly. After a long silence, someone finally spoke up."Mr. Graham… Didn't you order all of us to focus on protecting Ms. Sowle?""Yes… No one expected Monica to get taken and killed by Chad…"Doug snapped as a wire pulled too tightly. "What do you mean, killed? Shut your damn mouth! That piece of trash Chad just wants more money! That's all this is! If you can't find her, then keep looking. And if you still can't, every last one of you is fired!"When the room finally cleared out, the strength drained out of him all at once. His back, always so straight, seemed to collapse under an invisible weight.He had only been putting on a show with Lindsey, playing along a few times. How had everything spiral
I had a long, long dream.In it, I was a little girl who met a knight who saved her. He cut through thorns for me, stood in front of me, and helped me defeat a dragon.He gave me love and courage. He made me believe something real could exist.In the end, we lost each other. I wandered through the fog for what felt like forever, searching for him.And then, I realized that the knight who once gave me love had become the dragon. He opened his jaws at me, and I was helpless. In the end, the only thing I could do was jump off the cliff.I woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. That was when I realized the wounds on my body had already been carefully treated.I was lying in a soft bed, the sheets clean, the air carrying a faint cedar scent that told me this was a man's room.The door opened, and Chad walked in, smiling when he saw me awake."Well, look at that. You're finally up. You kept talking in your sleep. I thought you didn't want to wake up."My cheeks warmed slightly.
Shards scattered everywhere. The last thing my mother left me was gone just like that.I couldn't hold it in anymore. The humiliation, the grief, and the rage all crashed together. I pushed myself up off the floor and slapped Lindsey across the face.Doug stared at me, stunned. "Have you lost your mind?"Before he even finished, I swung back and swung at him, too. My hand stopped just short of his face for a split second.That face had whispered endless sweet words to me. And now, he was humiliating me like this for his so-called shield.That brief hesitation cost me. Doug's furious slap came down hard."I'm your boss! How dare you hit me! You've got some nerve!"Eight years of love, every last bit of hope I had held onto, shattered with his words.I stared at him, disbelief flooding in. "What did you just say?"His fingers trembled, something like regret flashing in his eyes.In the end, he still kicked the back of my knee. I dropped hard, my knee slamming into the shattered







