Chapter 8

The man was vicious.

Sophie turned back, fear and despair written all over her face.

But Daniel didn’t see her tears.

He was frantic. “What are you waiting for? Go! Can’t you see Clara’s already hurt?”

His voice dropped. “Sophie, you’re my wife. It’s your responsibility to look out for others. I’ve already arranged a rescue. Trust me. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’m the captain. I’ll make sure everyone makes it out alive.”

Right.

Even if he didn’t love her, he wouldn’t actually let her die, would he?

There was no way out.

Sophie clenched her teeth, shut her eyes, and walked straight toward Ryan.

The moment Ryan grabbed her and released Clara, Daniel’s tone changed.

“Ryan Warren, I’m telling you right now. Your demands are not happening. If you come to your senses, you might still walk away from this.”

It hit Sophie like a bolt of lightning.

Daniel had lied to her again.

Ryan’s expression twisted instantly. “You bastard! You think you can play me? That woman is your wife, isn’t it? That’s why you were so worked up!”

He raised the knife high, aiming straight for Sophie’s chest.

“Then don’t blame me when she dies with me!”

Just as the blade was about to plunge down—

Bang.

Daniel fired. The bullet struck Ryan’s wrist, knocking the knife free.

A scream tore out of him as he collapsed to the ground.

Security officers rushed in, swarming him and dragging him away.

Only then did Daniel move, pulling Clara into his arms.

“Clara, I’m sorry, I should’ve gotten there sooner. One bad shot and it could’ve hit you. I couldn’t take that risk. That’s on me.”

From beginning to end, he never once looked at Sophie.

She lay on the ground, her body trembling, a thin line of blood seeping from the cut across her cheek where the bullet had grazed her.

Her tears had already run dry.

She couldn’t say a word.

Only then did she understand that Daniel could have shot from the start. He didn’t need to trade hostages at all.

He chose to do it anyway, because he wasn’t sure he’d hit cleanly and couldn’t bear for Clara to take even the slightest risk.

And her?

What was she to him?

Clara broke into tears, her voice trembling. “Daniel… I’m in so much pain. Before you got here, he lost patience and cut me… several times…”

Daniel’s gaze dropped to the wounds on her body, his expression turning cold in an instant.

“Someone!”

His eyes burned with anger. “Count every cut on her and give Sophie ten times that! If she hadn’t colluded with him, made up that story, and delayed the exchange, Clara wouldn’t have been hurt!”

Despair swallowed Sophie whole.

Clara had been cut four times. Sophie was cut forty.

Each slice carved into her like it was splitting her soul open.

By the time they let her go, she was covered in blood, barely conscious.

After lifting Clara into the car, Daniel’s voice drifted back, distant and cold.

“Leave her here tonight. Let her think about what she’s done. We’ll come back for her tomorrow. And make sure she never tries anything funny with Clara or the child again.”

The aide hesitated, his expression stiff. “Captain… is that really a good idea? This place is full of bodies. Wild dogs come here to feed. What if…”

The car door slammed. “Then she brought it on herself.”

The vehicles sped off, taking with them the last of the light and sound.

In the distance, a pack of dogs began to howl.

They had caught the scent of blood.

Sophie’s whole body shook.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up, staggering away from the burial ground with what little strength she had left.

She hadn’t forgotten that today was the day her divorce would be finalized, the day she would leave with the troupe.

Thankfully, her documents were still tucked inside her coat.

Holding herself together, she picked up her divorce decree and without taking anything else, headed straight for the train station without looking back.

Five years of marriage.

Three lost children.

All the betrayal and pain…

It ended here.

...

Early the next morning, the air was cool after a night of rain.

Daniel had just gotten out of bed when a frantic knock sounded at the door.

He clicked his tongue in irritation as he opened it, ready to snap at his aide for making noise and waking the baby, but the words died before they formed.

“Captain, something’s wrong…”

Daniel frowned. “What’s the rush? Speak clearly.”

“S-she’s gone… your wife… she’s gone…”

The aide’s voice shook, on the verge of breaking. “There’s no sign of her at the burial ground… just blood everywhere… bones…”

His words tumbled over each other.

“She… she was eaten by the dogs.”