Chapter One Hundred-Fourty Four

Alicia's mind raced. She knew she had to stay strong, to find a way out of this nightmare. "You won't get away with this," she vowed, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.

Lucas pulled away from Amira just enough to look at Alicia, his expression a mixture of amusement and menace. "Oh, but I already have, Alicia. You're completely at my mercy."

Amira's laughter mingled with Lucas's, creating an eerie symphony of malevolence. "And there's nothing you can do about it."

As the display continued, Alicia's resolve hardened. She knew she had to find a way to escape, to stop Lucas and expose his true nature. But for now, all she could do was endure, her mind plotting her next move, even as her body remained trapped.

Meanwhile, Karina arrived at her house, the sun beginning to dip below the horizon. As she opened the front door, Sophie stood in the hallway, arms crossed and a slight pout on her face.

"You were supposed to be home two hours ago so we could do the packing,"