Rebecca wiped the water droplets off her face. She then glanced at the culprit, who was now washing dishes with a faint smile. He acted as if nothing had happened.It seemed like he had cooled off now.She snorted and left the kitchen with the plastic wrap to store the leftover food in the dining room.Fortunately, Ellen wasn't there. Otherwise, he would have berated her for not finishing her food.She didn't have any other choice. Rather than wasting food, she preferred to reheat it the next day. As long as she didn't repeatedly eat the same leftovers, it wouldn't have a significant impact on her health. Moreover, the leftovers she stored in the fridge were all meat dishes. She had already finished the vegetable dishes, so it wasn't a problem.After storing the leftover food, Rebecca wiped the dining table. Then, she picked up her phone and headed to the backyard.She wasn't a moody person. Upon realizing that David was no longer angry, she didn't dwell on the matter anymore.
"Sure." Rebecca stood up to receive the fresh milk and politely thanked him. Only belatedly did she sense that something was amiss. "You're going out this late at night?""Mhm, there are some matters I need to handle." David's complexion wasn't great, and his tone was solemn.His demeanor suggested business troubles in Seardale that required his attention in the middle of the night.Rebecca never inquired into his work affairs, and although she had no idea what he was dealing with now, she nodded without pressing further."Just be careful out there and come back early," she said.David paused as he was about to leave.He lowered his gaze to the girl who spoke these words.He had never expected to hear such concern from Rebecca. Over the past four years, nightmares often jolted him awake. He dreamt of a boundless deep sea, saw visions of her falling into unseen waters, and heard her tearful accusations and pleas to leave him. Despite the doctors saying her memory might neve
Rebecca knew of this place because she had once wanted to explore the local culture of Fairport as a tourist.However, she abandoned the idea due to the nature of the people living there. Now, as she drove there herself, she had to admit that David's advice had been right.The old district reeked of decay at night. She could hear dogs barking and people cursing in the stairwells. Rebecca stepped out of her car and checked the address on her phone as she pursed her lips. The idea of her going to rescue Ellen seemed ridiculous. Given her delicate constitution, she could get winded just from walking too far, let alone in a place where danger could strike at any moment.Once a fight broke out, she'd be the first to go down.But the fact that she was specifically asked to come indicated that they had some other use for her. She feared she might be walking into a trap where, even if she did as she was asked, they might not release their captive. Would that not be a wasted eff
Rebecca had contemplated convincing Maxwell to release Ellen before entering negotiations with him. However, she wavered when she received the photo Maxwell had texted her. How could this have happened?She was in disbelief to see Ellen in a bloodied and bruised state. She had just talked to him on a video call an hour ago.Struggling to compose a coherent text with her shaky fingers, she eventually gave up and opted for a voice message.Her voice was trembling. She growled, "What more do you want? You promised not to hurt Ellen! Maxwell Jenkins, you said you have no beef with him!"There was no history between Maxwell and Ellen; they hadn't even met before. Ellen could only consider himself unlucky for working under David. Moreover, Maxwell was infuriated by the thought of Ellen being a part of Rebecca's life for four years.When Maxwell recalled the group photos in Rebecca's Instagram feed, he seethed and had the urge to beat up Ellen. How could she side with the men who had
Rebecca's cold voice echoed in the empty corridor. "I have arrived at the building. Please meet with me. I need you to guarantee Ellen's safety. If possible, I want to see him leave safely."She received a reply soon after. He merely said, "Wait there."Rebecca waited for Maxwell. Her eyes darted nervously around the dim corridor. She kept a firm grip on her phone.The moon was suddenly obscured by clouds, and that intensified the eerie atmosphere. The worn-down complex around her seemed like a beast that would swallow her whole. It felt suffocating.As she waited, her heartbeat picked up and synchronized with her uneven breaths. The sound of footsteps echoed from the depths of the alley and sounded like drum beats in her ears.She would have immediately run if Ellen wasn't in Maxwell's hands. She secretly cursed Ellen for messing around at clubs and bars when he was still oblivious to the complicated dynamics in Fairport.He should have just gone home after dark. Look what he'd
A cold glint appeared in Maxwell's eyes. "What are you doing, Becca?"Rebecca's movements were hard to discern in the dark, but in the moonlight illuminating the stairwell, he could make out the blade against her neck.If his vision had been sharper, he might have noticed the blood on the blade. He might have realized that she wasn't merely toying with a fake knife."You can tell that I'm making a bet with my life," she said calmly and determinedly. Her action might seem outrageous, but that was the best solution she could come up with.She glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "I don't know how important I am to you, but based on what you did, I believe you don't want anything bad to happen to me. I'm doing this out of desperation. Please free my friend."Had he kept his word and freed Ellen, she wouldn't have resorted to threatening him. Despite not knowing how important she was to Maxwell, she wanted to give it a try.During the confrontation, a vague memory surfaced in her mi
When Rebecca was dragged into the shadows by Maxwell, she could clearly feel Daniel's gaze traveling in her direction.They missed each other by seconds. Had he arrived earlier, or had Maxwell left a little later, they would have run into each other.She had a strong, inexplicable conviction that, once Daniel noticed her, he would rescue her from this ominous place. Alas, he was a step too late.Meanwhile, Maxwell didn't seem to feel the pain from her consistently hard bite at all. Even when he began bleeding from the bite, he never once loosened his grip on her. Instead, he endured the pain and dragged her away.Daniel halted by the stairwell when he noticed Ellen on the ground. He crouched down to assess Ellen's condition in the dimly lit environment.Ellen bore severe bruises, and his breaths were faint but steady. His injuries were grave, yet not life-threatening.Daniel rose from the floor and ordered, "Get him to the hospital," before scrutinizing the old building that rese
At the same time, Rebecca found herself cornered on an unfamiliar floor. The echoes of distant sounds created an eerie atmosphere."Did you hear that, Becca?" Maxwell whispered as he covered her mouth.He continued, "Your so-called friends David and Ellen committed unforgivable acts against you, your family, and your friends. They nearly killed Daniel in a fire. Have you seen Daniel's face? Do you know what he used to look like? He bore a striking resemblance to your friend David. "Perhaps that's why David wanted to mar Daniel's face. Becca, did you ever think about the Johnson family's feelings when you befriended a murderer?"Maxwell's whispers sent a shiver down her spine. She had goosebumps all over her skin, but not because of what he said.She did not have the mental energy to verify his claim. At that moment, all she wanted was to escape.The ambient chatter faded. There were some untraceable sounds emanating from different directions: from across from them, from behind,