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,
Rebecca's hands paused. She didn't even dare to look up as a cold sweat broke out on her back. She thought, "How did he come out of the kitchen so silently?"She pursed her lips and slowly sat up from the sofa. She pretended like nothing had happened. "I was a bit bored, so I thought of finding something to pass the time."Maxwell chuckled and didn't respond to her words. Rebecca wasn't sure if he believed her half-hearted explanation.He placed a plate of fresh-cut fruit on the coffee table, went to wash his hands, and then said gently, "Sorry for keeping you waiting, Becca."Bending down, he pulled the plate of neatly cut fruit toward Rebecca. "Have something to eat. The room was just cleaned today, and it hasn't been stocked with food yet. If you're hungry, make do with this for now."The fruits were seasonal produce from Fairport, and Maxwell was considerate enough to cut them into pieces and provide her with a fork.Despite her love for fruits, Rebecca wasn't in the mood to
In the dimly lit corridor of the old building, Daniel and Ryan continued their ascent from the first floor up the rusty stairs.Upon hearing a loud noise from above a while ago, they abandoned their casual chat and hurriedly followed the sound.However, after climbing just a couple of floors, the clanging noises ceased. Amid the darkened air, only the faint specks of falling rust could be perceived. It gave the building an eerie, post-apocalyptic atmosphere.Daniel circled the corridor and realized they might have inadvertently switched to another staircase in a different aisle. His expression grew somber. "Where are you taking me?"With all sounds gone except for the echoes of their footsteps on the stairs, he questioned Ryan. Feeling unfairly accused, Ryan retorted, "What do you mean by taking you? I've been following you the whole time!"He thought bitterly, "Even if I had taken the wrong route, it wasn't my fault! Who would blame his friend when he can't find his wife?"Breat
Ryan was still dispelling the fear in his heart. As he heard Daniel calling him, he scanned the surroundings of the courtyard. After a moment, he tentatively suggested, "Maybe we could just follow our instincts?" Daniel was again speechless. Not bothering with Ryan anymore, Daniel took the first step. Having walked through this area upon his arrival, Daniel had some vague impressions. If needed, he could mark some landmarks or notable objects along the way to backtrack if they took the wrong path.As for Ryan, Daniel had already given up on him. He seemed unreliable. Ryan protested again. The inside of this building was intricately complex. If it weren't for that lunatic Maxwell forcing him to return and share a property with the Jenkins family last year, he would never have set foot in a place like this.Some of the Jenkins family's businesses were discreet, so the trade locations were not easily noticeable. This shabby corridor community, with its chaotic atmosphere, facilita