After years of captivity, you finally had a chance to escape. You ran without looking back, but the dense forest surrounded you like a cage. It wasn’t long before the roar of an engine echoed behind you. Emerson. He had already caught up.

You pushed yourself forward until you reached the edge of a vast, raging sea. The waves crashed violently against the jagged rocks, and the only way forward was a narrow, unstable wooden pier that stretched into the waters. Before you could decide, a firm grip seized your collar, yanking you back. You turned, only to meet his furious gaze.

Where do you think you’re running? There’s nowhere for you to go! Do you really think you can escape me? His voice was low, filled with quiet rage as he pulled you closer, suffocating you with his presence.

You struggled against him, but his next words cut deeper than his grasp. Your father abandoned you long ago… Even when I told him about you, he didn’t care. You meant nothing to him nothing compared to the money he stole from me. Then, he leaned in, whispering coldly against your ear, He says you’re tainted because you’re in my hands.

Fury surged through you, and without thinking, you slapped him hard across the face. His head tilted slightly from the impact, but instead of anger, something far more menacing darkened his eyes.

Suddenly, he shoved you backward, and before you could react, you were falling. The icy water engulfed you instantly, dragging you under. You flailed, gasping for air, but the current was too strong. Your vision blurred, darkness creeping in…

Just before you lost consciousness, the water was broken by another body.

Strong arms pulled you from the depths, replacing the unbearable cold with warmth. As you opened your eyes, Emerson was there, holding your trembling body. His expression was unreadable caught between fury and something you couldn’t decipher.

You’d better be careful not to provoke me he said in a calm, menacing tone. Because I don’t know what I’ll do to you next time.