Chapter 40
My heart slammed against my chest as the voice registered in my ears.
“Darren?”
I turned my head, still partially pinned against the wall, his face close to mine. His eyes were wild, bloodshot. He didn’t even look like the same person.
“You bitch,” he spat, his hand gripping my shoulder tighter. “You ruined my life.”
My body jolted as he shoved me back, the concrete cold through my hoodie. My fingers clawed at his arm.
“All the deals 1 had. The investors. The connections. You look everything,” he hissed. “You’ll pay for that.”
“Let me go.” I shouted, my hands shoving at his chest. “Get off me!”
1 twisted my body hard, finally yanking myself free. My shoes scraped the ground as I pushed off the wall and bolted down the alley, Jungs burning, eyes wide.
I didn’t get far.
He caught up with me in seconds. His arms wrapped around my waist again, dragging me backward, My feet kicked uselessly at the pavement. My fingers scraped against the side of a trash bin as I reached for anything to hold on to.
“Help!” 1 screamed, voice cracking.
“Shut up!” he growled, tightening his grip.
My elbow jabbed back, hitting his ribs, but it barely slowed him down. My throat felt raw as I screamed again. My arms flailed, hands swinging to land any blow I could.
He cursed under his breath and shoved me down to the ground. My knees scraped the pavement. I rolled over, crawling backward, chest heaving
A heavy weight crashed down on me again, and I couldn’t breathe. His knee pressed against my ribs, one hand grabbing my wrist, the other reaching into his coat.
“Someone help me!” I shouted.
Then everything blurred.
A sharp pain exploded on the side of my head. The world tilted. I saw stars. My body collapsed backward.
My lips parted, but no sound came out, my vision swam, dark edges closing in
Through the blur, I saw her, a silhouette, long hair, heels.
Layla.
She stood at the edge of the alley, arms crossed, watching. The last thing I saw was the smirk on her lips before everything faded to black
My eyes fluttered open, lids heavy, head pounding My vision took a second to focus.
The light overhead flickered, casting a harsh glow on the cracked concrete floor beneath me,
I tried to move, but my arms wouldn’t budge. My wrists were tied tight behind the chair, the rough rope cutting into my skin.
My ankles were bound too, the wooden legs of the chair creaking under my weight as I shifted.
My breath hitched as I looked around, Bare walls. One unall window, too high to reach. It was a warehouse, clearly abandoned, silent except for the faint drip of water from somewhere in the shadows.
Footsteps approached. My jaw clenched.
‘Darren appeared first, jaw tight, pacing like a man seconds away from snapping. Behind him, Layla leaned against a support beam, arms
Chapter 40
folded, one brow raised like this was amusing to her.
“Well,” she said, pushing off the beam. “You’re awake.”
I didn’t respond, just glared.
Darren stepped closer, crouching to meet my eye level. “Listen carefully. This doesn’t have to go badly for you.”
I scoffed. “You think this is going well!”
He ignored me.
“You’re going to call Karl Lover,” he said, his tone sharper now, “You’re going to tell him to fix our names, make a public statement, clear us completely.”
Layla walked behind me, her heels tapping slowly. “You see, he’s the only one who can. He’s got the power. He destroyed us. It’s time he put things back the way they were”
I stared at them both, then let outa short laughi
Layla frowned
jayla
I laughed harder, the sound bouncing off the empty walls, “Wow,” I said, breathless. “The great Darren and Layla, Blackmailers, liars.. reduced to begging Karl Lever to save them. In an empty warehouse, no less.”
Darren’s face darkened. “You think this is funny!”
“Yeah.” I said, eyes fixed on his. “I think it’s hilarious”
“You like.” He lunged forward, but Layla stepped in between us.
“Not yet,” she snapped. “We need her in one piece”
He glared at her, then turned away, fists clenched
I sat there, still tied, chest rising and falling fast, but I didn’t stop smiling.
Karma had finally come around. And it was their turn to suffer
1 leaned back as far as the ropes would allow, the chair legs scraping roughly beneath me. My lips were sore, split at the corner, but I still managed to smirk.
“You bastards,” I muttered, blood dripping from the edge of my mouth, “poor child having to have you two as parents”
Darren’s eyes widened. His nostrils flared. He didn’t say anything.
Then his fist came down.
I gasped as my head snapped sideways. My jaw throbbed instantly. Another blow landed, and the world spun for a second. I tasted. metal, felt it drip down my chin. My body jerked in the chair with every his.
Layla screamed, her heels skidding against the dusty floor, “Darren, stop! Darren stop it!”
She reached out and grabbed his arm, but he shoved her off, breathing hard as his fist clenched again.
“I said stop!” she cried, throwing her hand over her mouth when she saw my face.
My scream echoed against the walls, sharp, hoarse.
Then it happened.
A loud crack, the door burst open, splinters flying
Darren froze mid–swing. His head whipped around. Layla stumbled back.
Footsteps hit the floor hard and fast.
The sound of fists came next.
My vision blurred, but she could just make out the figure moving through the room, sending Darren flying backward with a single
Chapter 10-
panch
Everything around me blurred. Shapes. Voices. Light. It all swirled together like water down a drain. My head hung forward, and I could feel blood dripping from my nose. The ropes around my wrists were still tight, cutting into my skin.
Then his hands were on me
Large, warm, steady.
He cupped my face gently, tilting it upward.
“Ellen,” Karl’s voice came low, sharp, echoing like it was coming from down a hallway. “Look at me.”
My eyes fluttered open. Everything was hazy, but I could make out his face. His jaw was tight. His brows furrowed deep. There was blood on his shirt. I didn’t know if it was mine or Darren’s.
He leaned closer, his thumbs brushing the blood from my cheek. His fingers trembled for half a second before they steadied again. I tried to speak, but my throat burned.
His eyes scanned my face. The bruises. The blood. The cracked lip
Then his jaw locked, muscles twitching beneath the skin.
His grip on my face didn’t waver, but his voice dropped into something colder than I’d ever heard before.
“I’m going to kill him.”
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