That evening, Rochelle drove up to Evelyn’s mansion. Though Evelyn had never given her the address, Rochelle had her ways. After all, if she could track down the most elusive criminals, finding one young woman’s home wasn’t exactly a challenge.She wasn’t expecting Lijun to be here, and Rochelle had come for a different reason. However, she had many reasons to believe Evelyn was hiding something valuable.Dialing the house number, Rochelle listened as the phone rang unanswered. She narrowed her eyes, gaze fixed on the mansion. Though the curtains were drawn, the lights on inside suggested Evelyn was home.Rochelle tried again, bracing herself. If Evelyn didn’t answer, she'd take it as a sign of trouble—and barge right in.Finally, Evelyn picked up. Rochelle kept her tone light, though her gaze was steely. “I’ve been outside your place forever. Care to let me in? It's freezing out here.”Silence followed, and Rochelle waited, expecting Evelyn to rush to open the gate. Instead, the dela
When Lijun jumped, she wasn’t sure she would survive—and truthfully, she didn’t want to. Since the day she’d awakened with no memory and the world’s hateful eyes on her, thoughts of death had become a haunting comfort. But dying was about escaping; she wanted them to think she was gone while she hid, somewhere, still breathing, beyond their reach.When she opened her eyes to find herself not submerged in water, her thoughts returned immediately to Celine’s brother, and she jolted upright from the bed. For reasons she couldn’t explain, that man haunted her. The room around her was worn, built from rough wood and clearly neglected.Nearby, a figure lay on the floor, back turned to her. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring. It couldn’t be him—could it? Whoever he was, he had to be the one who dragged her from the lake.“Why don’t you leave me alone!” she burst out, her voice with frustration.The man stirred, and his voice replied coldly, “You don’t deserve to die… nor live.” As he sat
The tension between them simmered, thick as she narrowed her eyes at him."What? Go to the village?" she spat, her voice cutting through the silence. "Are you out of your mind?"Lian arched a brow, clearly unimpressed by her tone. "You want to stay hidden here forever? I thought you were smarter than that."For three days, they'd been holed up in that abandoned shack, each day stretching longer as they tried to ignore the trouble looming just beyond those thin walls. She barely knew him—this man who seemed to know far too much about her, who claimed he wanted to help her regain her memories and find someone.His proposal seemed absurd. The village was no place for her, not with her face practically branded as a target. He might have a chance there, but she wouldn’t. He still didn’t understand that, and his stubbornness grated at her."The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll reach before sunset," he arguedShe scoffed. "And I suppose you'll carry me all the way there?" She folded her ar
They remained outside, catching their breath after the fight. Lijun leaned against a tree, watching Lian as he tried to pick up his knife, his hands trembling. She noticed something strange—despite his injuries, he showed no sign of pain, as if his body was numb.She moved toward him, wanting to inspect the damage she’d caused to his hand. She needed him alive; whatever their current situation, he was still useful. She knew the same men from earlier might return, so she had to patch him up quickly before they left. But as she drew closer, Lian’s sharp gaze stopped her.Ignoring his silent warning, she stepped closer and crouched beside him. "Don’t trouble yourself. Honestly, I’m not looking forward to playing nurse here."His dark eyes deepened, studying her in silence.Despite their hostility, Lijun realized that Lian wasn’t a bad person, not really—not the way he wanted her to see him. Even though he clearly wanted something from her, he could have abandoned her. She was nothing
The room fell silent as Andrew uttered the name. Every pair of eyes turned to her, widening in shock. He descended the stairs quickly, his gaze locked on her. When he stopped, just a few steps away, he looked her over with a strange, almost intensity gaze.What the hell is going on…Andrew spread his arms with a crooked grin. “Well, well, well. Are you all seeing this? The infamous ‘Scupper’ herself! Terrorist, fugitive... my idol!” He pointed at her with a hand missing two fingers. “Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.”Lijun stiffened. If she had to choose between getting beheaded or dealing with this, both would be a nightmare. She stole a glance at Lian; he was pale, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t just frightened; he hated this situation as much as she did.They were led to a room where they sat across from Andrew, who lounged with a smug, while a woman brought food and liquor to the table. He studied her as if he had the upper hand, savouring every moment of her discomf
Lijun took a step back, still clutching a shard of glass, her eyes sharp and deadly. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” she said, voice chilling. “Threatening me was your first mistake. Thinking you could manipulate me was your second.”When she smashed the bottle over his head, she acted on pure instinct, her anger flared that it drowned out all thought. The fury of being manipulated, his threats, ignited something deep within her.But as the glass shattered, realization set in, and her heart hammered in her chest. She knew she screwed herself. There would be no easy escape now. If she was going to get out of this alive, she’d have to fight—and that meant taking on the entire camp?“Now it’s your turn to pay. For every drop of blood of my comrades, and this …" He showed his three fingers. Her grip tightened. Those words confirmed her thoughts, no way without a fight. Since was the case, she should do everything she could. Her eyes glinted as she stared at Andrew, who made
She was alone in the wide and gloomy room, one wall had a large, seamless mirror. She couldn’t see through it, but she knew someone was watching from the other side. Her short brown hair tied up in a messy bun, and she wore a black jumpsuit that hugged her slender frame. Her mind drifted to the night before—the casino, the thrill of the game, and her growing stack of chips. She’d been on a winning streak, right until the fire broke out. People panicked, rushing for the exits, and she had barely escaped in time. Now, here she was. A knock on her door this morning, a polite but firm request to come in for questioning. She heard footsteps outside. Her light brown eyes flicked to the door as it opened. A woman entered, carrying herself with a calm confidence that filled the room. She had shoulder-length honey-blonde hair, and piercing grey eyes. This was Detective Rochelle—the one who’d brought her in. Rochelle put a laptop on the table and sat down casually across from her. Rochel
At the mid-level restaurant, where he had just started a part-time job, it was only his second day, but already he felt the weight of it. He couldn’t help but reflect on how precious this opportunity was, something he never fully appreciated until now. Being an orphan, expelled from school, and having spent time in juvenile detention, getting any job felt like a small miracle. He didn’t remember ever working this hard for a paycheck, but here he was, doing everything to hold onto it. He was a young boy in his early twenties, with long auburn hair and striking ocean-blue eyes. His one hand was covered in tattoos like a sleeve, and his ear was pierced with a stud earring. He had amazing looks that caught the gazes of a few people. He was busy cleaning the table when his gaze drifted out the window, and his eyes caught sight of a sleek, stunning supermoto parked outside. For a brief moment, envy flared within him. He couldn’t help but wish he owned something like that. "No, Lian," h