“Ryker is coming to the warehouse because of the disappearance of BlackHood,” the man confessed, his voice shaky.“Disappearance of BlackHood?” Clara repeated slowly, her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. She looked at Amara, then back at the man. “What happened to him?”The man’s lips parted, ready to speak again, but before the words could leave his mouth, a soft noise came from the side. Sophia, still tied and bruised, cleared her throat deliberately, catching his attention. With just one glance, she signaled him not to say a word more.Amara noticed it immediately.“SHUT UP!” she barked, turning on Sophia with sudden rage. She stepped forward and struck her hard across the face, the sound of the slap ringing out sharply. Sophia’s head snapped to the side, her face twisting in pain, but she didn’t make a sound.“Shoot him in the leg again if he refuses to answer you,” Amara said coldly, her voice low and cold.“He already knows I’ll do that,” Clara replied, grinning with cruel

But… but what if we end up like, I’m just having this feeling that this plan is not going to…” Olivia muttered, her voice trembling, barely louder than a whisper. Her eyes darted nervously around the dimly lit hall, and her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her jacket.Before she could finish what she was saying ,Allesandra spun around to face her, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.“NOTHING WILL HAPPEN!” she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls of the warehouse.The room fell silent for a moment. Olivia stared at her, wide-eyed, startled by the sudden outburst. Even the other girls paused briefly in their tasks, glancing over in surprise.Allesandra quickly softened her gaze. She took a deep breath, stepping closer to Olivia. Gently, she placed both hands on her friend’s shoulders and spoke more calmly this time.“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice low and sincere. “I didn’t mean to shout at you. I really didn’t. But what I’m trying to say is that everything will be fine

This agitated Ryker even more. His fists clenched at his sides, and his voice thundered through the room.“Watch and see what I’m going to do with you!”There was a moment of silence before the caller responded, his tone calm and confident, almost taunting.“You can’t do anything, Ryker. And let me warn you, Mr. Ryker, if you raise your voice at me again, I will cut off one of his fingers and send it to you. I want you to listen very carefully to what I’m about to say. Don’t yell. Don’t shout. But if you’re feeling brave, go ahead and give it a try.”Ryker narrowed his eyes. A cruel smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, looking in disbelief.“You can’t do anything,” he said confidently. “Do you really think I’m that easy to fool? BlackHood was never kidnapped. He’s sleeping right inside his room as we speak. So don’t waste your time pretending you stumbled across my number and trying to scare some cash out of me. I’m not falling for that.”There was a brief silence on the other end

The rain poured with relentless intensity, turning the streets of Langley Heights into glistening rivers of silver. Allesandra trudged through the rainfall , her once-elegant beige coat clinging to her body like a second skin, weighed down by the water that drenched her to the "bone". Her boots, caked in mud, splashed through shallow puddles as her trembling hands clutched the strap of the nylon she was holding. Her long dark hair, soaked and tangled, plastered against her pale face as she approached the familiar path that led to her family’s estate.She paused at the front of her house, tears mingled with raindrops on her cheeks as memories rushed in like a cruel flood. The only daughter of Johnson Emipre, one of the principal shareholders of Ryker’s Oil Company was now standing in front of her family's empire like an animal. She remember how she was treated like an animal back at the hostel.Her swollen eyes gazed upward at the dark sky, thunder rolling like a war drum in the distan

The attendant approached them with a faint smile and said, “Excuse me, ma’am. Please tighten your seatbelts. The plane will be taking off soon.”Allesandra’s mother nodded kindly. “Of course. Thank you for the reminder.”She leaned forward and pulled the seatbelt around her waist, putting it into place. Then, she turned to her daughter, gently lifting the seatbelt strap beside Allesandra.“Let me help you with yours,” she said softly.Allesandra, still a bit sleepy, lifted her arms slightly. Her mother carefully brought the belt across her lap and fastened it securely.“There,” her mother said with a small smile, patting her hand. “All set now.”Just then, the captain’s voice came through the overhead speakers, calm and clear.“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board. This is your captain speaking. We’re preparing for departure from Washington City, and our journey to Royals City will begin shortly. The estimated flight time is approximately ten hours. We ask that you remain seated wit