In the quiet, empty emergency exit behind the hotel, Sophia faced Ashlyn. She now appeared as an ordinary figure, easily blending into any crowd. But her eyes—those eyes—were piercing, cold, and unyielding.
Ashlyn took a shaky breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She spoke, her voice steady despite the fear.
“Katelyn’s work is gone. As we agreed, you owe me the antidote.”
Ashlyn fixed her gaze on Sophia, though her heart pounded uneasily in her chest. She wasn’t sure whether Sophia would actually hand over the antidote, especially since Katelyn’s work hadn’t been destroyed by her.
Sophia casually leaned against the wall, arms crossed, her eyes locked on Ashlyn with cold disdain.
“You think you can just walk away with the antidote without finishing the job?”
Ashlyn shot back, “No matter how it happened, Katelyn’s work is gone. You owe me the antidote, as per our agreement.”
The unease still clung to her, and even now, her limbs felt weighed down with numbness. A real fear of dying crept into Ashlyn’s mind.
Sophia answered without hesitation, her voice sharp.
“There’s no antidote. You’ve got nothing to offer.” She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing before she added, “If you want the antidote, you’ll have to keep working for me.” It was clear now—Sophia intended to keep Ashlyn under her control for as long as she could.
In that instant, a harsh realization struck Ashlyn. Even if she had been the one to destroy Katelyn’s work at the competition, Sophia could still refuse to give her the antidote. Ashlyn knew then that she would have to take action.
You’d Be A
In that moment, Ashlyn’s decision was made. Her complexion drained of color as she stared at Sophia in shock.
“How… how could you?”
Sophia stepped closer to Ashlyn, seizing her chin with a smirk.
? .
“If it weren’t for your face, you’d be a goner by now.”
As Sophia’s gaze bore into her, Ashlyn felt an icy dread creep down her spine.
Sophia’s tone was cold as she continued, “You need to watch your step, or you might not make it through another day.”
It felt like being cornered by a terrifying predator. Fear was evident on Ashlyn’s face as she stammered, “What… what do you expect me to do?”
“Slip this into Katelyn’s drink,” Sophia instructed, handing Ashlyn a pill.
With trembling hands, Ashlyn accepted the pill.
Sophia caressed Ashlyn’s cheek with a finger, her nails almost breaking the skin.
“Remember the consequences if you fail.”
Ashlyn was frozen in place. Suddenly, a voice disrupted the tense atmosphere.
“Miss Marshall, are you there?” Katelyn’s voice echoed with concern.
Sophia’s face hardened as she cautioned, “You know exactly what to say and what to keep quiet about.” She then turned and walked out through the opposite side of the corridor.
As Sophia walked away, Ashlyn’s legs buckled beneath her, causing her to collapse to the ground.
Katelyn pushed open the fire door and glanced at Ashlyn with concern.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick again?”
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