Katelyn didn’t move. “I don’t care. It has nothing to do with me.” Her tone was calm, almost detached.

Sophia stiffened. A flicker of unease crossed her face.

T Organization had given her just two weeks, and time was slipping away. Days had passed with no real progress. Now, Katelyn was acting indifferent. The whole thing filled Sophia with anxiety.

If things continued like this, Sophia didn’t even want to think about the consequences. She had seen firsthand what happened to those who failed. Zoey’s fate had been horrifying enough. And if T Organization decided to punish her, the suffering Zoey had endured would seem merciful in comparison.

Panic crept into Sophia’s chest. She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “Do you really not care about the lives of countless people? You know what T Organization does. If they aren’t stopped, thousands will suffer—men, women, even children.”

Of course, Katelyn knew the dirty deeds the T Organization was involved in. Prostitution, fraud, extortion—those were only surface-level crimes. Beneath them lay horrors far worse. Organ trafficking. Human experiments. Turning living, breathing people into nothing more than playthings for the depraved elite. Even children…

Katelyn forced the thought away before it could take root. Yes, their methods were monstrous. But in this moment, she looked at Sophia with empty eyes, her expression unreadable.

“So what? That’s not my problem,” she said coolly, rising from her seat, ready to leave.

But then Sophia’s voice rang out behind her. “What if the people T Organization kidnaps are the ones closest to you? Would you still be this indifferent?”

First appeared in glnov els.o

Katelyn froze. In one swift motion, she turned back—her gaze sharp and lethal. Before Sophia could react, Katelyn stepped forward and slammed her foot straight into Sophia’s leg.

Sophia dropped, her knee striking the hard ground with a painful crack. A sharp gasp tore from her lips.

But Katelyn wasn’t done. She grabbed Sophia by the throat, her fingers pressing against her skin like a vice. Her voice dropped to an icy whisper. “Sophia, I don’t care what you do. But if you ever lay a hand on the people I love—” Her grip tightened. “I will make your life a living hell.”

Her eyes burned cold, void of mercy. Then, just as quickly, Katelyn shoved Sophia away.

Sophia crumpled onto the ground, coughing as she gasped for air. A soft, eerie chuckle escaped her lips. “Ha! This is only the beginning, Katelyn.”

What did it matter if she was in hell? Sooner or later, Katelyn would be there with her. And that thought alone was enough.

If Katelyn cared so much about the people around her, then she shouldn’t blame Sophia for what would come next.

The next day, the sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly, chasing away the early autumn chill.

.

.

.