chapter 4

Evelyn rushed straight into James's arms, pretending to be scared.

Her blouse hung loose, showing off the marks on her chest like trophies.

James pulled her close and frowned at me, disgust plain on his face. "Ava, you're a woman. Can't you at least clean yourself up? Look at you."

I let out a bitter laugh. "You locked me in a damn basement, and you still have the nerve to say this?

"If it weren't—"

"Don't blame her, James. Come on, let's go eat, Ava," Evelyn interrupted.

She stepped forward like she wanted to help, but her face twisted in disgust as she got close.

"Take a guess—if I fall right now, do you think James will blame you or me?" she asked.

I frowned, about to ask what she meant—then she fell sideways into a pile of junk.

"Ah! Ava, why did you push me?" Evelyn said.

"I—I didn't!" My heart skipped a beat as I turned to explain to James.

But he ignored me completely. He brushed past and shoved me aside as he scooped Evelyn up in his arms. "Evelyn, are you okay? Evelyn!"

My already unsteady body was slammed hard, and I tumbled to the ground.

Evelyn curled in his arms, looking pitiful, clinging to his neck. "James, I'm so scared."

"It's okay, I'll take you upstairs," he said softly.

My chest tightened, and I instinctively called out to him, "James, I—"

Hearing my voice, James finally spared me a glance. "Ava, I can't believe you to be this cruel.

"Looks like you still don't know your lesson. Then spend another day in there."

"Sir, ma'am, she—" Susan Foster, who'd always been kind to me, tried to explain but was cut off.

James's tone left no room for argument. "No one gives her food, no one lets her out. If anyone disobeys, I'll make you pay for it!"

After laying down his order, James turned and left without looking back.

I stared hard at his retreating figure and caught Evelyn's smug, taunting glance.

The iron door clanged shut again. I sank to the floor, defeated.

That night, smoke choked me awake.

When I opened my eyes, flames were already closing in.

I screamed for help, but no one came. Instead, I inhaled a lungful of smoke—my head went numb, my throat burning.

The piles of junk beneath my feet caught fire, the heat threatening to ignite me completely.

The fire grew, the air thinned. I pounded on the wall, desperate, but no one came.

My vision blurred. Was I... really going to die here?

Then suddenly—crash—something broke open above me. The vent.

A large hand reached down. "Give me your hand. I'll pull you up."

As if clutching at the last thread of hope, I reached out my hand. The smoke swallowed everything, and swallowed me along with it.

And then I lost consciousness.

......

Meanwhile, upstairs in the hall.