The music red, drowning out her cries for help. Atst, she was dragged out through the back door.
Filled with fury, Willow fought back. She delivered a strong kick that caught one of the kidnappers off
guard.
“Ah!” The kidnapper did not react in time and received a fierce kick. At the same time, shended a
punch on another kidnapper who was not expecting it, delivering a blow to his face. Breaking free from
their grasp, she sprinted forward, with the kidnappers giving chase and yelling. “Stop right there!”
As Willow ran through the employee corridor, she noticed it was empty, with no one around to ask for
help. The sound of her footsteps rang through the reverberating hallway. Behind her, four kidnappers
relentlessly pursued her, their footsteps closing in. She had to find a way to escape their clutches and
find help before it was toote.
“Stop running. Stop!” Behind her came the shouts from the kidnappers. Willow’s disbelief was palpable
as she realized she had be the target of kidnappers, and what was even more surprising was that
they did not appear affiliated with any well-known international organizations. Her father had taught her
some self-defense techniques and martial arts since childhood, providing her with valuable skills to
handle encounters with ordinary men. Still, they might not be sufficient against highly skilled
adversaries.
Since her bodyguards were out of reach, she found herself relying solely on her abilities in this critical
moment. It was nighttime, and she was running through an employee corridor. Amid the chaos, she felt
like a bewildered cat, desperately searching for any nook or cranny to offer her temporary refuge.
“Don’t escape, stand still!’ The kidnappers relentlessly pursued her, showing they were determined to
catch her, even if it meant risking their lives for the ransom. She was gasping for breath. After all, a
girl’s body had its limitations, and she was running out of air.
As Willow reached the deck position in that pivotal moment, a surge of despair threatened. to consume
her. With nowhere left to hide, she braced herself for the worst. Yet, amidst the dimness, she discerned
the silhouette of a man,. a figure that provided a glimmer of hope in the darkness. Though the
surroundings obscured his features, she instinctively knew she was not alone.
She ran toward the man but did not clearly see what he was doing. She only saw that he had a gun,
pointing it at a man kneeling before him.
‘Please spare me! I was forced to do it. Selling those files was not my n,” the man pleaded, raising
his hands before the tall, shadowy figure. His expression was filled with fear, as if he were standing
before the king of hell, someone who could damn him with a single thought.
Just then, he saw a slender figure sprinting toward them. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he
immediately had a cunning thought and purposely shouted, “Spare me! Mr. Wyatt, I won’t do it again.
I’ll do anything you want, so just spare my life.”
The man deliberately disturbed the sound of the girl’s footsteps as she ran toward them. In that crucial
moment, the man standing before him, driven by his sharp instincts, felt a presence behind him. He
turned his head and saw a woman appearing from the dimness of the deck, charging toward him.
“Help! Save me!” Willow eximed as she rushed forward, her movements slightly unsteady. In a
moment of instability, she unintentionally leaned forward and embraced the man in front of her.
“Ah!” It was not her intention, but her running speed was too fast, creating momentum that forced her to
embrace the man’s waist.
Her slender arms instinctively tightened around his muscr waist as she held on to him. At that
moment, a piercing gunshot echoed through the air, capturing her attention. A mant rushed toward the
man she was holding, trying to grab his gun.
As Willow was startled, a powerful force pushed her away, causing her to lose her bnce and fall
clumsily to the ground. Meanwhile, the man who tried to seize the gun vaulted over the railing and
jumped into the sea. As for her savior…
He stood by the railing, his gaze fixed on the sea’s dark depths for a few seconds, and his expression
turned inscrutable. Then, with a deliberate turn, his attention shifted toward Willow. The gun in his hand
was now pointed directly at her.
A gasp escaped her lips, a mixture of shock and realization. This man not only openly carried a gun but
also seemed intent on killing her. Only then did she realize she might have ruined something for him.
“I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” she stammered in fear.
“Who are you?” The man’s icy voice filled with anger. “I… I’m just someone seeking help. I was…” She
turned and looked back, only to find that the kidnappers chasing her had vanished. She blinked,
confident that the gunshot had scared off those kidnappers. Now, she was left alone here, performing a
one-woman show.
“Ouch! It hurts!” Willow could not bear the force, and her face twisted in pain. This man is way too
rough.
“Come with me,” the manmanded. “Why should I go with you?” She felt this man posed an even
greater danger than the earlier kidnappers. Whom have I offended?
N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.
“You messed up my n. I have every reason to suspect you’re in league with my target.” The man
sneered, his eyes emanating a chilling aura. At that, she refused outright and retorted loudly, “I don’t
even know the man from earlier. Why should I go with you?”
“If you don’t want to end up dead,e with me.” The man suddenly seized her, forcefully pulling her
along, the threat hanging heavily in the air. “Hey, let go of me! I know I messed up your n. I can
make it up to you. Just name your price!’ Desperate to save her life, she contemted using money as
a bargaining chip.
The man ignored her and persisted in dragging her forward; her anxiety grew. “Sir, my name is Willow
Presgrave. Feel free to check my background. I have absolutely no connection to your target.” Just
then, two men in suits appeared ahead. Before she could say anything else, the man scooped her up
and whisked her away.
“Ah!” She had not evenprehended what was happening when she found herself in midair.
Suddenly, gunshots echoed from behind, causing her to scream instinctively and shield her head.
In that instant, a muffled thud reverberated through the air as a bullet struck its mark before Willow was
swiftly ced back on the ground. Whoosh! Another bullet whizzed past her face and hit a nearby
metal te, jolting her and leaving her in utter shock.
“Where is your room?” the man asked hoarsely. She turned around and was shocked, covering her
mouth. His gray shirt was stained crimson, forming a pool of blood on his chest. Good heavens! He’s
been shot!
“I live on the sixth floor. Are you okay?” “Take me to your room for cover,” the man said with a wheezing
voice. His hand pressed against his chest, blood still trickling.
“The elevator is this way.” Willow reached out and supported him, thinking that since he had saved her
life earlier, it was only fair to return the favor and save him.
As she briskly guided him forward, they stumbled upon a serendipitous sight-an ascending elevator.
Seizing the moment, she ushered him inside, only to catch a glimpse of the two relentless pursuers
from before, hot on their heels with firearms in hand. A bullet collided with the closing elevator doors,
unleashing a thunderous st that jolted her into an involuntary cry of terror.
At that very moment, the elevator illuminated, and she found herself face-to-face with the man, his
features revealed in startling rity. She could not fathom how young he appeared, utterly defying her
earlier impression based on his voice, which had led her to believe he was of middle age.
“Who are those people? Why are they chasing you?” she asked. The man narrowed his eyes and
nced at her. “It does you no good to know.”
She was taken aback and said, “Alright, by saving your life now, we’re even.”