Large wine barrels lined the riverbank, providing cover for the rescue efforts. There were people assisting from above. Emery’s men were still floundering in the water, unable to react in time.


    “What are you all standing around for? Shoot them!” Emery, realizing they were trying to rescue the children, yelled in a rage.


    From Paige’s vantage point, she could see bits of the action. Mira, Rey, and the others had half their bodies hanging over the bank, frantically passing children behind the wine barrels. In the river, Emery’s men were thrashing about.


    The mercenaries, who had been mercilessly killing onnd, quickly gathered upon hearing themotion, opening fire wildly at the barrels.


    “Everyone into the water!” Paige shouted while fighting, keeping an eye on the situation.


    Mira shoved a child to safety before slipping under the water just as a bullet struck the spot she had been standing on the bank, leaving a deep hole.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Gunshots echoed, deafening. The two groups shed beneath the water’s surface.


    Emery watched, noticing some of his men were poor swimmers and couldn’t hold their ground. He barked, “Shoot into the water!”


    Paige looked at Emery in disbelief. His men were still underwater-how could he…


    The rapid gunfire continued, and bullets rained down into the river, creating whirlpools. Blood began spreading in the water, mixing with floatingnterns, painting the clear river with deep red strokes like in a macabre painting.


    The gunfire was relentless. The water beneath the bridge grew redder and redder, thick with blood.


    Suddenly, arge figure surfaced-his body riddled with bullet holes. He floated lifelessly on the bloody river.


    Rey…


    Paige stared in shock, a piercing pain exploding from her chest. She couldn’t hear anything anymore-the gunfire, the burning mes, the screams-all became muffled and distant.


    A sharp de dug deep into her back, but she remained focused on the bloody water, watching as it changed color.


    “**Emery Gustin!**”


    Paige screamed his name, her eyes zing with fury as she shed her way through the enemies, leaving a trail of blood. Blood sttered across her body and face, blurring her vision.


    Through the crimson haze, she saw Emery sitting on the bridge, smiling as he watched her struggle.


    Paige, nowpletely unhinged, charged toward him, ignoring the wounds and the men trying to stop her. Even when a knife stabbed into her, she didn’t flinch, relentlessly pushing forward.


    Her pale face was now smeared with blood, resembling grotesque war paint.


    Emery’s eyes widened in shock. He leaped up to dodge, but Paige was already upon him, driving a knife toward his chest. Though he managed to deflect the blow slightly, the de still plunged deep into his shoulder.


    “**Ahh!**”


    Emery screamed in agony.


    Covered in blood, Paige pinned him down, her eyes zing with rage. She twisted the knife cruelly, grinding it into his flesh and bone.


    Emery’s world spun from the pain, paralyzing him.


    “**Is this fun?**” Paige growled, her lips dripping blood as she spat out each word. “**Emery, is this game fun now?**”


    She threw his own words back at him.


    Pushing the knife deeper, she drove it through his shoulder until it clinked against the cold stone of the bridge, the de now bent from the force.


    Emery’s face drained of color, too overwhelmed by the pain to speak.


    Paige’s bloody hand gripped the knife, while the other strangled his throat. Her slender fingers squeezed, causing his eyes to widen in terror.


    Just then, Emery’s men rushed over, yanking her off him and tossing her down the stone steps.


    “**Bang!**”


    Paige tumbled down the steps, her chest kicked hard, her body mming into the sharp edge of the bridge.


    She nced down and saw Bobby’s body floating in the water, motionless beneath her. His head bore a massive bullet wound, and in his hand, he still clutched a wooden charm. Faintly visible were the words “Stay Safe.”


    Paige copsed against the bridge, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. She spat it out, only to be kicked again.


    She rolled further down the steps, her head smashing against a wooden crate, and her vision went ck.


    It took a long moment before her sight returned.


    Shey on the ground, the crate beside her engulfed in mes, its fiery tendrils flickering dangerously close to her face. A burning piece of wood hovered overhead, threatening to fall at any moment, the heat searing her eyes.


    Paige knew she should move, but she couldn’t muster the strength.


    She couldn’t die here.


    Enrico was still waiting for her toe back. They had promised to face this together. He still had to reim his position as president of the Gustin Group.


    She couldn’t break that promise.


    Paige couldn’t feel how many wounds covered her body. Every inch of her ached, as if all her blood had drained out. She propped herself up with one hand, teeth clenched against the pain, and dragged her body forward inch by inch.


    “**tter!**”


    The burning piece of wood fell beside her, narrowly missing her.


    A de shed across her back again, followed by a heavy kick that sent her rolling once more down the steps.


    She curled up on the ground, her breathing shallow. Through the haze of pain, a faint glimmer of light flickered before her eyes.


    She squinted to see what it was. Amid the smoke and heat, a tall figure slowly ascended the steps, his face sharp and cold in the firelight.


    The man gazed at her, his dark red eyes calm, eerily calm, as if he saw none of the hellish chaos around them in River Town.


    His bloodstained hands dangled at his sides, fingers marred with scratches.


    **Enrico…**


    Paige thought she must be hallucinating, but the man stopped in front of her, bending down to lift her from the ground, cradling her in his arms.


    Emery’s men hesitated, unsure whether to attack. They looked back at Emery, who sat on the bridge clutching his wounded shoulder, half-dead as his subordinates bandaged him up.


    He nced at Enrico carrying Paige, his breath catching. “Call everyone over,” hemanded. “Guard me.”


    Even with weapons in hand, Emery’s first instinct was to hide.


    Paige, barely conscious, leaned weakly in Enrico’s arms, watching her blood seep into the white of his shirt.


    Enrico gently set her down, propping her against a barrel. She was drenched in blood, with no other color visible on her body.


    Kneeling beside her, he barely touched her, simply staring, his expression so calm it made Paige uneasy.


    “I’m fine, Enrico…” Paige rasped, clutching his sleeve. “Don’t worry… really, don’t worry.”