On the third day, Caden left for Averibon with Yolanda to attend a scientific conference.

A group of paparazzi caught them together at the airport café. They were portrayed as the perfect couple, and the news quickly became a trending topic once again.

Alicia came across the story and clicked on the photo.

Amid the snow-covered winter streets, Caden was dressed in a black coat, his gold-rimmed glasses adding an air of sophistication and allure. His familiar scarf was wrapped around his neck.

She paused, momentarily stunned.

He was still wearing the scarf she had given him.

Why was he still wearing it?

She couldn’t understand his reasons, but decided it was best not to dwell on it.

When they were together, she had often found him infuriating, but now, separated, anything related to him stirred unexpected emotions within her.

She couldn’t help but be affected.

Shaking off the thoughts, she refocused on her work, determined to distract herself.

Time passed quickly, but Monica was still nowhere to be found.

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Half an hour earlier, Alicia had tried calling Monica, but there was no answer. She assumed Monica might be exhausted and catching up on sleep, so she didn’t call again. Instead, she simply booked a table at Monica’s favorite restaurant.

Now, Alicia dialed Monica’s number again.

After a long wait, someone finally picked up.

Alicia sighed with relief. “Monica, are you awake?” she asked.

An unfamiliar voice responded, “She’s still out cold. Might be for days.”

The eerie tone immediately put Alicia on high alert.

She held her breath and asked, “Who are you?”

The person chuckled. “Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is whether you want to save your close friend.”

Alicia remained exceptionally calm.

Alicia hoped that perhaps Monica’s phone had been stolen and that this was just a malicious scam.

Then, after the call ended, a photo arrived showing Monica unconscious.

Monica’s face was pale, her eyes partially open, exposing the whites laced with faint bloodshot veins. She appeared to be in a deep sleep, and it was clear that she had fought desperately before this moment.

A profound sense of dread overwhelmed Alicia.

Was Monica injured? What horrors could she have faced? What was her current condition?

Alicia couldn’t remain idle any longer. She considered calling the police, but just then, another message arrived: “I’ve hacked your phone. If you contact the authorities, I’ll cut off one of her hands immediately.”

Alicia realized she couldn’t act impulsively.

This was her first encounter with such a terrifying situation, and it took her considerable time to regain her composure.

Another message appeared, providing an address and demanding that she come alone.

Before Alicia could process this, she received a video.

In the video, Monica had regained consciousness. She was suspended in midair, hanging over a cage filled with vicious dogs. The dogs snarled and barked at her, saliva dripping from their jaws. They looked both terrifying and repulsive.

Monica’s screams echoed in terror.

The camera panned to reveal a man’s face. He wore a sinister smile, laced with cruelty.

“Did you get the address I sent? I expect you before nightfall, or your friend will be the dogs’ dinner.”

Alicia stared at the screen, her face ghostly pale.

Another video followed immediately. This time, Monica was being lowered closer to the dogs. One of them leapt up and sank its teeth into her leg.

Blood seeped from the wound, and Monica’s screams rang out in the air.

Tears streamed down Alicia’s face as she clutched her phone tightly, shouting desperately for the man to stop. Her defenses crumbled with each passing second.

The man’s earlier threat echoed in her mind. Monica would die if anyone else got involved. She couldn’t risk calling the police or alerting anyone.

In a panic, Alicia grabbed whatever self-defense tools she could find and rushed out.

Winter nights fell quickly in Warrington.

As time slipped away, the sky darkened steadily. Fear crept over Alicia, and with trembling hands, she pressed down on the accelerator, driving faster than she ever had before. The address led her to a desolate mountaintop.

The drive was long and grueling, but she finally arrived. A lone figure stood in the distance.

The surrounding darkness, coupled with the absence of lights, made the silhouette appear even more terrifying, like something out of a nightmare.

Alicia jumped out of the car and ran toward the figure. Her voice was hoarse as she screamed, “Where’s my friend? Where is she?!”

The man stepped forward without a word. He swiftly covered her eyes and dragged her inside.

Alicia didn’t dare resist.

She knew these were ruthless people, and their threats weren’t empty. Her only chance to save Monica was to comply.

She had no choice but to gamble everything on this moment. It was her only option.

With her eyes covered, her other senses sharpened. The man beside her carried a strong scent of asphalt, mixed with the odor of animal fur. It smelled like livestock, maybe chickens or ducks.

Alicia took mental note of the detail.

Not long after, the man led her into a room.

Expecting a foul, musty odor, she was instead met with warm air carrying a surprisingly pleasant fragrance.

She tensed up and stood still.

With her vision blocked by the blindfold, she could only rely on sound. The click of leather shoes echoed as someone approached her. Then, the footsteps stopped.