On the way, Alicia was entirely consumed with thoughts of Monica’s safety, never once considering who might be behind it all.

Discovering that Joshua was responsible didn’t surprise her; fear had already taken hold of her mind. A deep-seated grudge had existed between them since their divorce, and Joshua, always in turmoil, now sought to channel all his suffering onto her.

When Joshua reached out to touch her, Alicia recoiled in disgust. Her body trembled as she instinctively tried to move away, but his hand shot out, gripping her chin tightly. His voice dropped, dark with menace. “You still have the nerve to reject me?”

The pressure of his grip felt like it was crushing her bones, but Alicia refused to break. She gritted her teeth, pushing through the pain, and demanded, “Where is Monica?”

Joshua sneered, his eyes dark with cruelty. “Shouldn’t you be more worried about your own life? Monica was just the bait—you’re the one I want.”

Without warning, he ripped off her blindfold and threw her onto the bed, pinning her down. His lips came crashing down on hers, but Alicia fought back, biting his nose hard before jerking her head away. Joshua cried out in pain, stumbling back as he grabbed his now-bleeding nose.

Alicia’s eyes blazed with fury. “Take me to Monica—now!”

Joshua seized her by the neck and snarled, “She’s dead!”

For a split second, Alicia’s breath caught in her throat. She was consumed by a wave of despair, but almost instantly, her resolve returned. She locked eyes with him, her voice steady. “No, that’s impossible. You didn’t kill her. The drug in your system was developed and modified by Monica. Only she knows the cure.”

Joshua’s fingers tightened around her throat, his eyes ablaze with deep-seated hatred.

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She was right; he hadn’t killed Monica. The drug was part of the reason, but more importantly, he lacked the courage to commit murder.

With a shove, Joshua pushed Alicia into a dimly lit room. The moment the door creaked open, vicious dogs began barking furiously.

In the center of the room, Monica hung suspended in mid-air, her leg bloodied and battered.

The sight of her friend in such a state shattered Alicia’s heart. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she bit her lip, forcing herself to stay composed. Turning to Joshua, her voice thick with emotion, she pleaded, “I’m the one you want. Let her go!”

Joshua responded calmly, a sinister smile tugging at his lips. “Now that you’re here, why should I let her go?”

Alicia’s voice was hoarse but resolute as she said, “Monica’s been missing for almost a day. If her family reports you to the police, you’re done for. You won’t get away with this!”

Her words echoed through the room, sharp and clear.

Joshua stared at her, noticing the change in her demeanor. It hadn’t been long, but she had become sharper, calmer, and braver. Even though she stood right before him, he felt as though she were miles away.

He reached out to grab her neck again, but Alicia acted quickly. She sank her teeth into his hand, breaking the skin. Blood welled up instantly. Joshua yelped in pain, flinging her off with a growl of fury.

He sneered, “Once I’m finished with you, I’ll let her go. Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

Despite his words, Alicia’s heart raced with anxiety. “Aren’t you afraid her family will come after you?”

Joshua’s eyes narrowed as his tone turned cold. “What do I have to fear now?” He paused, then his face twisted with bitterness. “Alicia, do you even realize what you and Caden have driven me to?”

At the mention of Caden, a twisted smile spread across his face. He pulled out Alicia’s phone. “Did you two break up?”

Alicia didn’t have time to process his taunt; her focus was elsewhere. She stared at him intently.

He continued, “I told you before—Caden would get sick of you and dump you soon. And now? How does it feel seeing him so smitten with Yolanda?”

Surrounded by the foul stench and the men’s leering eyes, Alicia’s hope of escape slowly slipped away. Her fate—whether she lived or died—was now entirely in Joshua’s hands.

She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, her voice steady but defiant. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it, Joshua. Stop wasting time.”

But Joshua, savoring her despair, wasn’t ready to end it. With a twisted smile, he handed her the phone. “Want to make a bet? Call Caden. Let’s see if he’ll come to save you.”

Alicia’s lips curled in disdain. She knew all too well what the answer would be, and she refused to degrade herself further. If she were to die here, she would do so with her dignity intact. The last thing she wanted was to make a fool of herself in front of Caden.

Joshua, however, was intent on breaking her spirit. His voice turned venomous. “If you don’t call him, I’ll have someone hurt Monica.”

Alicia clenched her teeth so hard that she tasted blood. Joshua, thinking she didn’t believe him, barked an order to bring Monica down.

Alicia’s heart raced, and she relented quickly. “I’ll call him!” Her hands shook as she reached for the phone. She could have simply pressed the emergency dial to reach Caden, but instead, she numbly entered his number.

Joshua watched her actions with amusement. “You must be obsessed with him if you know his number by heart.”

Alicia’s fingers paused. It was only now that she realized this. Despite everything, Caden’s number was still etched in her mind.

As the line began to ring, her initial resignation crumbled, and a fragile hope took its place. Would he come? No—he was far away, in Averibon. Yet, in that moment, she couldn’t help but feel hopeful. What if Caden did care about her, even just a little?

She should have been dead by Joshua’s hand long ago, but it was Caden who had given her those fleeting moments of happiness.

The phone rang for what felt like an eternity. Then, finally, it was answered. But the voice on the other end wasn’t his.

It was Yolanda, her tone lazy and dismissive. “Hello? Who is this?”