âWhat do you want to do?â Ariana demanded, her heart racing as she pointed her gun at K.
âThink twice before making a foolish move.
Even a trapped animal will defend itself, and Iâm battling for survival here.
Itâs wise to keep your options open for the future.
When I return to Eleymond, Iâll bear in mind your help and reciprocate.
â
âYou can talk about that after youâre able to leave the estate,â K retorted, his gaze contemptuous and his voice chilling.
âBennett instructed me to take you back.
â
âWhat if I refuse to go back, even at the cost of my life?â Ariana gritted her teeth, her fury simmering.
She hated Bennett.
Without him, she wouldnât have endured this prolonged separation from Holden and her child.
His interference had led to Holden and Adrianâs perilous situation while trying to rescue her, causing suffering for everyone involved.
Every bit of this chaos was Bennettâs doing.
âI detest Bennett to the core; Iâd choose death over returning to him,â
Ariana declared firmly.
âIf you insist on taking me back, then take my dead body back and tell Bennett to f@ck off!â
Ariana was seething with anger, her voice resonating through the silent woods.
Now, she felt trapped, like a cornered rabbit.
She swore that if she ever ran into Bennett again, she would kill him.
Kâs face remained stoic, his indifference highlighting Arianaâs intense fury.
His cold gaze contrasted starkly with her fiery determination.
Feeling like a helpless shrimp about to be boiled alive, Ariana felt helpless.
This realization only made her sink into despair.
She hadnât found Holden yet and doubted he was still alive.
Dying without a fight and handing victory to those jerks on a silver platter were something she couldnât stand.
If she died here today, she believed Sadie and Zayden would be more than happy.
âs
Those monsters!
Just thinking about the pain they had caused her and Holden while facing no consequences made Arianaâs blood boil.
She wanted them to join her in the depths of despair.
But right now, she felt powerless, forced to think that her enemies must be enjoying their lives without a care in the world.
Fury eclipsed her fear.
She held back her tears and reignited her resolve.
She knew well that crying would not sway K nor help her situation.
It would only make him despise her further.
Now, she was determined to hold onto her dignity even if she would die.
âIâm not going back,â Ariana said again with a cold gaze.
âYouâve got two choices-either I shoot you, or you leave.
â
Her threat felt almost comically naive, like an ant trying to challenge a tiger, but she had to say that.
Considering the current situation, this was her only way to summon any bit of courage.