Ariana seethed with fury, attempting to deliver a well-aimed kick to his groin while hissing through gritted teeth, “Sluggish? We'll see about that!"

But Bennett effortlessly blocked her kick with his foot.

He maneuvered her into a corner, restricting her leg movements.

With one hand firmly gripping her wrists against the door, he gently placed a finger on her lips, leaning in close and whispering, “Don't let anger cloud your judgment. It can lead you down a treacherous path."

Ariana's face flushed with rage as she struggled in vain, her eyes fixed on Bennett with an intense glare. If looks could kill, Bennett would have met his demise a thousand times over.

Bennett seemed to derive some amusement from her struggles, lightly caressing her face with his hand. In a surge of anger, Ariana sunk her teeth into his hand, refusing to release her grip.

Bennett winced slightly but maintained his composure as he stated, "Don't test my patience! I'm running out of it now."

His voice carried a softness, yet an unmistakable undercurrent of danger lingered in his words.

A chill ran down Ariana's spine, causing her to tense up as she finally let go of his hand.

Bennett examined the bite mark on his hand, nonchalantly wrapping a handkerchief over it.

Ariana remained stunned, a wave of fear washing over her.

Once Bennett finished tending to his hand, he suddenly yanked at Ariana's hair, eliciting a grunt of pain from her.

Narrowing his gaze, he maintained a faint smile as he surveyed her face and remarked, “Seems like you haven't truly tasted fear yet.”

His expression then hardened, his smile vanishing, as he dragged Ariana along with him.

Ariana's terror reached a fever pitch, her instincts screaming at her to break loose. But Bennett had her in a vice grip, and she had already burned through most of her strength in their earlier tussle.

Helpless, she had no choice but to let Bennett haul her along like a ragdoll.

He took her to a table and punched a button. A section of the room slid open, revealing a carpeted hallway bathed in light. Cheers drifted from afar.

They made their way to a door at the hallway's end, leading to a concealed platform overlooking the spectacle below.

Perched atop, the platform was the venue's highest vantage point, cunningly tucked away from casual view.

Below, a crowd had gathered, their fervent cheers directed towards something unfolding beneath.