She hadn't expected the man to have a backup. The commotion had alerted two more men, who promptly rushed up from the floor below. Seeing she was outnumbered, Ariana chose to run away.

The men gave chase. Heart pounding, she pushed herself to outpace them, barely managing to slip into a small room before they could catch up to her.

Though cramped, the room offered her a respite. The door lock had miraculously survived the fire, giving her a temporary refuge.

A previous injury throbbed in her foot, a grim reminder of her narrow escape just moments before. As she remembered the close call, a shiver coursed down her spine and cold sweat dripped down her body.

“Open up, you bitch! We promise you a good time later!"