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!"

The men outside bellowed obscenities while pounding on the door.

Ariana forced herself to take deep, calming breaths. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage and her legs turned to jelly.

Fumbling against the wall, she managed to push herself to a standing position. She switched on her phone light to survey her surroundings.

It appeared to be an electrical room, with a sturdy fire-resistant door. The men outside wouldn't be able to breach it quickly. She could remain hidden and wait for help.

Ariana shook off the initial shock, her mind racing to Sarah, who had gone to find a flashlight. But considering the men seemed focused on her, Sarah should be safe.

The continuous banging on the door and the angry curses of the men could be heard.

"Blast it! Wasn't this place supposed to have burnt down? Why's the damn door so solid? Damn it!"

Ariana threw a glance at the fire door, praying that Sarah had escaped. At the same time, she fumbled to unlock her phone with shaking hands, intending to call for help.

Yet, as she opened the dialer app, she froze. A message flashed at the top of her screen.

No signal. No network coverage!

On the barred bridge, Theodore cast a cold, contemptuous gaze at Zayden, a glance that likened him to discarded waste.

“Get your crew out of Blue Night Manor. Now!"

Zayden, struggling for words, bore a look of flaming rage. He appeared convinced that Theodore wouldn't dare lay a hand on him, and his face bore a disdainful smirk.

Theodore remained silent. With an unreadable look, he pulled the gun from Zayden's mouth and aimed for his leg, firing without a second's hesitation.

"Fuck you!" A shriek pierced the air, followed by another bang. Theodore forced Zayden back onto the car hood, one hand pinning him down. The muzzle of the gun silenced his screams, plunging back into Zayden's mouth.