“Let her go! Whatever you want to do, do it to me."

When Ariana finally found the courage to emerge, a sinister smile tugged at Mike's lips as he rose from the floor and approached her. However, as soon as he took a step forward, he noticed her sudden retreat. A shard of glass gleamed in her hand, pressed against her throat.

"If you dare to advance another step, I shall kill myself right before your eyes," she declared.

In order to convince Mike of her resolve, Ariana applied a touch of force, leaving a conspicuous bloodstain on her neck.

In an instant, Mike's countenance darkened. He sneered, “You fool! I am but a common robber. Your insignificant life holds no significance to me."

Ariana locked her gaze onto him.

"The individual who sent you should have never permitted you to end my life, correct?"

As expected, Mike hesitated for a moment. Nevertheless, he replied with fierce determination, "Now that we are here, your life holds little value."

How could Ariana's simple ruse scare Mike, who had been in the business for many years? On the contrary, he found himself strangely intrigued by this woman, wondering if she possessed a similar fire in the bedroom.

“If that were true, why didn't you set me ablaze when I was inside earlier? Instead, you wasted time attempting to prolong the ordeal," Ariana retorted, her eyes shifting towards the positioned surveillance camera.

"They want you to torment me, not to capture my lifeless body in the DV, correct?"

Due to her anxiety, Ariana inadvertently exerted excessive force, causing the sharp glass shards to pierce through her palm, intensifying the scent of blood.

Ariana skillfully observed the flicker of doubt in Mike's eyes. She turned her attention to Sarah, her face bruised and her hands bound, which stirred a mixture of guilt and anger within Ariana. Locking eyes with Mike once again, she voiced her demand, "Release her. She has no involvement in this, and you know full well that she is a prominent star. If something truly transpires, her fans and company will not remain silent. Do you wish to escalate this into a major controversy?

Understand that you are not the sole one who will face the repercussions should public opinion spiral out of control."

Her words resonated with Mike, as the consequences of a substantial backlash would prove detrimental to their ability to conceal their actions. Thus, Mike wavered for a few fleeting seconds, before finally signaling Jack with a discreet wink. Jack quickly understood the situation and immediately loosened Sarah's tightly bound hands.

With her hands finally freed, Sarah instinctively took a step back, her eyes filled with worry as she glanced at Ariana.

She was about to voice her concerns when Ariana gave her a comforting look, subtly shaking her head.

“Get out of here. Don't wait for us to change our mind." Feeling impatient, Jack pushed Sarah forward, urging her to leave.

Sarah clenched her teeth, stealing one last glance at Ariana before reluctantly turning around and walking away.

“Is that okay now?" Mike squinted at Ariana, tugging at his waistband with a sly smile playing on his lips.