She was barely clothed. If that dog managed to sink its teeth into her, there would be no escape or way to protect
herself.
Her legs shook with fear, but she couldn’t stop. Clinging to the wall, she scrambled and crawled in the opposite direction of the stray dog. She turned at every alley and corner, doing everything she could to lose it, not daring to look back for even a second.
At first, the sound of the barking followed her relentlessly, but as she weaved through the narrow streets and dim alleys, it started to fade. All that remained was the rushing of the wind and the pounding of her breath.
She had no idea how much time had passed, but eventually, she couldn’t run any longer. Her body was exhausted, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. When she looked around, she realized with a jolt of panic that she had no idea where she was. She had wandered so far from the city that even the streets felt foreign.
Staring at the overgrown weeds and desolate landscape in front of her, she felt completely hopeless. “Is anyone out there? Help! Where am I?”
Her voice echoed, but all she heard in return was the sound of the wind sweeping across the empty land.
There was no one. No signs, no landmarks, not even a street sign to guide her. The only creatures she saw were stray cats and dogs. There was no one to help her. Even if she swallowed her pride and tried to call the police, it would be just as useless.
Regret filled her heart, sharp and bitter. If only she had known that Isabella had more power than she initially thought, she would’ve played the long game. Instead, she had tried to cut corners and ended up with nothing but humiliation and loss.
That night, she couldn’t find her way back. Afraid of running into dangerous people, she had no choice but to curl up beneath a large tree in the wilderness, shivering through the night. She spent the entire night cold and terrified, only to be found the next morning by a passerby on his way to fish. After calling the police, they sent her home.
By the time she returned, her reputation had been completely destroyed. She was physically sick from the cold and emotionally drained.
But her streak of bad luck was far from over.
The following morning, two men in black suits arrived. They took her to the hospital, their grip on her unyielding.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 18
