Chapter 3

Audrey stood frozen in place, oblivious to the dangerous glare fixed on her.

His words echoed in her mind, and she couldn't help but worry whether she would make it out of there unscathed.

What she had just witnessed far exceeded her wildest expectations. Countless possibilities flashed through her mind.

Perhaps Rylee had faced the same fate. Maybe this was how she vanished.

"Roy, this isn't going to be so easy to resolve."

Brian gritted his teeth against the pain, broke free from his restraints, and staggered to his feet.

He had come seeking reconciliation. His father had instructed him to agree to whatever terms were offered. However, he hadn't anticipated that this man had no intention of negotiating.

If he survived this humiliation, he would exact double the vengeance.

Hearing his outburst, Roy tore his gaze away from the woman and fixed it on the battered yet defiant man before him. A smirk touched his lips.

He leisurely pulled his tie from the buttonhole in his shirtfront and used it to wipe his hands.

"You're right. This debt of mine won't be settled so easily."

Brian's father had actually sent a novice to negotiate with him. In all his years in the game, he'd never been so blatantly underestimated.

Today was merely tit for tat. His losses hadn't even been factored in yet.

He roughly undid his soiled tie and tossed it carelessly onto the floor. He rose from the banquet table, preparing to leave. But as he reached the doorway, he stopped abruptly.

His gaze fell upon the woman beside him.

She was wrapped up so tightly. How could she dress like this for her job?

A veil hid her face, revealing only a pair of bright, watery eyes hinting at hidden panic.

Those alluring fox eyes should have been utterly captivating, but now, filled with fear and tension, they looked pitifully vulnerable.

He curved his lips slightly and reached out to lift her veil. Unexpectedly, before his fingers could touch her, she turned her head away. Audrey's reflexive act of self-protection happened without conscious thought. She lowered her head uneasily. Roy casually withdrew his hand, the playful amusement in his eyes deepening.

The head manager watched the scene unfold, dreading that this man might take a liking to the woman brought in at the last minute as a replacement.

"Roy, he's passed out."

Roy's subordinate hurriedly reported to the man, observing the convulsing body on the floor.

"Dump him at their park entrance."

The man ordered his men, yet his gaze remained fixed on the woman's face, studying her intently.

Audrey felt her heart race under his stare, her fingers clenching the hem of her skirt tightly. She had no idea what this man intended.

Had her instinctive dodge just now angered him?

Her body had flinched away from the approaching danger without a second thought, never considering whether it might anger him.

As her mind raced with wild speculation, the man beside her bent down and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

He pinched one between his fingers—a half-dried bloodstain stained the filter—and popped it into his mouth.

His sharp-witted henchman behind him promptly offered a lighter.

Roy didn't take it. With the cigarette clenched between his teeth, he pondered for a moment.

Seconds later, Audrey heard the man's slightly magnetic voice command her, "Come here. Light my cigarette.”

Her fingertips trembled slightly. His commanding tone shattered any lingering hope she might have had.

Not daring to provoke him further, she forced herself to remain calm as she took the lighter from the henchman.

Watching her, Roy understood. This woman could understand him.

So she really was American.

Her hand trembled slightly as she gripped the lighter.

She had never used one like this before and was clueless about how to open the lid. The heavy metal casing grew hot in her grasp; her movements were frantic with nervousness.

The manager standing nearby couldn't help but sweat inwardly.

This woman clearly had no experience—how she'd been hired was a mystery.

Just as he pondered how to ask another woman to help her, the man made his move.

Audrey felt his tall, imposing figure slowly closing in. Her hands shook even harder, yet she still couldn't ignite the lighter. Her nerves reached their peak, and the pretense of calm could no longer mask her inner terror.

Then, that towering, straight frame leaned down over her, and his sharp, commanding aura instantly enveloped her entire body.

The aura carried a faint scent of alcohol, making her feel as if her blood had stopped flowing entirely. She froze in place completely.

A warm breath brushed against her ear. Her trembling hand was firmly grasped by his cool, powerful palm. Immediately after, a deep, magnetic voice murmured in her ear, " "Press here."

His large hand didn't linger on hers, and the warm breath by her ear faded away. Yet he didn't leave; he merely pulled back slightly.

His dangerous gaze followed her like a shadow, fixated on every subtle signal her body emitted, refusing to miss a thing.

Audrey dared not lift her gaze; her throat tightened with nervousness, and she swallowed hard. Her fingertips gently pressed the hidden button on the side, and a flame instantly leapt to life with a cheerful crackle.

Breathing a slight sigh of relief, she slowly raised her arm and pinched the lighter between her fingers, bringing the flame toward the cigarette held between the man's lips.

As he observed the woman before him—her delicate, pale fingers; her slightly trembling lashes; and her eyes feigning calm yet betraying panic—Roy felt a peculiar tingle stir within him.

After taking a drag on the lit cigarette, he lowered it. Gripping the cigarette holder with his fingers, he leaned in and tilted his head with a hint of roguishness to seek out the woman's face, which she had lowered to avoid his gaze.

"Am I really that scary?" His tone was playful, as if teasing a child. Audrey hesitated for two seconds before gently shaking her head, not daring to make a sound.

The man chuckled softly; his laughter seemed amused by her timid demeanor.

He straightened up, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and spoke in a slightly deeper voice, "First time I've seen a woman scared of me like this."

Roy had only ever seen women tremble like this in bed before.

The faint excitement in his voice went unnoticed by all but the long-haired man behind him.

Saitou understood; this was the boss signaling his interest in the girl.

But, though he hadn't seen her face yet, she seemed utterly devoid of charm as he studied her closely.

She didn't fit his boss's usual type at all. After all, the boss always favored passionate, fiery, and seductively alluring women.

"Look up."

The man commanded again.

Audrey still clutched the lighter tightly. His words sent a sharp jolt through her heart.

She quickly steadied herself and forced calmness upon herself to avoid drawing further attention.

Slowly, she lifted her head. His face gradually came into focus, filling her vision bit by bit.

At such close range, she could see his features clearly.

He might have been a fellow countryman, but she knew better than to make such assumptions. Doing so would likely hasten her death.

Praying only that he would shift his attention away from her, Audrey remained utterly silent.

Her gaze casually drifted downward and caught sight of a jet-black gun clutched in the man's hand and hanging by his side. The tension that had just eased surged back like a tidal wave.

She harbored a deep-seated dread of dangerous things like firearms.

Combined with his recent actions, she knew this gun was real.

She took another step backward instinctively.

Then, she watched as his gun-wielding hand slowly rose, the cold muzzle pressing straight against her jaw.

A wave of terror spread across her entire body from the point of contact. She froze, paralyzed with fear.

Roy applied slight pressure, tilting her head upward.

Audrey was forced to look up, biting her lip tightly out of nervous tension. Helplessness and terror washed over her like a tidal wave; her eyes reddened slightly.

A tear welled up, and one droplet slid down the corner of her eye, splattering onto her veil and leaving a faint smudge.

Roy's hand, holding the gun, paused slightly.

Her pitifully beautiful eyes were filled with vulnerability, helplessness, fear, and dread toward him.

This feeling was truly beyond words.

He narrowed his eyes as long-dormant desires within him began to stir, threatening to break free like a dam about to burst.

A thin wisp of smoke drifted lazily from his lips toward the woman's face.

The rich, woody aroma of premium tobacco lingered, carrying a hint of sweetness. Yet it still stung Audrey's throat, nearly making her cough.

She didn't know that her struggle to endure only fueled the vile thoughts stirring within him.

Sure enough, the man's words in the next instant plunged her into endless despair.

"I will fuck you."

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