Finally—at the village entrance—I saw a middle-aged man getting onto an electric scooter, ready to leave.

“Sir!” I called out desperately.

The man stopped his electric scooter and looked at me, frowning at my disheveled appearance.

“Miss, what happened to you?”

“Could I borrow your phone? Please—it’s urgent!”

He hesitated for a second but eventually handed me his phone.

“What’s going on?”

I took it, fingers trembling as my mind raced.

My brother’s number flashed through my head.

No. He’s overseas. He won’t make it in time.

Then I thought of my assistant—Sunshine.

She’d know what to do.

“Sunshine, it’s me!” I blurted out the moment the call connected.

“Miss Scott? This number...”

“There's no time to explain—call the police! I’m at—”

Before I could finish, the phone was yanked from my hands and the call cut off.

I spun around—only to see Ivan, fury written all over his face.

“You really don’t know what’s good for you, do you?” he growled.

The man who’d lent me the phone stepped forward, concerned.

“Hey, what are you doing? It’s broad daylight—”

Ivan snapped at him, his voice like a whip.

“Get lost! Meddle again and you’ll regret it!”

Intimidated, the man jumped onto his scooter and fled, leaving even his phone behind.

Ivan turned back and kicked me to the ground.

“Trying to run? Dream on!”

He grabbed me by the hair and began dragging me back like a piece of trash.

My scalp burned as it was yanked tight. My back scraped painfully along the ground.

“Ivan, have you lost your mind?! Let go of me!” I shrieked.

“Gone mad? You made me do this!” he roared.

He tugged harder, and I felt like my scalp might rip from my skull.

Villagers saw what was happening—but they all quickly turned away.

“Let’s go, let’s go... That’s the Lopez family. Not our business.”

One old woman muttered, “That girl must’ve done something awful to deserve this...”

Back in the woodshed, he threw me inside again. My body was covered in fresh cuts, each one stinging like fire.

Ivan slammed the door and locked it behind him, then turned back to me—his face twisted and monstrous.

“You want to escape? Fine. I’ll make you mine tonight. Once you’re pregnant, then you can leave this room.”

He lunged at me, tearing at my clothes.

I fought back with all my strength, clawing at his face with my nails.

“Over my dead body!” I seethed.

“Ungrateful bitch!” he snarled, slapping me hard across the face.