Lily lay sprawled on the ground, her breath uneven, her mind a whirlwind of shock and humiliation.
Her cheek throbbed with pain, the sharp sting of Alex’s slap still burning against her skin. For a moment, her thoughts were blank, her ears ringing from the sheer force of the alap she had gotten from Alex’s hand.
She slowly lifted her trembling hand to her face, her fingers grazing the sore, swollen skin. It took a few seconds before her mind finally caught up with what had just happened.
Alex had slapped her. He actually dared to slap her. Her pupils were constricted. Impossible. She had been slapped before—but by Ethan.
Ethan, who was furious. Ethan, who was blinded by his own losses and frustrations. Ethan, who, despite hitting her, was still someone she loved.
But Alex? Alex had no right. He wasn’t her lover. He wasn’t her boss. Who did he think he was?!
Lily’s breath grew heavy, her hands clenching into fists. The mix of pain, anger, and disbelief turned into something raw, something uncontrollable.
“Alex!” She practically screamed his name, her voice filled with fury and humiliation.
Her body shook as she scrambled to her feet, ignoring the dizziness that clouded her vision.
She pointed a trembling finger at him, eyes burning with rage.
“You bastard! You dared to hit me?!” Her chest rose and fell violently, her breath hitching from the sheer force of her emotions.
She took a step forward, ready to lash out.
“Ethan can hit me! Fine! I accept that!” Her voice cracked with emotion.
“But you? You think you have the right?! YOU?!” Alex remained completely still.
Alex’s gaze as usual were steady, detached—like she was nothing more than an insect buzzing in his ear.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, indifferent, almost condescending.
“I suggest you calm down.” He didn’t sound angry. He didn’t sound apologetic either. He simply didn’t care. His sharp eyes locked onto Lily, as if waiting for her next move, as if daring her to act.
“Take a good look around,” he continued, his tone casual, almost lazy. “Enjoy the outside world while you still can. Your time is running out.”
Lily froze. Her rage flickered for a brief moment, a sliver of confusion flashing through her tear-stained eyes.
What… did he mean by that? But there was no time to think. Because suddenly… The distant sound of sirens resound through the surroundings.
Lily was trembling, her emotions spiraling out of control. She didn’t care about anything else at this moment—her mind was filled with only one thought.
Alex had set her up. He had her steal those documents. He had turned Ethan against her. He had made her suffer!
The rage inside her erupted like a volcano. Her fists clenched, nails digging into her palms as usual, and her breath came in ragged gasps.
She wanted to kill him.
Without thinking, she lunged forward, ready to claw at him, to hurt him, to make him feel even a fraction of the pain she was experiencing.
But before she could even take more than two steps… The loud, piercing sound of sirens filled the surroundings yet again but this time more louder.
Lily’s body stiffened as the sound grew louder, closer.
She turned her head in disbelief, her eyes widening as a convoy of police vehicles with flashing red and blue lights rolled into the factory gates.
The vehicles came to an abrupt stop. Doors flew open, and a team of officers in dark uniforms stepped out, moving with precision and authority.
The factory, which had been filled with tension already, suddenly fell into absolute silence. Even the workers, who had been secretly watching from the sidelines, felt a chill crawl up their spines.
Something serious was about to happen. Lily’s breath hitched. Her legs felt weak. Her mind struggled to keep up, trying to make sense of the situation.
Then, she remembered Alex’s words from just moments ago.
“Take a good look around and enjoy the outside view. Your time is running out.” Her stomach dropped.
She snapped her gaze back to Alex, who was standing there calmly, his hands in his pockets, looking completely unbothered.
That smug bastard… He knew this was coming. Lily’s face paled as realization hit her like a brick wall. Her lips trembled. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke.
“Alex… what… what is this?” Lily asks, as she begins to remember the scene of before when she went to Alex with Rose and a scene just like this happened but not to her but to Rose.
Alex tilted his head slightly, as if amused by her confusion. His sharp gaze locked onto her, and his lips curled into a faint smirk.
“What do you think it is?” His voice was light, almost mocking. Then his tone turned ice-cold.
“Or do I need to spell it out for you? So you can imagine what you have done?” He took a step forward, closing the distance between them.
Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he lifted a hand and gestured toward the officers.
“You stole confidential documents from Reid Industries.” His words were clear and firm, carrying a weight that made Lily’s knees wobble.
“And you handed those documents to our direct competitor.” His eyes darkened, his smirk fading.
“That’s corporate espionage, Lily.” He paused for a moment, letting those words sink in. Then, with a tone colder than steel, he delivered the final blow.
“That means you’re going to where every thief or criminal goes… but still guess where to?” Lily froze. Her lips parted, but no words came out.
“Don’t want to answer huh! Well let me answer it for you…. It’s a prison.” The blood drained from her face at the mention of prison, her mind screaming that this couldn’t be real.
‘Prison? No. NO!’
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Bonus Chapters on: 500, 1000, 1500 Power Stones.
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(A/N: Soon! Some Golden tickets guys!!!)
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