Chapter: 524

Alicia didn't dare resist.

She knew these were ruthless people, and their threats weren't idle.

Her only chance to save Monica was to comply.

She had no choice but to gamble everything on this moment.

It was her only choice.

With her eyes covered, her other senses sharpened.

The man beside her carried a strong scent of asphalt, which mingled with the odor of animal fur.

It smelled like livestock; maybe chickens or ducks.

Alicia took mental note of the detail.

Not long after, the man led her into a room.

Expecting a foul, musty odor, she was instead met with warm air carrying a surprisingly pleasant fragrance.

She tensed up and stood still.

With her vision blocked by the blindfold, she could only rely on sound. The click of leather shoes echoed as someone approached her.

Then the footsteps stopped.

A familiar voice cut through the silence. "Alicia, it's been a while."

Every drop of blood in her veins seemed to freeze.

It was Joshua.

On the way, Alicia had been entirely consumed with thoughts of Monica's safety, never considering who might be behind it all.

Discovering that Joshua was responsible didn't surprise her; fear had already taken hold of her mind.

A deep-seated grudge had existed between them since their divorce, and Joshua had been in a constant state of turmoil. Now, he intended to channel all his suffering onto her.

When Joshua reached out to touch her, Alicia recoiled in disgust. Her body trembled as she instinctively tried to move away, but his hand shot out, gripping her chin tightly. His voice dropped, deepening with menace. "You still have the nerve to reject me?"

The pressure of his grip felt like it was crushing her bones, but Alicia refused to break.

She gritted her teeth, pushing through the pain, and demanded, “Where is Monica?"

Joshua sneered, his eyes dark with cruelty. "Shouldn't you be more worried about your own Life? Monica was just the bait-you're the one I want."

Without warning, he ripped off her blindfold and threw her onto the bed, pinning her down.

His lips came crashing down on hers, but Alicia fought back, biting his nose hard before jerking her head away.

Joshua cried out in pain, stumbling back as he grabbed his now- bleeding nose.

Alicia's eyes blazed with fury. "Take me to Monica-now!"

Joshua seized her by the neck and snarled, "She's dead!"

For a split second, Alicia's breath caught in her throat.