Outside, the night air felt suffocating. I hadn’t even reached the car when the roar of an engine shattered the quiet. A vehicle screeched to a halt in front of me, blocking my path. The door flew open before I could react.
A man dressed in black lunged toward me, hatred burning in his eyes. My heart dropped. I tried to run, but he grabbed my hair and yanked so hard my knees buckled. His palm struck my face, snapping my head sideways as pain exploded.
“Who are you?!” I cried, blood filling my mouth. “There are cameras everywhere—are you insane?!”
He sneered, his gaze empty and cruel. “I’m here to teach you a lesson. You offended Miss Lockhart. Touching you is already mercy. You deserve worse.”
He slammed my head into the car window.
I screamed.
Glass shattered. Warm blood streamed down my face as he smashed my head again and again, until the window was streaked red. My vision blurred. My body went limp. I was too weak to fight him.
“Help… please… someone…” My voice dissolved into sobs. The world was silent except for my crying. Blood burned my eyes. Just when I thought I was about to die, he finally released me.
I collapsed onto the ground like discarded trash.