[Third Person’s Point of View—Nikolai]Mikael Seraglios was the only one who stepped down from the chopper before it lifted back into the air and rounded the sky. “She’s not here,” Akim growled beside him, but Nikolai held up his hand to calm him down and motioned him to go according to his plan.Huffing angrily, Akim complied and take the speedboat to a safe distance right after Nikolai sets foot on the island.Something is definitely wrong.His shoes sunk into the sand and the soft waves crashing on the shore somehow counterfeit the tension burgeoning in the atmosphere.The armed men immediately went to surround him, pointing the nozzles on their guns, keeping their fingers on the trigger. “Where is she?” Nikolai didn’t hesitate to ask soon as he came face to face with Mikael.“Back in the palace. Living like a princess.” He shrugs and pushed his hand down to his pocket.Erin’s absence is quite understandable, knowing that the Seraglios know how to play their card, but what he was

[Erin]He could end this now. He could talk to Mikael and hope to change his mind. The bastard told me once that he cared for Pa, and he respects him as he was the one that took care of him and pulled him out of the gutter.Guards surged inside right behind him, circling around us with their weapons drawn, most of them pointing at Nikolai and the rest at Mikael.“Mikael!” Pa barked out furiously. His eyes fixed on me with perplexity. “What do you think you’re doing!? Get that gun away from her!”Instead of listening, Mikael only snickered and bared his teeth to everyone, ignoring Pa’s order.“What are you all standing at!? Take that cretin immobilized at once!” He snapped his fingers and turn to his guards before he finally notices Nikolai standing in the middle and fixed his eyes on him in bewilderment. “And you, what the hell are you doing in my place?”He doesn’t know?No one spoke, not move. Even a pin drop could be heard in between. But the tension was so palpable in the air that

[Erin]I snatch the lighter off the table, cracking it a few times before it sparkled into flames. I first melted the rope around my ankle, ignoring the heat and blowing the fire out before it could burn me alive. The ties loosens and I was able to free my feet first. I can now stand with ease but my hands were quite difficult to release since I cannot hold the lighter properly to burn it from my wrists.There must be something in here.I rummaged through his drawers and closets, trying to find anything until I found a Swiss knife buried under the layers of scratch paper. I flicked the blade and quickly dropped to the floor, sandwiching the handle in between my feet then started sawing the rope. It takes longer than burning it, but eventually, I finally cut the rope in half. Using the Swiss knife, a picked the lock on the doorknob, just like how Tiara taught me. Surprisingly, without her guidance, I managed to twist the knob and unlock the whole thing. I wanted to celebrate but, I st

[Erin]“Linda, come on.” I tug the terrified woman’s hand right after I shot those men dead. I am still trembling, my fingers could barely hold the handle of my gun, but I keep my head leveled, knowing that if I gave in to my panic, we would both likely be killed.Fortunately, Linda was too terrified to even asks me a question. She just obliged, nodding excessively as we both wade along the wall. I keep my vigilance high, gun right before me, the safety pin unlatched, and with the knife poised, ready to stab anyone that would jump right in front of us. Linda creeps closely behind me, holding the hem of my dress like a little child to her mother. As we rounded the corner, three more men emerges through my line of sight. However, before I could pull the trigger, a hand clasps around my gun, knocking it out of my grip. My quick reflexes took over me, slashing the knife into his face. He hadn't anticipated my attack and he stumbled backward, clutching his bloodied face, but I didn't let

[Erin] The smell of poppy and roses filled my senses as I set down a basket of them right in front of a lead grey tombstone just. The wind around me gushes in chilly temperature, picking up the autumn leaves, swirling into the air, and ruffling my hair in the process.“I miss you, Pa,” I whispered, pushing back the tears pricking at my eyes as I stared at his name engraved in bold black characters.It has been five years since that tragic day, but still, it played back inside my mind like it happened yesterday. I remember it so vividly that the horrific memories haunted me in my nightmares for years. I was traumatized by the sound of gunshots, I froze whenever I see blood and trembled even at the subtlest banging noise. Nikolai had always been by my side, calming me down whenever I have panic attacks, when I woke up screaming in the middle of the night, and when I sometimes get so violent to the point where I didn't realize I was already hurting myself and the people around me. One