Chapter 70

-JOANNE—

I was gasping for breath as Anne’s grip tightened around my neck, suffocating me. She was a tornado, twisting me around and smashing me into the table like a ragdoll.

Adrenaline kicked in, and I fought back with everything I had. My fingers clawed at her hair and pushed against her slim frame, trying to gain any kind of advantage. But her strength was superhuman, and her nails dug into my neck like talons.

I had to think fast.

Desperation set in. I lunged at her shirt, gripping it tightly as if my life depended on it—and it did. I pulled hard, forcing her slender form to stumble forward. It was a desperate gamble, a Hail Mary pass to even the odds.

I might’ve been down, but I wasn’t out. Not yet. My heart was racing, my muscles screaming, but I wasn’t about to let Anne win. I wasn’t about to let her take everything from me.

I finally got the upper hand at things, and as I tried to hit her, Ruby came in full charge at me, pushing me to hit my head on the brick wall and causi