Mile

hed her stomach, her screams echoing through the grand hall, drawing the horrified gazes of every guest. Blood, dramatical

still carrying enough force to be heard above the rising

e still coursing through my veins, but my fury had given way to a chilling clarity. I saw the fear i

idy, his hands trembling as he gently cradled her. "Cassidy! My love! Are you alright? The baby?" H

s been so jealous! She hates our happiness! She killed our baby!" H

all too well. "You psychotic bitch!" he snarled, his gaze pierci

rformance, the public humiliation, the orchestrated downfall. But this time, it was different. This time, there

! Get her out of here! And make sure she understands the consequences

ment. But I offered no resistance. I was beyond fighting them. My gaze was fixed on Dayton, on his face contort

d me. Thrown into a waiting black SUV, I braced myself for what was to come

to a secluded industrial park, surrounded by towering, abandoned warehouses. The air was th

. He walked towards me, his steps deliberate, menacing. "You took my child, Brynn," he sai

its cold metal side. Then, the horror began. He got into the driver's seat, his

h me, so intense I could only gasp. My bones screamed. He backed up, then drove forward again, a slow, deliberate torture. The tir

fted, this time crushing my arm against the cold ground. I hear

teal my life!" The SUV lurched again, the back wheels rolling over my a

dow falling across my broken form. "You thought you could destroy me, Brynn? You thought you could take everything from me? Now you know what it

ifted. The pain, the betrayal, the loss-it coalesced into a single, burning ember of hatred. "You think this is over, Dayton Reed?" I croaked, my voice raw and br

woman. You're nothing. Just a memory I'll happily forget." He turned

trail of blood, a testament to his cruelty. I crawled, limped, and stumbled my way back to my s

le, burning thought emerged: I needed to leave. Not just this apartment, not just this city, but this entire l

. My brother, Kelvin. He was staying with a family friend wh

was one of his heavily built guards, his face impassive. "Ms. Miles," h

chilling video played. It was Kelvin. My little brother, blindfolded, his hands bound, struggling against rop

her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "Such spirit. It would

o move, to reach her, but my body refus

to give him a little 'experiment'." She tapped her phone, and a new clip started playing. Kelvin was strapped to a chair, wires attached to

it!" I begged, tears streaming down my

ike your parents. And you. But unlike them, he's still alive. For now." S

choked out, desperatio

as you're told. Or your dear little brother will suffer the consequences." She showed me another image, a s

malicious intent. My broken body, my shattered heart, none of it mattered now. Only Kelvi

le. "Good girl. Now, let's g

and reeked of chemicals. Kelvin was there, strapped to a medical bed, his eyes wide and unfocused, his body twitching involun

ng to break free, but t

tive," she informed me, her voice sickeningly cheerful. "A perfect subject for ou

with a viscous, dark liquid. My stomach churned. This w

demanded, my voice trembling w

dear Henrietta, is very ill. She needs a bone marrow transplant. And you, Brynn, are

t. "I am not giving my bone marrow to tha

sighed, and then pressed a button. A loud zap echoed in the room, and Kelvin's bod

d, tears streaming down my face. "I'll sig

and. She placed the document and a pen in my trembli

ure was barely legible. Each stroke was a fresh s

, your brother has been enjoying our new experimental drug. It makes him so... pliable. We call it 'Euphoria'.

gly blank stare. He giggled, a hollow, unnatural sound. My heart shattered into a million pieces.

f everything I held dear. There was no more love, no more hope, only a burning wasteland w