Chapter 9

The car that was supposed to head for the hospital suddenly turned around and sped toward an abandoned factory on the outskirts. Half an hour later, it finally pulled up outside that rundown place. Before it even came to a full stop, Lucas jumped out, couldn't wait any longer. The second he heard Eva had been kidnapped, everything else flew out the window — even Sophia's injuries slipped his mind. Sophia shut her eyes in pain. She didn't even have the energy to feel jealous or angry anymore... Meanwhile, inside the old factory, five burly men were crowding around Eva, shirtless, their faces twisted with nasty grins. She was tightly tied up and dumped on the ground, bleeding from several wounds. On top of that, her clothes were torn to shreds, exposing soft, pale skin that was almost blinding under the dim light. "Let her go!" "Lucas… please save me… please…" Seeing Lucas really show up, Eva finally broke down with a sob. "Don't worry, I'm here. You'll be okay." Lucas shrugged off his jacket and stepped forward, ready to help her. But the guy leading the thugs didn't flinch. He just slapped Eva hard across the face and sneered, "What's wrong, slut? You're already someone's side chick — can't even handle giving us some fun?" He lifted a whip, about to land another strike— but Lucas caught his arm mid-air. "You think I'm just gonna sit here?" Lucas yanked the guy's arm down and punched him square in the face. "You—!" "Yeah, me." Lucas let out a cold laugh, then kicked the thug hard, sending him flying into the corner. "Get on your knees and beg. Maybe then I'll let you crawl out of here alive." The rest of the gang looked at each other, then charged at Lucas together—only to get smacked down one by one under a flurry of punches. "Talk. Why'd you kidnap her?" Lucas knelt beside Eva, wrapping her in his coat. Her body trembled—whether from fear or pain, he couldn't tell. Afraid the thugs would say the wrong thing, Eva jumped in first. "I heard them mention… someone paid them to kill me." "Who?" "I… I don't know…" Lucas's gaze snapped back to the group. Now that they were in his hands, he'd squeeze the truth out of them if it killed him. But just as he raised his leg to stomp one of them, Eva grabbed his hand, tearfully begging, "Lucas, I'm dying… this hurts so much… What did I ever do to deserve this? Why are they doing this to me?" "You'll be fine, Eva. I'll deal with these guys and get you to the hospital right after." "No... Don't leave me here, Lucas… It's freezing… I don't want to wait here alone. Please... just don't go." "Alright…" Lucas hurried to carry her back to the car — and spotted a phone on the ground. One of the thugs must've dropped it. 1317097… Sophia's number. That meant the kidnappers had been in contact with her? No wonder she ran from the rehab center that day. No wonder she'd rather face death than go back with him… As his expression grew darker, Eva reached up to lightly smooth his furrowed brows and asked gently, "Lucas… what's wrong?" "Nothing. Let's get you to the hospital." "Good…" Eva gave him a small, weak smile, but there was a glimmer of something sharp behind her eyes. Then she blacked out in his arms. "Eva?" "Mr. Bennett, she's passed out from major blood loss," Mark Bennett had somehow made his way there too. "She just recovered from her breakdown, and now with all this trauma and blood loss — her body can't take it. Before we get her to the ER, she needs an immediate blood transfusion." In the backseat, Sophia sat up straighter instantly, bracing herself. Still hurt herself. Lucas had already abandoned her once to save Eva — surely he wouldn't take her blood too, right? But Lucas, thinking back to the phone he just picked up, didn't hesitate in the slightest. "Sophia's right there in the back. Use hers."