Chapter 198 

Chapter 198 

Tommy hesitated, then sat down again. “Heart surgery. She was born with a defect, and it’s getting worse. The doctors say she’s got maybe six months without the operation.” 

“That’s terrible. How old is she?” 

“Sixteen. She’s got her whole life ahead of her, you know? I can’t let her die because I can’t afford to save her.” 

I nodded sympathetically. “I understand. I’ve been there. My mother has cancer, and the treatments are expensive. I’ve done things I never thought I’d do just to pay for them.” 

“Really?” 

“Really. That’s actually how I ended up in this mess. Desperate people make desperate choices.” 

Tommy was quiet for a long moment. “Victoria says you’re dangerous. That you’ve killed people.” 

“Victoria says a lot of things. Most of them lies.” I looked directly at him. “Do I look dangerous to you?” 

He studied my face, taking in the cuts and bruises Victoria had given me. “No. You look scared.” 

“I am scared. But not of dying. I’m scared of what happens to the people I care about if I don’t make it out of here.” 

Tommy stood up abruptly. “I should go.” 

“Tommy, wait.” He paused at the door. “If you help me get out of here, I can make sure you get the money for your sister’s surgery. Dominic has resources 

that Victoria doesn’t.” 

“I can’t. She’d kill me.” 

“She’s going to kill me anyway. And probably you too, once she doesn’t need you anymore. People like Victoria don’t leave loose ends.” 

I could see the conflict in his eyes. “I’ll think about it.” 

Over the next day, I continued working on Tommy. Every conversation, every interaction was carefully calculated to build trust and plant seeds of doubt about his employer. I told him about my mother, about how I’d started stripping to pay for her treatments, about how Dominic had offered me a way out. 

I could see him wavering. The guilt was eating at him, and the fear for his sister was stronger than his fear of Victoria. 

Finally, on the third day, he came to me with a plan. 

“There’s a service entrance on the east side of the building,” he whispered as he pretended to check my restraints. “I can get you out during the shift change at midnight. But you have to promise me about the money.” 

“I promise. Dominic will pay for your sister’s surgery. You have my word.” 

That night, Tommy came for me as planned. He’d brought a knife to cut my restraints and a jacket to cover the cuts on my arms. We moved through the darkened hallways like ghosts, avoiding the main corridors where other guards might see us. 

We were almost to the service entrance when the lights came on. 

Victoria stood at the end of the hallway, flanked by two armed men. Her expression was cold fury mixed with amusement. 

“Oh, Tommy,” she said sadly. “I’m so disappointed in you.” 

Tommy’s hand went to the gun at his waist, but he was too slow. One of Victoria’s men put a bullet in his chest before he could draw. He crumpled to the floor, blood spreading across his shirt. 

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08:08 Fri, 27 Jun 

Chapter 198 

“No!” I dropped to my knees beside him, pressing my hands against the wound. “Tommy, stay with me.” 

His eyes were already glazing over. “Tell my sister,” he whispered, blood bubbling from his lips. “Tell her I’m sorry.” 

He died in my arms, another casualty of my failed escape attempt. 

How many deaths have to happen before all these stop. 

Victoria hauled me to my feet and studied my face with scientific interest. “You know, I’m actually impressed. It took you three days to turn one of my men. Most people wouldn’t have managed it at all.” 

I said nothing, too numb with grief and guilt to respond. 

“But you made one crucial mistake, sweetheart. You assumed I didn’t know what you were doing.” Victoria gestured to one of her men, who grabbed my arms and started dragging me down a different hallway. “I’ve been watching you work on poor Tommy since day one. It was quite entertaining, actually.” 

They threw me into a new room, this one smaller and more secure. No windows, no ventilation grates, just four concrete walls and a single door with multiple locks. 

Victoria stood in the doorway, silhouetted against the harsh light from the hallway. 

“This is what happens when you try to be clever, little girl. People die. And now Tommy’s sister will die too, because her brother chose to help you instead of doing his job.” 

The guilt hit me like a physical blow. Tommy had died because of me. His sister would die because of me. How many more people would suffer because I couldn’t just accept my fate? 

Victoria smiled at my expression. “Ah, there’s the guilt I was looking for. Now you’re starting to understand the real cost of caring about people. Dominic knows it too, which is why he’s going to do exactly what I want him to do.” 

“What do you want?” 

“I want him to suffer the way I suffered. I want him to lose everything he cares about, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left but the darkness he’s spent his whole life running from.” 

She stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, leaving us alone in the small space. 

“But first, I want you to understand something very important. You will never outsmart me, born, and I always win.” 

Victoria walked over to a phone mounted on the wall and dialed a number. 

little girl. I’ve been playing this game since before you were 

“Yes, it’s me. Move her to the secondary location. And get me a buyer. I’m done playing games.” 

She hung up and turned back to me with that cold smile. 

“You won’t outsmart me, little girl. For this, I am going to sell you sooner.”