The distinct scent of Troy's cologne filled my senses. His presence was unmistakable.
Forcing my sluggish body to respond, I slowly opened my eyes.
"Take me away," I murmured. "I never want to see them again."
Troy remained silent, his dark eyes assessing me. His fingers trailed lightly along my cheek, his touch deceptively gentle.
Then, he scoffed. Leaning in close, his breath ghosted over my ear, his voice low and filled with something dangerously sweet.
"Just leaving isn't enough," he murmured. "They need to suffer too."
It felt like I had been asleep for an eternity. My body was heavy and the world around me swayed ever so slightly. The scent of saltwater filled my nostrils and as my consciousness stirred, I became aware of the faint creaking of wooden planks beneath me.
When I finally forced my eyes open, I was met with the sight of endless blue. The ocean stretched before me. Waves lapped against the ship's hull, their rhythmic motion deceptively soothing. But the tranquility was shattered by the sound of muffled sobbing.
Turning my head, I saw Ava. Her wrists were bound and suspended above the deck. I could see the red handprints marring her delicate face. Strands of her disheveled hair clung to her tear-streaked cheeks as she tried to speak through the cloth gag stuffed in her mouth.
"Stay put, or I will hurt her!"
One of the kidnappers, a towering man with a rough voice, issued the warning before delivering a punch to Ava's stomach. She let out a muffled gasp, her body jerking against her restraints. If not for the ropes keeping her upright, she would have crumpled onto the wooden deck.
"Stop! Please, let my daughters go! I'll give you whatever you want!"
From the shore, my mother's frantic cries echoed.
I turned my head, spotting my family on the beach, their silhouettes stark against the sun. My father's hands trembled as he reached toward us. My mother was sobbing, while Cassius stood frozen. He made a move to rush forward, but Michael held him back.
"Why did you take my sisters?!" Michael's voice was hoarse with desperation. "Don't hurt her! We'll give you whatever you want!"
"Mmph! Mmm—" Ava struggled against the gag, her whimpers barely audible.
The kidnappers exchanged amused glances. One of them leaned in close to Ava's ear. His voice was almost tender as he whispered, "You must be the eldest daughter of the Crawfords."
Ava's eyes widened in terror. She shook her head frantically, but her denial didn't matter. The next moment, the blade fell.
Ava's scream was swallowed by the wind as one of her fingers was severed. Bright red blood splattered across the wooden deck. On the shore, my mother collapsed in horror.
"Ten million!" A kidnapper named the price. "Pay up and we'll release them. Otherwise, they both die."
Ava's chest heaved as she fought to control her breathing. Despite her pain, there was confidence in her gaze, a silent belief that my family would never abandon her.
"We... we only have five million. There's no way we can gather that much money in such a short time." My father's plea was raw, desperate. "Please, five million is all we can offer."
The kidnapper snorted and grabbed me by the collar, yanking me to the edge of the ship.
"If you only have half," the man sneered, tightening his grip, "then pick one. Ten seconds. I don't have all day."
A blade sliced through the air, carving deep gashes into both Ava's and my legs. Blood seeped into the wooden planks before dripping into the water below. Beneath the surface, dark shadows twisted and turned—sharks, lured by the scent of fresh blood.
"Michael! Mom, Dad! Help me! I don't want to die!" Ava's screams rose to a hysterical pitch.
I remained silent. The searing pain in my leg was secondary to the numbness creeping through my chest. Kneeling beside Ava, I simply watched.
Then, out of nowhere, a voice echoed in my mind, mechanical and unfamiliar.
"Christy, will you use your points to make the Crawfords favor you more for five seconds?"
The voice in my head was strange, surreal, yet it rang with absolute clarity. It felt like something out of a fever dream.
"If you confirm, I will be deactivated for a while and you will remain in this world permanently."
Before I could process what was happening, another voice echoed in my mind—Ava's voice.
"I confirm. If she dies, I will become the Crawfords' only daughter. This is the mission, right?"
The blood drained from my face. I whipped my head toward her, eyes wide in disbelief.
The countdown continued. The kidnapper's grip on my collar tightened as he prepared to throw me overboard.
I turned one last time to the shore, taking in the faces of my so-called family. And then, I sank my teeth into the kidnapper's hand.
The moment my back hit the water, everything blurred. The world above distorted as I sank deeper. A crimson cloud bloomed around me, my blood spreading like ink in the vast, indifferent ocean.
Even as my ears filled with the muffled roar of rushing water, I could still make out their screams from the shore.
"Ava! We choose Ava! I'm sorry, Sienna! We're so sorry!"
