She rushed down the corridor, but the two women had already vanished.
The eighth floor was all luxury suites, thick carpets muffling every step like walking on clouds.
Serena flared her nostrils slightly, picking up the trail of cheap perfume the two women had drenched themselves in. It didn't take her long to narrow it down to a small area.
She took the elevator down in silence and headed for the front desk.
The moment she stepped into the lobby, the front desk girl's eyes lit up.
Red dress, snow-white skin, features delicate like a painting-stunning at first sight.
Swallowing nervously, the receptionist hurried over. "Hello, miss. Can I help you with anything?"
Serena didn't waste words. Her gaze flicked to the tablet in the receptionist's hand, locking on the recent check-ins: Karen Bennett, Nina Bennett, Suite 801.
"I'm with those two. Room 801. I need a key card."
Her voice was calm, but it carried weight-a quiet kind you couldn't ignore.
The receptionist hesitated-but between Serena's looks, her confidence, and the way she said it like a fact, she just nodded.
"Of course. Here you go."
Serena took the card without another word and headed straight for the elevators.
Moments later, she was standing at the door to Suite 801.
Beep-
As the door unlocked, a man's strained voice came through from inside.
She pushed the door open. Through the entry partition, she caught sight of three women by the bed-none of them noticed her arrival.
The two from the elevator had their phones out, filming. And the one climbing onto the bed? Must be the "Cora" they mentioned earlier.
Evan was chained by all four limbs to the bedposts, his wrists already red and bruised. He forced his head up, voice hoarse. "Cora, let me go! I'd rather die than let this happen!"
Cora Bennett smirked, running a hand over Evan's face, her voice sickeningly sweet and twisted. "Didn't wanna marry me? Fine. Then I'll make you into some cheap thing anyone can use."
"Should've just said yes. Would've saved you all this." She reached for his shirt buttons. "But no worries... your first time? It's mine regardless. After that-"
"Ah!"
Before she could finish, her scream ripped through the room. She flailed and tumbled off the bed.
In the camera feeds of Karen and Nina, a hairpin had shot straight at Cora's wrist, right as she touched Evan's shirt, then embedded itself cleanly in the wall.
Blood gushed from the hole now punched through her wrist.
The pin still gleamed, unstained by a single drop of blood.
Karen and Nina froze like statues, eyes locked on the wound, too stunned to even scream.
Cora's face twisted in agony, tears spilling immediately.
She stared at the hairpin in sheer disbelief, then whipped her head around toward Serena, voice shaking. "Who the hell are you?! Did I do something to you?!"
Serena's tone was ice-cold. "I'm your worst nightmare."
Without sparing her another glance, she strode to the bed.
"Evan? You okay?"
There was no answer, only a low groan. He was clearly out of it, completely drugged.
Karen and Nina finally snapped out of their daze.
"You were the woman in the elevator!"
"And you knew his name?"
Karen, clutching Cora who was still gasping in pain, suddenly had a lightbulb moment. "Wait-I know who she is! She's that Serena! The one who got thirty years and vanished! She can't be out yet, must've broken out!"
"So she's a convict?!"
Nina Bennett instantly lost all fear. "Then what are we even scared of? Seriously, our family's full of cops-if she's stupid enough to break out and hurt Cora, she's basically asking for it."
Cora was shaking from the pain, her whole face twisted in fury. Her voice was sharp and venomous. "I already messaged my brother! He's the chief of police-he's on his way!
"You hear me? You better start begging for forgiveness now, or I'll have you thrown into a co-ed prison, serving a hundred men. You still have a chance to say sorry!"
Serena didn't bother replying. Instead, she quickly undid the chains around Evan.
But the second she removed them, the drug hit him full force. His face flushed red, and he started tugging at his own clothes, even reaching for Serena's skirt in a drugged haze.
Serena narrowed her eyes, pulled a silver needle from the hidden slit in her sleeve, and stabbed it into a pressure point on top of his head with surgical precision.
As the needle went in, Evan trembled, and his gaze slowly cleared. He blinked, gripping her hand tightly. "Serena? Is it really you?"
"It's me, Evan. I'm back." Serena gently patted his hand. "Don't worry. What they did today? I'm not letting it slide."
She pierced another point, sending him into a peaceful sleep.
Then she turned, her eyes landing on Cora and her two lackeys trying to sneak out.
Cora froze under Serena's gaze, instinctively recoiling a couple steps. Pain shot through her injured wrist, but she still tried to act tough. "I already called backup! You're dead meat!"
As long as her brother showed up, she'd make Serena regret ever being born.
But Serena's approach had her legs shaking. When Serena got close, Cora instinctively raised her arms to shield her head, terrified she'd get hit again by something sharp.
Serena let out a soft scoff. Pathetic bully who only picks on the weak.
She walked right past her, pulled the hairpin out of the wall with ease, and calmly wiped it clean.
Cora stood there stunned.
Seeing she wasn't being attacked, she thought her threats had worked and her smugness returned. Still pissed about being humiliated, she shot Serena a hateful glare and barked at Karen and Nina, "Well? What are you standing around for? Get me to the hospital already, I'm in agony!"
Serena slid the slender hairpin back into her bun. Just as the three were inching toward the door, she spoke, slow and cold: "Did I say you could leave?
"We're not done talking about what you did to Evan."
Cora swore under her breath. "Fck off! You think I'm scared? Karen, Nina-she's just one person! Grab her!"
Karen and Nina glanced at each other. They were scared, but the numbers gave them confidence. They charged forward, thinking strength in numbers might work.
But before they even touched Serena, she countered with two slaps, fast as lightning.
"Smack!"
"Smack!"
Both girls hit the ground with a crash, blood trickling from their mouths and swelling blossoming on their cheeks.
Seeing that, Cora turned and bolted, only to be yanked back by her hair.
Serena pulled hard, forcing her to look up, and the pain had Cora howling curses. "Let go! Btch! When my brother gets here, you're toast!"
Serena clicked her tongue. "With a potty mouth like that, bet you're used to chewing on crap."
"How about a reminder?"
With that, she dragged Cora straight into the bathroom and shoved her head into the toilet like it was nothing.
