This was a first.

However, she understood the moment she arrived at the banquet hall.

In the modest banquet hall, Kevin Howell, who had arrived early, was surrounded by three or four women. They were fawning all over him, and he was obviously enjoying the attention.

Leanne Walsh was instantly furious!

Although she didn’t like how Kevin Howell treated her, right now, she needed him.

’Other women think they can steal him?’

’Not so easily!’

Just as she was about to step forward and defend her territory, she suddenly felt an intense gaze from somewhere, making her heart pound in terror.

’It’s him!’

Seeing the man in the corner about to walk toward her, Leanne Walsh’s heart skipped several beats.

She never imagined she would run into the man she had slept with multiple times at the bar here!

His expression, a mixture of shock and delight, clearly showed he wanted to come over and acknowledge her. It was like a death warrant about to be slapped onto her forehead!

Taking a deep breath, she glanced over at Kevin Howell.

Fortunately, he was engrossed in the women’s physical advances and hadn’t noticed her. The guards who had escorted her had also long since withdrawn.

There was no one she knew around her now.

Feigning composure, she held her head high and walked with the most ladylike steps she could manage toward the hall’s corridor, pretending to go to the restroom.

The sound of hurried footsteps behind her grew closer and closer.

As she neared the restroom, seeing that no one was paying attention, she grabbed a server and asked for the location of the side door. Then, practically sprinting, she reached the small garden outside the house, let out a heavy breath, and hid herself in the corner by the door.

As the door opened again, a familiar voice called out, "Are you there?"

The man stood at the door, repeating the question several times. His eyes grew more and more lonely, his expression more dejected, like an abandoned puppy.

Leanne Walsh bit her lip. She had a feeling that if he couldn’t find her this time, he might never go back to that bar again... Her heart ached for a long moment. Just as the man finally gave up hope and lowered his head to go back inside, she spoke softly, "Over here."

The man walked over. After a long pause, as if he had suddenly made up his mind, he said, "I don’t want to go to that bar anymore. So... how about we go look for a suitable house in District 1?"

’District 1? A house?’

Just a moment ago, Leanne Walsh had been filled with despair, but hearing the second half of his sentence, her spirits soared.

’Only someone extraordinary could live in District 1!’

’Most importantly, is he asking me to go with him?’

Although the man wasn’t exceptionally handsome and his strength seemed average, his refined aura suggested he came from a prominent family.

And thinking back to how generous he was with his money at the bar...

Leanne Walsh couldn’t help but hesitate.

’Should I... trust him?’

The man reached out a hand, then pulled it back, just looking at her expectantly.

Leanne Walsh quickly made a decision.

’I’ll have to see about this, but I can’t let him lose hope before I’m sure!’

She nestled softly into his embrace. When she realized he was hesitating and hadn’t wrapped his arms around her, she simply took his hands and placed them around her own waist.

"I want to be with you. It’s all I dream about. But before I came to Central City, I almost died. That man... he saved me. Even if... no matter how badly he treats me, no matter how much he tortures me, I... And he’s making me stay by his side. He’s very powerful. I can’t defy him."

Matching her terrified tone, she gave a timely shiver.

"The truth is, I’m scared of him. I’m so scared. I’m afraid I’ll die in that house one day! You don’t know, he..."

"Never!" Her words were cut short by a sudden voice, seething with bone-deep hatred. "I promise, you won’t die in that house!"

Leanne Walsh froze in horror.

’Kevin Howell!!!’

Yes, the man who had emerged from behind the side door and was now standing on the steps looking down on them was none other than Kevin Howell himself.

His once handsome face was now horribly twisted, his gaze a blood-red that seemed to want to devour them.

After glaring at them for a long moment, he suddenly curled his lips into a sinister smile.

"Leanne Walsh, you really are an untamable bitch! Do you even know who you’re holding? You think he’s really going to take you to District 1? Ha, dream on! The famous Young Master Ian Nolan... his favorite pastime is seducing women, using them up, and then tossing them aside!"

’No, no, how could that be possible!’ Leanne Walsh looked at the man in panic, but he released his hands from her and turned to face Kevin Howell without even glancing at her, a strange smile on his face.

"Oh? So Young Master Howell knows me... How embarrassing." The refined look on his face was replaced by cunning. He feigned distress, frowning and spreading his hands. "What should I do? This time, I was just acting on someone’s behalf. My target was only the person. I had absolutely no designs on Young Master Howell’s private property!"

Kevin Howell gritted his teeth. It was only because he knew who had hired Ian Nolan that he was still just standing there. Otherwise, with his temper, he would have torn him to pieces long ago.

"Get lost!"

Ian Nolan gave an exaggerated nod of agreement. Just before leaving, he reached out with lightning speed and patted Leanne Walsh’s cheek. "Little beauty, you taste wonderful, and what a slutty body. Such a pity..."

The end of his sentence drifted away on the air, and he was gone.

As for Kevin Howell, his expression was beyond ugly.

Leanne Walsh suddenly bolted, running for the back door, but before she had taken ten steps, a knife was brutally plunged into her thigh.

Stifling the pain, she staggered forward as Kevin Howell closed in from behind.

She tried to use her superpower, but his movements were faster. He yanked the knife out first.

Blood gushed out!

Facing the man whose face was contorted with malice, Leanne Walsh collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had left her...

「That night.」

Two men emerged from the back gate of the small garden. They were carrying a human-shaped object, one at the head and one at the feet. After moving far away from the residence, they simply dumped it by the side of the road.

This wasn’t a busy neighborhood, and it was late, but people still passed by occasionally.

But no one would get involved in such matters.

Leanne Walsh lay on the cold ground, her clothes torn and her body covered in blood. Her body was stiff, her eyes wide open... If not for the nearly imperceptible rise and fall of her chest, she would have looked exactly like a corpse.

The massive blood loss made her feel as if she were back in that extreme cold.

Her thoughts grew hazy. ’This time... I’m probably not going to make it... That pervert Kevin Howell, he kept me alive while cutting me countless times...’

’He’s a complete madman!’

’But what did I do wrong?!’

’He’s the one keeping me, all while he’s engaged to some woman his family set him up with!’

’We were just using each other...’

’I hate this so much!’

’I don’t want to die!’

’I still haven’t gotten my revenge!’

But now, it was useless to think about anything.

She felt her breathing become more and more labored, her consciousness slowly slipping into chaos.

Therefore, she didn’t notice someone approach her, look down at her for a moment, and then place a medicine pill in her mouth.