The sound of polished shoes echoed down the hallway, drawing closer with every


    step.


    Simone''s nerves instantly snapped taut.


    Should she keep pretending to be asleep?


    She hesitated, weighing her options, but then a distorted male voice, filtered through some kind of voice changer, broke the silence.


    "I know you''re awake."


    Since her cover was blown, Simone didn''t bother to keep up the pretense. Lifting her head, she demanded, "Who are you? Why did you kidnap me? Is it money you''re after?"


    The man replied coolly, "Money is the least of my concerns."


    Her heart sank. "Then what do you want?"


    He gave a low, mockingugh. “I have some unfinished business with Leonard. Kidnapping you, Miss Lerman, is all about him. I''ve set a trap here, just waiting for your brother to fall into it.


    I''ve heard you and Leonard are full siblings, inseparable since childhood. I''m curious-will you sacrifice yourself to save your dear brother from my scheme?"


    Simone wasn''t naive. In a situation like this, unless someone rescued her, she was as good as dead. Still, she didn''t rush to ask for a call to Leonard. Instead, she tried to stall for time and fish for more information.


    "Who are you, really? What did my brother ever do to you?"


    She hesitated, then added, "I''m just a woman-dragging me into whatever grudge you men have seems pretty low, don''t you think?"


    The man let out another strangeugh. "A grudge between men? Your brother never cared about that when he went after women."


    Went after women... The only reason Leonard ever targeted women was for Aurora''s sake. Aurora-always Aurora! If it weren''t for her, Simone wouldn''t be here, tied up and terrified.


    Simone seethed with resentment, but kept her tone calm. "Whatever you say, I''m innocent in all this. If you really have a problem with Leonard, why not face him head on?"


    "Whether I''m a ''real man'' doesn''t matter," he sneered, his voice turning cold. "What matters is that you''re about to find out what it''s like to be at a man''s mercy."


    Simone''s eyes widened. Any trace ofposure vanished.


    "What are you nning to do?!"


    tve


    He replied, "In a moment, I''ll let you call Leonard for help. Tell him he has thirty minutes to get to the location I''ll give you. If he''ste... Well, Miss Lerman, I''m afraid have to introduce you to some men arranged. If the first one is finished and Leonard still hasn''t arrived, then there''ll be a second, and a third... It''ll keep going until your brother shows up."  s


    Simone''s breath hitched, panic wing at her chest.


    This scenario felt disturbingly familiar-like history repeating itself.


    "Was it Ste who sent you?!" she blurted out.


    Leonard had once used the same tactic against Ste, threatening her through


    her friends when he didn''t dare confront her directly.


    The man paused.


    "Ste? Why do


    you me everything on her?


    Couldn''t be working for Abby Murphy? Your brother used Abby.to threaten Ste, even ruined her


    hand. Abby hates you both with a


    passion. Don''t underestimate her And there frend Antoney


    Watson-he''s the next in line for the


    Watson family estate. Pulling


    together a team to abduct you?


    Child''s y for him."  s


    Simone narrowed her eyes. "Are you defending Ste?"


    "No," he replied tly. "I just want you and Leonard to know exactly why you''re


    going to die. Today, there''s no way Leonard is walking out of here alive."


    Simone didn''t have time to analyze whether the mastermind was Ste or Abby. All that mattered was the thirty-minute deadline. If Leonard got hercall and acted


    immediately-ever if he was far away, with ess to a helicopter, he could make it.  s


    She just had to hold on until then.