"If you''re the one feeding it to me, I''d drink it even if it were poison."


    Leonard Lerman added, "If you don''t want to feed me, then at least taste it for me to see if it''s too hot. If it''s not, I''ll drink it."


    He knew.


    Ste Cameron felt a chill run through her entire body.


    Leonard slowly stood up and walked over to her, looking down at her from his full height.


    "You won''t feed it to me, and you won''t even taste it for me?"


    Ste''s heart pounded with fear. Leonard was unpredictable, his moods shifting like the weather.


    Now that he had seen through her, she had no idea what awaited her.


    But if she angered him now, the consequences would be even more unimaginable.


    Ste closed her eyes for a moment, then took a sip of the soup.


    Before she could swallow, Leonard yanked her toward him, his lips pressing down on hers in a deep kiss.


    Ste hadn''t expected this at all. A loud buzzing filled her head.


    She gasped as he forced his way in, iming her mouth and swallowing everyst drop of the soup.


    Her mind went nk for a second. Just as she was about to struggle, Leonard released her.


    He didn''t make another move. His sharp, hawk-like eyes burned with a terrifying intensity, carrying a dreadful sense of pressure.


    "Very sweet," he whispered ambiguously in her ear. "To get what you want, shouldn''t you give a man a little something sweet?"


    Ste''s whole body trembled, her heart raced, and she could no longer hide the terror and disgust on her face.


    Leonard''s hand gently caressed her lips, his touch carrying a shiver-inducing coldness.


    The next second, a weight fell on Ste''s shoulder.


    Leonard had copsed onto her, unconscious.


    Ste cautiously pushed him, but there was no response.


    She struggled to move him to a nearby sofa. Ignoring the nausea rising in her throat, she quickly fled.


    Outside, the sky was pitch-ck, and a strong sea breeze was blowing.


    At some point, it had started to rain. The cold dropsnded on Ste''s face and body, chilling her to the bone.


    Normally, the walk from the house to the helicopternding pad would take only half an hour.


    But the rain today severely hindered her progress.


    It took Ste half again as long as usual to reach her destination.


    Next to the helipad was a small building.


    Ste had always assumed it was where the pilot who guarded the helicopter lived. However, when she pushed open the door, she found the roompletely empty.


    There were no beds or chairs inside, only a fewrge toolboxes and some fuel cans. Clearly, no one lived here.


    Ste had never dared to get too close before, so she hadn''t known the actual situation.


    She couldn''t believe Leonard was so bold as to leave the only means of escape from the indpletely unguarded.


    Was he just that audacious, or...


    it so that if the helicopter was damaged, he would have a


    legitimate excuse to stay hoovelines


    Ste didn''t know how to fly a helicopter.


    But she didn''t want to give up. She started searching the building, trying to find an instruction manual.


    After a long search yielded nothing, she decided to try her luck on the helicopter itself. She wanted to see what the control panel looked like what if she could figure it out and fly away?


    Ste decided that if she managed. to escape, she would learn to fly not anly helicopters but also yachts, just in case.


    However, when she climbed into the helicopter and saw the control panel, her heart sank.


    Without systematic training, it was virtually impossible for her to fly this thing.


    Havinge this far, Ste was unwilling to give up such a rare opportunity.


    If she missed this chance, she might never be able to escape again.


    She gritted her teeth and was about to press a red button on the console.


    A low, familiar voice came from the side.


    "That''s not how you fly it."