Elsie felt as though she had been struck by lightning, each breath heavier than thest.


    Outside, the mes grew more ferocious, reflected in her eyes. She knew Avery had been suspicious of her for some time. Getting rid of her was just a matter of when.


    But that impably dressed beast, using her to kill the man she loved most for his own grand schemes? Never!


    "Elsie, if I asked you to jump with me right now, would you be scared?" Elvis wrapped his arms around her slim waist, his eyes crinkling with a smile.


    "Not at all," Elsie, her lips smeared from his kisses, met his bright eyes with determination.


    "Really? Can''t you let me feel a bit heroic?" Elvis raised an eyebrow, yfully pinching her side, "Can''t you be like other women, clinging to me and crying out in fear when danger strikes?"


    "Actually, I am scared." Elsie''s eyes were locked on his, full of affection, "But as long as you''re with me, I fear nothing."


    Elvis'' heart, once frozen solid, melted instantly like it was thrown into those voracious mes.


    He leaned down to give her another kiss, his voice deep and firm, "Let''s go!"


    In an instant, Elvis wrapped her petite frame under his ck coat, holding her tightly, and then fired a couple of shots through the window.


    The room filled with smoke, and holding their breath, they charged towards the window with all their might.


    Elvis'' back shattered the ss as he shielded Elsie, leaping from the fifth floor. Amidst the ze and flying shards of ss and embers whipping past them like a storm, Elsie''s heart skipped a beat, and she closed her eyes in terror.


    In a blur, she heard Elvis'' heavy breathing, a stark sound of his distress tearing at her heart.


    With a whoosh, a thin cable shot from his sleeve, piercing through the fire, embedding itself in the building''s wall.


    Holding Elsie with one arm, Elvis controlled the rope with his left hand, kicking off the wall a few times.


    In just a few seconds, theynded safely, but those moments would be etched in Elsie''s memory forever.


    They didn''t even have time to catch their breath as they helped each other run toward the nearby woods.


    Suddenly, Elsie stopped abruptly, shaking Elvis'' hand off. He turned, puzzled, "Elsie."


    "I''m sorry, I can only go this far with you."


    Elsie''s eyes reddened as she stepped back decisively, "Being with you, I''ll only hold you back. Go now, before they catch up! And don''te looking for me. It''s over between us!"


    "You want me to give up on you? Now, of all times?! Elsie, what kind of person do you take me for?!"


    Elvis'' eyes red with intense emotions; teeth gritted, he stepped towards her, forcing her to retreat, "Even if you don''t go with me, do you think you can go back


    to Avery? He wants us dead together; don''t you see?!"


    "Yes, Avery wants us dead, but you''re still alive, aren''t you?"


    Elsie forced a cruel smile, torturing her own heart, "As long as you live, I can survive. But if I stay with you, Avery will never stop hunting you. We''ll never have peace.


    Elvis, I have more important things to do. I can''t afford to be a damsel in love. But


    I will always remember the romance you gave me."


    With those words, she turned and ran into the inferno, the personal hell.


    "Elsie! Come back!"


    No matter how much Elvis shouted, she didn''t look back, only tears scattering in the cold wind.


    The mansion was reduced to rubble by the fire, not even a cockroach or a fly could have survived in that ze.


    A couple of men in ck with shlights searched through the charred remains.


    Harvey stood outside, his face pale but eyes red, "Search thoroughly! I want to see the body, dead or alive!"


    "Yes, sir!"


    Just then, he heard heavy, familiar footsteps behind him.


    "El-Elsie?!"


    Harvey turned to see the woman, filthy and bloodied, his expression a mix of shock and relief nearly overwhelming him.


    "They can stop searching. He''s already gone."


    Elsie looked at him coldly, her lips curling in mockery, "Sorry to disappoint Mr. Chambers again."


    Harvey clenched his jaw fiercely, stepping close to her, his voice strained, "You let him escape?!"


    "Do you think I''m a miracle worker?"


    "Elsie, this is thest time, thest time!"


    Harvey grasped her shoulders, breathing heavily, "Next time you see Elvis, you must kill him!"


    Elsieughed fearlessly, "And if I don''t?"


    "We''ve been colleagues for years; I don''t want to see you die!"


    Harvey, ten years her senior, had watched Elsie grow up, trained her from her teenage years, and had always been by her side. How could he not care for her?


    "Ellie, just bear with it a little longer, both of us. Once Mr. Chambers helps the bossplete the drug trials, he''ll control the Chambers Group, dominate the entire domestic pharmaceutical market! All our rivals, including the K Group, the Abernathy Group, will be under Mr. Chambers''s feet. Then you''ll see the good days. We''ll have better life. Staying with Mr. Chambers is your only way out!" Harvey''s eyes gleamed with ambition, revealing this secret to stabilize her.


    Elsie''s eyes darkened. Harvey''s words confirmed her and Elvis'' suspicions. But the unexpected revtion was the mysterious "boss" behind it all!


    Perhaps moved by his own words, Harvey suddenly pulled Elsie into a fierce embrace.


    Elsie felt nauseous but didn''t push him away. Because she knew Harvey was Avery''s right-hand man, his master key. Keeping him appeased gave her a better chance to reach the core of Avery''s filthy empire.


    "Ellie, listen to me. Next time, you must kill Elvis!"


    Harvey took a deep breath, his voice gentle, "I''ll talk to Mr. Chambers; trust me on this. No matter what, you''ve got to keep going, okay?"


    "Okay," Elsie responded softly, her gaze a chilling mix of disdain and iciness.