Alex stood across from me, taking in my disheveled state. He suddenly burst intoughter.


    My already flushed face turned an even deeper shade of red. I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.


    He stepped forward, took the suitcase from my hand, and ced it into the trunk. Then, one by one, he removed all the bags I was carrying and stuffed them into


    the car.


    Meanwhile, I was teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown.


    "You''re quite strong for someone your size." That was the firstment he gave


    me.


    "It seems you''ve built up quite the collection over four years in university." That was the secondment he made.


    Although they were just casual words, they hit me hard.


    I sat dazed in the passenger seat, desperately wracking my brain for something- anything I could do to salvage my image.


    "When I drop you off, can you manage to get everything upstairs on your own?" Alex asked suddenly. "I have a meeting to attendter."


    I was relieved to hear that and quickly waved my hands. "No problem! I''ll handle it myself."


    After all, there was an elevator.


    The car stopped in the underground garage. Alex helped me move everything to the elevator entrance before turning to leave.


    The sound of his car engine faded as it exited the garage, and I waited for the elevator toe down from the 23rd floor.


    As the elevator neared the basement level, I grabbed one of my suitcases, ready to start loading my things as soon as the doors opened.


    The elevator doors slid open, revealing three men wearing masks and hats. Their sharp, cold gazes locked onto me.


    My first instinct was to run.


    Sure enough, the three men immediately gave chase.


    I was certain they were targeting me. They had juste from the 23rd floor, the floor my unit was on.


    "Help! Somebody, help!" I screamed as I ran, desperately calling for help. I pulled out my phone and dialed Alex''s number.


    "Hello?" he answered.


    "Alex, help me!" I shouted, my voice frantic.


    "Where are you?" His voice was tense, and I could hear the screech of tires on the other end.


    Just as I was about to answer, my phone slipped from my hand and fell to the ground. I had no time to pick it up. All I could do was keep running as fast as I could.


    At this time of day, the underground garage was almost deserted. My heart raced with panic, but I forced myself to stay calm and scanned my surroundings. I ran toward an area with surveince cameras.


    But the men seemed to have caught on to my n. They split up and came at me from three separate directions, trying to corner me in a spot without cameras.


    My heart was pounding wildly, and my legs felt weak, but I knew my only chance was to keep running or break through one of their blockades.


    "What do you want?" I shouted at one of them. "Who sent you?"


    He didn''t respond at all. Realizing I couldn''t talk my way out of this, I steeled myself and decided to charge through the smallest-looking guy, but I underestimated the difference in strength between men and women.


    He grabbed me, and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn''t break free.


    "What are you doing? Let me go!"


    "This one''s got some fight in her," one of them muttered, panting. He pulled a rope and a bup sack out


    of


    let


    jacket, clearly intending to tie me up and take me away