⋆ 𐙚 ̊.CHAPTER 30✶⋆.˚

🇽​​🇴​, ​🇪​​🇻​​🇪​​🇱​​🇾​​🇳

Evelyn's entire body felt like it was shutting down. The distant hum of the party below, the faint music, the chandelier lights reflecting off the marble floor—everything around her blurred into the background.

The only thing she could focus on was him.

Liam.

His name alone made her skin crawl.

Her breath hitched as he took another step forward. The air around her felt heavier, suffocating, like invisible hands were wrapping around her throat, squeezing tighter and tighter.

She tried to will herself to move, to step back, to do something, but her feet wouldn't budge. She felt paralyzed.

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She needed to snap out of it, needed to fight the panic clawing its way up her throat.

"Come on, Evelyn. Speak. Move."

But she couldn't.

Because all she could see was him.

Flashback – One Year Ago

The room was dark, the air thick with the smell of alcohol and expensive cologne. Evelyn's hands trembled as she pressed herself into the corner, her breath coming out in short, shallow gasps.

"Eve," Liam's voice was slow, deliberate, taunting. The way he said her name sent a shiver of pure terror down her spine.

She flinched when he reached for her, fingers brushing against her arm.

"Don't touch me!" she had spat, trying to push him away, but he only laughed.

That laugh—low and mocking—echoed in her ears even now.

"You act so tough, but I know better," he had whispered, his fingers gripping her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You can't run forever, sweetheart."

She had fought, struggled, screamed—she swore she had never screamed so loud in her life. But no one had come.

No one had saved her.

Present

Evelyn's vision blurred as she came crashing back to reality, her heart hammering against her ribs like it was trying to break free.

Liam was still standing there, watching her with that same twisted amusement in his eyes.

"You can't run forever, sweetheart."

Her stomach twisted violently.

She had run away. Had thought she had escaped. But he was here. He had found her.

Evelyn forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat. She wouldn't let him see her like this. She refused.

Slowly, she inhaled through her nose, lifting her chin ever so slightly. She tried to steady her shaking hands, tried to control the frantic pounding in her chest.

But Liam noticed. Of course, he did.

His smirk deepened.

"What's wrong, Evelyn?" he drawled, stepping even closer. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Evelyn clenched her jaw, forcing herself to keep her face blank.

Liam chuckled, glancing at Daniel. "She doesn't look too happy to see me, does she?"

Daniel, the same man who had spent the evening being kind and charming, merely shrugged, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

Betrayal slashed through Evelyn's chest. She had been so stupid to think a stranger could be kind to her without an agenda.

"Leave me alone, Liam," she finally said, her voice steady despite the raging storm inside her.

Liam's smirk didn't waver. "Now, now. Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"You are not my friend," she spat, her eyes flashing with fury.

For a brief second, something dark flickered in Liam's gaze. But then it was gone, replaced by amusement once again.

"You always did have a sharp tongue," he mused. 

Liam took one more step forward, so close now that she could smell the cologne that had once haunted her nightmares.

"You still flinch when I'm near, Evelyn," he murmured, his voice low and deadly. "That means I still own a part of you."

Evelyn's breathing quickened.

No.

No, he didn't.

She would not let him win.

Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, Evelyn squared her shoulders and forced herself to meet his gaze.

"You don't own anything, Liam," she said, her voice sharp as steel. "You never did. You never will."

His smirk faltered.

For the first time that night, she saw a flicker of irritation in his eyes.

Good.

Without another word, Evelyn turned on her heel and walked away.

She didn't run—she refused to run.

But the moment she was out of sight, the moment she was far enough—

She grabbed her phone with trembling fingers and dialed the only number she could think of.

She prayed he would answer.

Because if he didn't—

She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold it together.

He. Did. Not. Pick. Up.

Evelyn's fingers trembled as she typed out the three letters.

SOS.

She sent the message, praying—begging—for Minho to see it. But he didn't reply.

Her chest tightened as she clenched the phone in her palm, her pulse roaring in her ears.

She needed to get out.

Now.

But just as she turned toward the grand hallway leading to the exit, a strong hand wrapped around her wrist.

Evelyn froze.

A cruel, mocking voice whispered against her ear.

"Leaving so soon?"

A shiver ran down her spine, every fiber of her being screaming at her to run. But before she could react, she was yanked back—her body colliding against Liam's chest.

Her breath hitched.

"Let go of me," she gritted out, trying to pry his fingers off.

Liam chuckled, his grip tightening. "Oh, come on, Evelyn. We have so much to catch up on."

She struggled, her heart pounding as panic clawed its way through her veins. Her eyes darted around the venue. The party was still in full swing, the laughter and clinking glasses masking her distress.

No one was looking. No one noticed.

And Daniel—that traitor—stood a few steps away, sipping his drink like nothing was happening.

Liam leaned in closer, his voice dripping with amusement. "You really thought you could run from me?"

Evelyn gritted her teeth, her entire body stiffening. Summoning all her strength, she lifted her heel and slammed it down onto his foot.

Liam hissed, momentarily loosening his grip, and Evelyn shoved him back, bolting toward the exit.

Her breath came in ragged gasps as she weaved through the elegantly dressed crowd, her pulse hammering like a war drum.

She was almost there.

Just a few more steps—

A hand snatched her wrist again, this time harder, rougher.

She barely had time to react before she was yanked backward, her body colliding with the cold marble wall of the secluded hallway.

Pain shot through her shoulder, but she barely registered it.

Because Liam was towering over her now, his expression dark and menacing.

"You never learn, do you?" he muttered, his fingers digging into her arm.

Evelyn struggled, trying to shove him off, but he was too strong.

And then—

A sharp click.

Cold metal pressed against her ribs.

Her blood ran ice cold.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her entire body locking up as she felt the unmistakable barrel of a gun digging into her side.

Her eyes shot up to Liam's, her heart slamming against her ribs.

"Liam," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

His smirk widened. "Shh, princess. We wouldn't want to cause a scene, now, would we?"

Evelyn's throat tightened, panic coiling in her chest like a vice.

Think, Evelyn. Think.

But she couldn't.

Not when the weight of his presence—the sheer, suffocating terror—was pressing down on her like a tidal wave.

Not when she could still hear the ghost of his voice in her head from that night, whispering the same threats, the same taunts.

Not when she was trapped all over again.

Her hands trembled.

Her breathing was shallow.

She was drowning.

And then—

A voice sliced through the chaos.

"Let. Her. Go."

The weight of the entire world shifted in that instant.

Evelyn's eyes snapped toward the voice.

Minho.

He stood at the entrance of the hallway, his usually soft, playful eyes now dark and deadly. His jaw was clenched so tight it looked painful, and his fists were curled so hard his knuckles were white.

His entire body radiated fury.

Liam chuckled, barely sparing him a glance. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"

Minho took a step forward.

Then another.

Evelyn barely registered the way the tension in the air thickened, the way Liam stiffened ever so slightly.

Because all she could see—all she could focus on—was him.

Minho.

He was here.

He had come for her.

Minho tilted his head slightly, his voice dangerously low. "I'm the guy who's about to break every bone in your body if you don't get your filthy hands off her."

Liam's smirk faltered.

Evelyn sucked in a shaky breath.

The tides had already turned the moment Minho arrived.

Liam's fingers twitched against Evelyn's arm, his grip still firm but not as confident as before. He scoffed, but there was something forced in the way he did it—like he was trying to maintain control of the situation but knew it was slipping through his fingers.

"And what exactly do you think you're gonna do, boy?" Liam sneered, pressing the barrel of the gun harder into Evelyn's ribs. She flinched, her breath catching in her throat.

Minho's eyes darkened further, but his voice remained eerily calm. "You really don't wanna test me right now."

Evelyn could see the muscle in his jaw twitch. His hands were still clenched into fists at his sides, but his body was coiled like a spring, ready to strike at any moment.

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "Cute. But here's the thing, hero—" He tilted his head toward Evelyn. "If you take one more step, she gets a bullet to the stomach. And trust me, I never miss."

Evelyn's heart pounded in her chest, her pulse roaring in her ears. She could feel Liam's breath against her skin, the weight of the gun against her ribs, but more than anything—she could feel the thick, suffocating tension in the air.

Minho didn't move.

His entire body was like a statue, but his eyes—God, his eyes—were practically burning.

Then, so softly that it was barely audible, Minho spoke.

"Do it, then."

Evelyn's breath hitched.

Liam's smirk faltered. "...What?"

"Pull the trigger." Minho's voice was cold. Deadly. "Go ahead."

Evelyn's mind spun. Minho, what the hell are you doing?!

Liam, too, looked momentarily thrown off, but he recovered quickly, forcing a laugh. "You think I'm bluffing?"

Minho shrugged, taking a slow step forward. "I think you're an idiot."

Liam stiffened.

"You came to a public event, full of powerful businessmen, all with security teams stationed everywhere. You lured a girl who belongs to one of the most influential families in the country into a hallway that has cameras—" Minho tilted his head, his lips curling into something almost amused. "And you thought no one would notice?"

Liam's jaw clenched.

Minho took another step forward.

"Now, you've got two choices," he continued. "One—you pull the trigger. You kill Evelyn in a room full of witnesses, security, and cameras. You die before you even make it out of this building." He smirked. "Or—" his voice dropped into something even more dangerous, "you let her go, and I give you a chance to keep your bones intact for another day."

Silence.

Thick. Heavy. Tense.

Evelyn barely dared to breathe.

Then—

Liam exhaled through his nose, his fingers twitching. He was calculating.

And then—just like that—he made his decision.

With a sharp curse, Liam shoved Evelyn forward—hard.

Evelyn gasped as she stumbled, barely catching herself before she hit the floor.

And in that exact moment, Minho moved.

Faster than Evelyn had ever seen him move before.

His fist slammed into Liam's jaw with a sickening crack, sending the man stumbling back into the wall. Liam groaned, clutching his face, but Minho didn't give him a second to recover.

Another punch—harder this time.

Then another.

Liam barely had time to react before Minho grabbed him by the collar and shoved him against the marble wall, his expression murderous.

"You ever touch her again," Minho growled, his voice dangerously low, "and I swear on everything you hold dear, you won't live to regret it."

Liam coughed, his smirk now wiped clean off his face.

Evelyn watched, still breathless, her entire body trembling from the adrenaline.

Minho shoved Liam one last time before finally letting him go, stepping back as security guards stormed into the hallway, their guns drawn.

"Take him," Minho ordered, his voice sharp.

The guards didn't hesitate. They grabbed Liam by the arms, forcing him to his knees.

Evelyn barely registered the chaos around her—the murmurs, the security yelling, Daniel trying to slip away only to be caught by another set of guards.

She barely registered anything at all.

Because the second Minho turned around and looked at her—

Her walls crumbled.

She let out a shaky breath—then ran straight into his arms.

Minho caught her without hesitation, wrapping her tightly against his chest.

She felt his hand tangle into her hair, the other pressing against the small of her back as if anchoring her to him.

"You're okay," he whispered. "You're safe."

Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut, clinging onto him like her life depended on it.

ruka:

Missed me? hehehe. so sorry for leaving yall at the cliffhanger.