Chapter 95: How Dare You Run Away

“What’s wrong? You seem so reluctant to part with her. Why don’t you go to Lorimer Estate and find her?” Samuel said in a rather cryptic manner. “I heard she went to the Lorimer family’s banquet today. She and Mr. Lorimer seem to be having the time of their lives!”

“She just went to Lorimer Estate. It’s not like she vanished into thin air. So why hasn’t she responded to me yet?” Shanice voiced her confusion. “She always replies quickly. These days, everyone carries their phone with them. Even if she was momentarily busy, it didn’t make sense for her to be unreachable. No, she did respond, but all she sent was the word ‘East.’”

Her words immediately sparked Casimir’s curiosity. “East? What does that mean?”

“How would I know?” Shanice handed him her phone, the chat screen visible.

Casimir immediately initiated a video call. After several attempts, there was still no answer. Casimir’s brows knitted into a deep frown. “Why do I get the feeling that something’s not right?”

“What could ‘East’ possibly mean?” Shanice mumbled to herself, various speculations swirling in her mind. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and her expression shifted to one of alarm. “Did she mean East Aploth? I specifically warned her not to go to East Aploth with Jeremiah!”

“East Aploth?” Casimir repeated, his tone tinged with surprise. “You told Raylee about East Aploth?”

Samuel’s expression grew somber.

Meanwhile, in the basement of the casino in East Aploth, the moment Jeremiah’s hammer came crashing down, Raylee let out a terrified scream. Just when she thought her life was about to end in a rather gruesome manner, she felt a sudden pain in her wrist. But the feeling of pain wasn’t too intense. Her hands were cuffed behind her back. Raylee couldn’t see them, but she was certain she wasn’t too badly hurt.

“I smashed the pebble. If I ever see you wearing something he gave you again, you’ll be the next thing I smash!” Jeremiah warned, his slender fingers pointing at her. “Hahaha… This feels so good.”

He tossed the hammer aside, leaving a dent in the damp, grimy ground. With his head held high, he turned and strode away. Raylee had never been so utterly speechless in her life. He had stormed in, hammer in hand, radiating a murderous intensity that made it seem like he was about to smash her head to pieces. And yet, all of that drama had been just to destroy the pebble Casimir had given her.

What a character. I just can’t understand him and his bizarre antics. At first, she had pegged him as a lunatic, a complete maniac. But now, she found herself questioning his mental age. Has he even graduated from kindergarten? He’s as immature as a teenager stuck in a rebellious phase.

3:03 PM

Chapter 95: How Dare You Run Away

At that time, there was no one keeping watch in the basement. The only two men who might have posed a threat were preoccupied in the dark room, involved in their despicable acts with the unfortunate girls. It seemed their activities would take a while—unless, of course, they were one-minute men.

Seizing the opportunity, Raylee made up her mind. Summoning all her strength, she broke free from the handcuffs and slipped out through the basement entrance. Earlier, when Jeremiah had angrily smashed the pebble, the impact had accidentally broken the lock on her cuffs. She had stayed silent, recognizing the chance that fate had unexpectedly handed her. Before fleeing, Raylee quietly pocketed a black flash drive from the table. She had overheard Brock and Leon discussing its significance earlier. They mentioned that it contained something highly important, and Mr. Lorimer had specifically entrusted them to guard it with care. She wasn’t sure if the “Mr. Lorimer” they were referring to was Jeremiah, but she felt that this flash drive was of great importance. She decided to take it with her, thinking it might prove useful in the future.

Raylee burst out from the basement entrance, only to find that the vast casino was like a labyrinth. She simply couldn’t find an exit. Suddenly, a blaring alarm shattered the air. Within moments, the casino swarmed with security guards, their eyes scanning every corner as if searching for something. Raylee couldn’t be sure if she was their target. She slipped into a bathroom, hiding under the sink, praying silently that they wouldn’t find her. In a place like this, anyone caught attempting to escape would face unimaginable punishment, and the fate of those recaptured was often worse than death itself.

Raylee was shrouded in boundless fear when, suddenly, someone yanked her hair and violently dragged her out. Brock’s menacing voice rang out from above.

“Found you. Get out here. This casino is under constant surveillance with no blind spots. Did you really think escaping would be that easy? How dare you run away? Just wait and see how I deal with you.”

Brock didn’t show any mercy. He grabbed her by the hair, treating her with as much regard as one would a dead dog, and dragged her back to the basement. The sharp, searing pain in her scalp made Raylee feel as though her head might burst.