“Go ahead and jump if you dare, Elena,” Bryan said casually.
“Why are you backing down?” Bryan swerved the car left and right on that empty road. “Aren’t you the one who wanted to leave?”
My hands gripped the car seat tightly. I tried to hold on and not fall. The jolting made my stomach ache again. He only stopped when he saw that I had turned completely pale. I was nearly losing blood and control.
We arrived at the luxurious building that had once been my greatest goal in life.
"Take her away."
Bryan didn’t let me look for too long; he ordered his men to drag me away.
They took me to a damp, filthy place beneath the building.
The walls were damp. The floor was cold. Light came only from a single large screen glowing in front of us.
I was shoved until I fell to my knees.
“Sit. Look ahead.”
One of the men pressed down on my shoulder to keep me still.
On that screen… the magnificent stage that should have been mine was clearly displayed. Spotlights, world-class judges, and the best contestants—everything was going perfectly.
And there.
Livia.
Standing gracefully on the stage that should have been mine.
My breath caught in my throat.