Chapter 4 Pursuit

After a few more days, Bonnie gradually grew accustomed to her new life, and her body slowly recovered enough for her to be discharged from the hospital.

Lily, being her best friend, of course showed up, helped pack her things, and took Bonnie home.

After that, Lily had something to take care of, so she drove away. Bonnie entered the house, and the very first thing she did was take a thorough shower.

Just the few days of dealing with that bastard Randor and his family had been enough to make her skin crawl.

Fortunately, the warm water soothed Bonnie's nerves, washing away the initial discomfort.

By the time she finished bathing, it was already eight in the evening.

Drying her hair as she stepped out of the bathroom, Bonnie lazily picked up her phone and ordered a pizza with a soft drink delivered to her home.

It was late anyway, and she had no interest in cooking, so she decided a simple dinner like that would do.

Once the order was confirmed, Bonnie stifled a yawn behind her hand, stretching as she went to dry her hair.

The sound of the dryer filled the room, drowning out everything else.

When her hair was finally dry, she padded softly back to the living room and turned on the television while waiting for the pizza delivery.

She chose a popular variety show that had been trending lately, leaning back against the sofa and watching intently.

Along with the cheerful chatter of the entertainers,

a strange noise echoed from the balcony, making Bonnie flinch.

It sounded like a gunshot reverberating loudly.

"..."

Bonnie tilted her head to glance outside, a sudden chill of foreboding sweeping over her.

Could it be that a violent brawl was happening out there?

Still, she wasn't foolish enough to step outside to check.

She only tried to reassure herself silently, curling into the corner of the sofa.

Convincing herself that what she'd just heard was nothing more than her imagination.

She forced her focus back on the television, and just as she was regaining her composure, the doorbell rang.

Bonnie glanced at the time, assuming it was the delivery arriving, and without thinking much, she opened the door.

But she did not know,

this could be a decision she would regret.

Because the very moment she opened the door,

A figure darted inside like lightning.

With swift hands, the stranger slammed the door shut and clamped a palm tightly over Bonnie's mouth before she could make a sound.

"..."

Bonnie froze, her mind going completely blank.

Her first thought was,

Had she shown her disgust for Randor too openly these past days,

And now that bastard had sent someone to kill her?

While she was still stunned, a deep, magnetic male voice brushed her ear.

"Don't worry, I'm not a bad person."

"I ran into some danger, so I need to hide in your home for a while."

"Once it's safe, I'll leave immediately, and I'll repay you properly."

The man spoke fluently and briefly, then tightened his grip slightly as he asked,

"Can you let me hide here for a moment?"

"If you agree, I'll release you."

"Just don't scream."

Along with his voice, Bonnie caught the faint scent of blood in the air, realizing at once that his injuries weren't minor.

She had watched plenty of action films on television before,

but this,

this was her first time experiencing such a scene in real life,

leaving her completely speechless.

Countless movie scenarios flashed through her mind.

Struggling to remain calm, she nodded.

Because she had no other choice.

The man quickly released her, allowing Bonnie to breathe normally again.

"..."

At last, Bonnie had the chance to truly look at the man.

A handsome face, his features sharp and stern.

His hair was parted neatly to the side, accentuating a cold, distant aura.

Thick brows framed his eyes, and at the end of one brow was a small dark mole, something that would surely stand out when he smiled.

But he was not smiling.

His lips were pressed firmly together.

That was when Bonnie noticed the wound on his arm.

A sharp blade had cut across it, blood seeping through the piece of cloth he had hastily tied around it.

It was strikingly vivid.

That explained the strong, metallic scent that lingered in the air.

Bonnie frowned, instinctively sensing he wasn't a bad man.

Summoning her strength, she forced her dry throat to make a sound.

"I'm not trying to meddle."

"But... do you need any help?"

"There's a first-aid kit in the house. I can treat your wound."

Her voice trembled, gentle yet tinged with worry. Even now, her body was still quivering faintly.

Lance tilted his head to look at her, blinking.

Bonnie's composure surprised him, but his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he asked,

"Can you?"

Bonnie forced herself to stay calm and nodded.

She brought out the first-aid kit, pressing her lips together as she skillfully bandaged Lance's arm until the bleeding stopped.

During the process, Lance's wariness slowly shifted into cooperation. He no longer stared at Bonnie in silence with that unsettling gaze that made her skin prickle.

When it was done, Lance tilted his head, his voice softer as he asked,

"Is there somewhere in your home where I can hide?"

Bonnie, of course, wasn't foolish enough to ask him why. She only thought for a moment, then nodded.

"I think you can hide in the storage room, but it's quite dusty."

Lance had no time to hesitate. He nodded, gesturing for Bonnie to lead the way.

She guided him to the storage room, where he concealed himself inside a large cabinet against the wall.

To make it safer, she stacked several large cartons in front of the door, blocking it from view.

Only then did she turn back toward the living room.

After pondering briefly, Bonnie hurried into her bedroom and picked up a bottle of perfume from the vanity.

Then she returned to the living room,

spraying several shots into the air to mask the scent of blood,

before hurling the bottle forcefully to the floor.

The shattering sound made her flinch.

She winced in regret, staring at the broken glass scattered across the floor, the perfume spilling everywhere.

Once that was done, the doorbell rang again.

Bonnie stiffened, her eyes narrowing with vigilance.

This time, she didn't recklessly open the door.

Instead, she carefully reached for her phone, gripping it tightly in her hand.

The ringtone echoed in the unnervingly quiet space, and Bonnie answered cautiously.

It turned out to be the deliveryman.

A wave of relief washed over her, worrying for nothing.

Bonnie shrugged, reassured, and opened the door.

But the very moment the door swung open, her breath caught in her throat for the second time that day.

Because she saw the deliveryman pinned down by two men, their faces fully covered, a blade pressed against his throat.

He trembled violently,

his eyes darting toward Bonnie in a silent plea for help.

"..."