I pushed my way through the crowd, not even knowing where I was running to. Everything around me looked unfamiliar, and a wave of helplessness washed over me. I had actually run away right in front of Captian. The image of his vicious expression still clung to my mind, making my whole body tremble.
I stared at the endless stream of people passing by, and for a moment, I had absolutely no idea what to do. Going back was impossible. Compared to being dragged abroad and left to fend for myself, fleeing to some countryside sounded better.
Besides, I had run away directly in front of him, maybe he was disgusted enough with me that he wouldn't bother chasing. If that was true, then… good. That would mean I'd be free.
That hope lasted barely a few seconds before I saw Ronan leading a whole group of men running in my direction. My heart clenched so hard it felt like it might burst. My face drained of all color.
So Captian wasn't letting me go.
As Ronan's group approached, the blood in my veins turned cold. A chill crawled from the top of my skull all the way to my toes, squeezing the air out of my lungs. I staggered backward, my heartbeat pounding painfully.
Across the street was a riverbank with a broken railing dangerous-looking and unsteady. Instinctively, I backed toward it. One wrong step and I'd fall straight into the river.
Ronan noticed and panicked.
"Sister-in-law, don't do anything reckless!" he shouted, fear tightening his voice.
I stood right at the edge, my skirt fluttering violently in the wind, my body swaying as if I could topple forward any second.
Ronan's eyes widened in horror.
"Sister-in-law, please step away from there, it's dangerous!" he yelled.
Only then did I glance down and notice the river, sunlight glinting across its surface, but the water deep and dark. I swallowed hard and tried to step away.
But then...
A cold, slicing voice cut through the air from behind me.
"Rosy. Come here."
That voice chilled my spine instantly. I looked up, and the moment my eyes met Captian's icy gaze, my entire scalp tingled in terror. I instinctively backed away several steps. One more step and I'd fall straight into the water.
Captian's expression grew even darker, fury burning in his eyes.
"Come here," he repeated.
His rage hit me like a blow. If I went to him, he would tear me apart. I shook my head repeatedly, panic clawing at my chest, rejection clear in my eyes.
Seeing my reaction, something sharp flashed across Captian's expression as if my resistance had stabbed him. Good. I had dared to defy him.
He rolled up his sleeves and began walking toward me with a terrifying calmness. If I wouldn't come to him, he would come to get me even if he had to break my legs to do it.
Captian's pale face and menacing aura under the sunlight made him look like a demon king emerging from a cursed castle. I couldn't hold back anymore, I staggered backward.
And then...
Splash.
My foot slipped. I fell straight into the river.
Captian's body tensed instantly, his entire aura freezing over. Without hesitation, he shrugged off his black coat and leapt into the water.
Ronan snapped out of his shock and screamed,
"Hurry! Get towels from the car, Chief Anderson and sister-in-law are soaked!"
Several men scrambled away.
I coughed violently, choking on the river water, sputtering as consciousness slowly returned. Captian stood over me, drenched, staring down with a glacial expression.
I remembered slipping, falling, the cold water swallowing me. I knew how to swim, but it all happened too suddenly, I barely reacted before choking on mouthfuls of water.
I shook my head hard. Why would I want to die? It was just a misstep an accident.
But when Captian saw me shaking my head, he interpreted it completely differently. His brows drew together, his eyes dark and dangerous.
"Unless I permit you to die, you are not allowed to die. Understand?"
I froze, my eyes widening. The way he said it, he truly scared me.
A moment later, Ronan's men rushed over with towels.
"Chief Anderson, sister-in-law, please dry yourselves." Ronan offered the towels carefully.
Captian didn't even look at him. He grabbed my wrist and shoved me into the Rolls-Royce. My limbs were drained of strength pathetically limp. I was like a rag doll tossed around at his mercy.
I really thought I was about to die.
"You want to die that badly? Not even the slightest reluctance?" he growled, fingers squeezing my chin.
I winced, finally managing to stammer,
"I didn't want to die… I slipped by accident…"
"Oh?"
He let out a cold laugh mocking, unbelieving.
I trembled under that sound.
"Should I handcuff you? Is that the only way to keep you from doing something this stupid again?"
His lips curled into a strange, dangerous smile.
"Or should I break your arms and legs so you can't run anywhere?"
My eyes flew wide. His gaze was so deep and terrifying that I knew he wasn't joking.
Fear seized my entire body. I curled into myself like a tiny animal trying to hide.
Ronan nervously stepped in,
"Chief Anderson, please don't scare sister-in-law. She just fell into the river, she's still weak."
Captian stared at me for a long moment. My pale cheeks, my trembling little frame… something inside him seemed to loosen, though his anger didn't fully disappear. His voice was still a threat wrapped in ice.
Break my limbs? Make me an immobile doll? I would rather be dumped abroad to fend for myself.
My fear spiked again. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand, voice trembling.
"Chief Anderson… please just send me abroad. I don't want my arms and legs cut off…"
Captian froze as if stunned. Abroad? What was I talking about? Did I really want to leave him, escape to another country?
His eyes darkened, and the air in the car dropped several degrees.
Ronan, sensing doom, rushed to speak.
"Sister-in-law, the thing on Facebook isn't that serious. Chief Anderson will definitely handle it. Why would you think of… of killing yourself?"
I blinked, utterly confused. What? Who said anything about me wanting to kill myself? Was he insane?
Ronan sighed and continued,
"Chief Anderson rushed out the moment he heard you were trying to commit suicide, he dropped all his work to find you. Sister-in-law… do you not know how worried he was?"
Captian shot Ronan a cold glare, silently ordering him to shut up. Ronan instantly snapped his mouth shut.
I slowly looked up at Captian. My shock was written all over my face.
He was worried about me?