Emily's world went black, and she felt herself being lifted and carried. When she came to, she was lying on a cold, hard floor. She opened her eyes to find herself back in the dimly lit room, Victor standing over her.
"Welcome back, Emily," he sneered. "I thought you'd like to know that your friend Jessie is safe – for now. But you, on the other hand, are going to help me get the Ravenwood Star."
Emily struggled to sit up, her head pounding. "You'll never get away with this," she spat.
Victor laughed. "Oh, I already have. And you, Emily, are going to be the key to my success."
As he revealed his plan, Emily's eyes widened in horror. She realized that preston had betrayed her, handing her over to Victor in exchange for his own safety.
"No," she whispered, feeling like she'd been punched in the gut. "It can't be true."
Victor smiled, enjoying her pain. "Oh, it's true, Emily. Preston is working for me. He's been playing you all along."
Emily's heart shattered into a million pieces. She felt like she didn't know anything anymore. She was trapped, with no way out.
But as she looked up at Victor, she saw something in his eyes – a spark of overconfidence. She knew she had to play along, to pretend to cooperate, until she could find a way to escape.
"Okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'll help you."
Victor smiled, thinking he'd won. But Emily knew she was only buying time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike