The CEO's runaway wife.

Emily couldn't recall what happened last night, but now in a half-awake state, she felt weak and tired lying on a large bed in a suburban villa. Next to her was the figure of a handsome young man smoking, having almost finished the pack of cigarettes. He didn't see any signs of Emily waking up.

"Still not getting up at this hour?" Alex tossed the half-smoked cigarette down and walked to the bed, impatiently attempting to wake her. He spoke with impatience, accompanied by a dangerous smile.

"It's just a mild sedative that made you sleep this long. You seem to be sleeping soundly. Do you think someone kindly brought you home drunk last night? Wake up! Get up now for me."

Startled by his firm shake, could she not wake up? She struggled to open her heavy eyelids, taking a few seconds to adjust to the light in the room. While still groggy, she didn't know what had happened and asked hoarsely:

"What's going on?"

Alex saw her open her eyes and tried to get straight to the point, but Emily's words made him slightly irritated. He slapped her face a few times to help her wake up, accompanied by threatening words:

"Do you really think you can't wake up after being shaken this hard?"

Emily, with swollen eyes, tried to open her eyes wider, taking some effort to become more alert. When she was fully awake, she looked around in bewilderment. It was a large unfamiliar place, accompanied by a cold darkness that made her shiver. She stuttered:

"W-where am I? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What do you want? We don't know each other."

Alex felt a bit angered by her statements, and he slapped her a few more times, frustrated. He spoke with a menacing tone:

"Still not fully awake, huh? Let me tell you, Emily, I dislike slow and hesitant people like you."

"Being clueless and wanting to accuse me? Let's see how brave you are. Do you think you can escape from here? I went to great lengths to find your whereabouts. Do you think I would just let you escape easily?"

Although not speaking loudly, each word that came out of this young man's mouth made her feel a bit frightened. She sat up, struggling to open her eyes wider, trying to wake herself up more. When she was fully awake, she was startled and continuously looked around, in a strange and vast place that sent chills down her spine. She stammered, trying to speak:

"W-where is this? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? Are you kidnapping me? Aren't you afraid I'll report you?"

"You're not fully awake yet, are you? Let me tell you, Emily, I hate indecisive people like you."

"Foolish as you are, you still want to accuse me? Let's see how brave you are. Between you and me, we don't have any acquaintance to talk about."

Emily tilted her head to avoid his menacing gaze, but he forcibly grabbed her chin, making her look directly into his eyes.

"Hm, so you're clueless? Let me tell you, Emily, what I hate the most is indecisive and sluggish people."

"You, acting clueless, and you want to accuse me? Let's see how capable you are. Do you think you can escape from here? I've spent a lot of effort to find your trace, and you think I'd let you easily escape from here, huh? Emily."

He laughed menacingly, approaching her face, staring directly into her frightened eyes.

"I really don't have the time to bring you back here just to see how well you sleep. Do you think someone kindly brought you home drunk last night?"

Although she couldn't comprehend what he was saying, his words and the intense red veins in Alex's eyes were terrifying, making her sit up and force her eyes open to become more alert. When she was finally awake, she gasped and kept looking around, feeling the vast and eerie unfamiliarity of the place. Her mouth moved a few times before she could utter a complete sentence:

"W-where am I? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What do you want?"

Alex hadn't finished his sentence when Emily took the words, and her denial and confusion angered him, prompting him to strike her and threaten her:

"Oh? Remembered the incident between us three years ago, huh? So why did you deny it earlier? Now you see me as a fool, huh? Trying to deceive me for something. Do you believe I won't let you see the sun tomorrow?"

He thought that soothing a bit of his current hot temper with her words would work, but unexpectedly, her recent words were like digging her own pit. Threatened by Alex like that, her tears, suppressed for so long, suddenly flowed down her cheeks because she truly didn't know how to handle the current situation. Could he shoot her if she truly provoked him? So, an idea came to pretend to mislead him, hoping he would rethink, lowering his angry temper:

"I admit we had an unintentional relationship, but the issue about the child is a bit confusing. You... put the gun down, let's talk slowly, alright?"

Alex found it ridiculous, thinking she was feigning innocence to escape everything. Instead of soothing his anger, her words provoked more doubts, using threatening words:

"Oh? Now you remember our relationship? Then why did you deny it earlier? Do you think I'm a fool? What do you want to deceive me for? Do you believe I won't let you see the sun tomorrow?"

She thought feigning innocence might calm his current temper, but her words seemed to only further infuriate him. He pushed her to the edge, and her suppressed tears suddenly flowed down because she genuinely didn't know how to handle this situation. Only after one night, everything was turned upside down. Since she woke up until now, she couldn't explain why she had to endure this.

To prevent Alex from getting angrier with her words, she chose not to say anything else. But seeing Emily cry, Alex suddenly felt a bit amused. Wasn't she truly the problem?

He suddenly pressed his rough palm against her face, making her slightly startled. His thumb wiped away the tears on her cheeks and gently touched Emily's pale lips, speaking lightly:

"Why are you crying? I haven't done anything, and you're already crying. If this were outside, people would say I'm bullying you, right?"

Alex abruptly, gently, and in his heart already had suspicions. Her hand, trembling with fear, clenched into a fist, her nails digging deeply into her palm, almost drawing blood. Alex looked at her tears, unsure if it was her softening or something else that made him lower his gun, but his wicked smile didn't fade. He stood up straight, putting his hands in his pockets, looking at her. The more he looked at Emily, the more she seemed like a trapped animal, desperately trying to find a way to escape. The more he provoked her, the more interested he became, sparking a desire to tease and toy with her. Emily was like a timid prey, trying to threaten her to make her afraid, causing her to tremble.

Emily hesitated, her grip on the gun trembling. The weight of the decision she faced was overwhelming. She desperately searched for an escape, a way to endure, but her options seemed to dwindle.

Alex's taunts and provocations continued, pushing her to the edge, but she couldn't bring herself to end her own life. It wasn't the solution; she wanted to survive this, to find out what was truly happening, and to escape this torment.

"Still hesitating? Afraid of death, huh?" Alex's voice dripped with mockery.

Her hand quivered, sweat mixed with tears on her forehead as she felt the cold metal against her skin. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, trying to drown out the vicious words that echoed in her mind.

In a moment of desperation, she screamed, "Stop!"

To her surprise, Alex paused. The laughter subsided, and he watched her closely, intrigued by her sudden outburst.

"Enough, please. I don't know what you want from me, but I'll cooperate. Just... just don't hurt me," Emily begged, her voice filled with genuine fear.

Alex observed her for a moment, contemplating her words. He enjoyed the power he held over her, the fear in her eyes, but he also knew that keeping her terrified wouldn't yield the information he sought.

"Fine," he finally said, seemingly relenting. "Cooperate, and maybe things will go easier for you."

She let out a sigh of relief, the gun still clutched tightly in her hand. It was a small victory, but it bought her time, and time was what she needed to figure out a plan.

"First, tell me why you think I have any knowledge about a child. I genuinely don't understand," she asked, her voice trembling but determined.

Alex seemed to contemplate her question before he responded: "You're not as innocent as you pretend to be. You were involved three years ago, and that involvement doesn't simply disappear."

Three years ago? Emily's mind raced, trying to recall any significant events from that time. But the more she thought, the more her head throbbed in confusion. She drew a blank.

"I... I truly don't remember. Please, you have to believe me," she pleaded, feeling a wave of frustration and helplessness wash over her.

Alex looked at her skeptically, assessing her sincerity. He could see her genuine confusion, her fear, and it made him wonder if there was a chance she was telling the truth. But he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

"Fine, for now, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But remember, your cooperation is your only lifeline in this situation," he warned, a hint of threat in his tone.

She nodded, acknowledging his warning. She needed to play along, gain his trust, and find an opportunity to escape.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, her voice softer now, an attempt to convey compliance.

Alex crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, contemplating his next move. He had to be strategic, ensure she gave him the information he needed without raising too much suspicion.

"Tell me about the events three years ago. Everything you remember," he demanded.

Emily racked her brain, trying desperately to recall any details from that time. But it was like trying to grasp at smoke - nothing tangible emerged.

"I... I really can't remember. It's all a blur. Can you... can you give me some context? Maybe that will help trigger something," she suggested, hoping to buy more time.

Alex considered her request. He needed to be careful with the information he provided, to ensure she didn't piece together too much.

"Three years ago, you were involved in something that had far-reaching consequences. A child was at the center of it all. A child that was supposed to be mine," he revealed, watching her closely for any signs of recognition.

Emily's heart raced, her mind struggling to process what he just said. A child? Was she involved in a child's disappearance three years ago?

"I... I don't understand. I've never been involved in anything like that," she stammered, genuine confusion in her eyes.

Alex studied her, evaluating her response. Could she truly have no recollection of those events?

"Look, I'm trying to be patient, but you need to remember. Your involvement had dire consequences. If you don't cooperate fully, those consequences could return," he threatened.

She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. The fear of the unknown, the fear of what consequences he spoke of, all of it was suffocating her. But she had to stay strong, keep her wits about her.

"I'm trying to remember, but it's just not there. Can you... can you tell me more about what happened three years ago?" she asked cautiously.

Alex hesitated, contemplating how much to reveal. He wanted her to give herself away, to divulge any hidden knowledge she might possess.

"Three years ago, there was an incident involving a child, a child that was meant to be a link between two worlds. It was a pivotal event, and you were part of it. Do you remember anything about that?" he inquired, carefully watching her reaction.

Emily felt a rush of confusion and fear. A child as a link between two worlds? What did that even mean? She was certain she had no part in such an event.

"I... I swear, I have no memory of being involved in anything like that. I don't even understand what you mean by 'link between two worlds,'" she responded, her voice shaky but genuine.

Alex scrutinized her, searching for any signs of deceit. He needed to break through her facade, get to the truth. He had invested too much to let her slip through his grasp now.

"Very well," he said, momentarily retreating. "But remember, cooperation is your only way out of this."

She nodded, feeling a sliver of hope. If she played her cards right, maybe she could uncover the truth and escape from this nightmare.

The room was engulfed in a tense silence. Emily clutched the gun, her fingers white-knuckled with the effort to maintain her composure. She had to find a way out of this, uncover the truth, and ensure her safety. The battle for her survival and sanity had just begun.