Chapter 179
Chapter 179
The woman knelt down silently, her movements smooth and practiced. Her hands swiftly untied Sophia's restraints, allowing blood to flow back into her limbs, causing a tingling sensation.
As the woman removed the cloth covering Sophia's eyes, a blinding light entered her vision, making her squint. The cloth gagging her mouth was ripped off, sending a rush of icy air down her throat.
Sophia hesitantly looked at the woman, who had a round face with tightly curled hair and wore a bright pink jacket. The woman's urgent voice broke the silence, instructing Sophia to leave through the back door without looking back.
Sophia, still feeling the effects of her restraints, scanned the room nervously, feeling a sense of unease.
She looked up at the woman and asked, "Are there any neighbors nearby? Are the houses far apart?"
The woman didn't answer her question, acting as if she hadn't heard it at all.
Without turning her head, she hurried towards the door, her tone brooking no argument. "Don't ask, just leave."
"Do you think I don't want to leave?" Sophia's voice was low and urgent, a mix of suppressed anger and frustration. "If no one sets the fire, none of us can get out of here!"
The heavyset woman paused for a moment, her back visibly stiffening, but she didn't turn around or say another word. Instead, she continued to walk away quickly.
Sophia's heart sank. Her mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation: if someone could precisely cut the power, they had clearly planned this in advance, possibly setting up an ambush. Surrounding the house, suppressing any escape. She quickly analyzed potential tactics, growing more alarmed with each thought.
Her eyes scanned the room repeatedly, but she realized there wasn't a single window that could be used for an escape.
A sudden low knock shattered the eerie silence, causing Sophia to jump back, her eyes widening in fear. She instinctively gripped her pant leg, her knuckles turning white.
"Quick, start the fire!" Sophia blurted out to the chubby woman, urgency in her voice and anxiety in her eyes.
But as the words left her mouth, a chilling realization hit her like a bucket of cold water—explosives!
The thought raced through her mind, sending a wave of fear through her. She quickly retracted her statement, fear evident in her voice.
The chubby woman stopped in her tracks, turning slowly with a deep, complex gaze. The tension in the air was palpable, each breath heavy.
Another knock on the door, followed by a hoarse male voice saying, "Uncle Ken, I'm here."
Sophia's heart pounded in her chest, the sound deafening in her ears. She surveyed the room: a lavish living room with elegant furniture and a landscape painting on the wall. Two figures sat motionless at a table, their heads bowed unnaturally still.
A faint collision sound from the back door made Sophia freeze. She moved stealthily to the kitchen corner, hiding under the sink cabinet, armed with a fork and scissors, ready for anything.
Outside, footsteps approached, and the chubby woman's voice asked, "Who's there? Why is the power out?"
The door creaked open, the wind howling in, followed by whispers and hurried steps. Chaos erupted with a chair toppling over and objects crashing to the ground.
Sophia held her breath, straining to hear the struggle outside: punches, kicks, furniture crashing, and growls filled the air.
Then, silence.
An elderly voice broke the silence, "She's Asher! She's here for revenge!"
Sophia's eyes widened in shock. The revelation shattered her calm. Was the seemingly ordinary chubby woman truly Asher, Beckett's father? If so, what was the motive behind all of this?