Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

The man in front went sheet-white, his lips trembling. Before he could say another word, a bullet ripped right through his shoulder.

Clara didn't even look up, just spun her pistol in her hand. "Think carefully before you open your mouth again. The cops will be here by morning. If you keep quiet, you might walk out of here alive. But if you piss me off, you'll end up as dog food." Right on cue, Milo and Buddy barked-sharp, vicious, and in perfect harmony.

Everyone knew those two dogs were monsters. People said they could tear a man's arm clean off, and nobody doubted it. No one had ever seen animals like them.

The man's face turned even paler. He squeezed his eyes shut, jaw clenched tight.

"I don't know much," he stammered. "The guy in charge-he's a ghost. The boss never comes himself. We just get orders. All I know is, this place is tied to the Warren family in the Capital. I've never been there, but I've heard the name from the crazy women. They say there's a Mr. Schwaderer. That's it. I swear, that's all I know."

The Warren family? In the Capital?

Clara's eyebrows shot up. The Warrens were practically royalty—she never imagined they'd be mixed up in something this filthy.

"And those women-who are they?" she asked.

A handful of women wandered around the room, lost in their own worlds. Some crouched over the dead, trying to do CPR on corpses, the scene so eerie it made Clara's skin crawl.

Their bodies were covered in whip marks and bruises-scars that told stories no one should ever have to live.

The man took a shaky breath. "They used to be rich. Most of them started companies with their husbands. But when the men wanted everything for themselves, they needed their wives gone. So they drugged them, made them unstable, then sent them here under the excuse of 'treatment.' That's when we humiliated them. A lot of their husbands were social climbers-once the women were locked away, the men got everything."

Clara had suspected this place was hiding secrets, but she never dreamed it would be this sick.

She let out a laugh-cold and humorless. Calling these people animals would be too kind.

She looked around at the broken women—at least fifty of them. Some had been here for years, others for more than a decade.

Nobody could survive this place with their sanity intact.

Betrayed by the men they loved. Tortured in every possible way.

This wasn't just darkness; it was the kind of place sunlight would never touch.

Charles, quiet until now, leaned in close. "Sis, you look upset. Want me to set the place on fire?"

"No. Call the police," Clara said.

Charles dropped his gaze, almost sheepish I can't. If I call, my brother will lose it. Every time I've called the cops, he's yelled at me. And if bring up the Chester family, it'll just be

another scandal."

Clara turned to Emily.noveldrama

Emily wiped her tears, voice barely steady. "I'll call. I'll say...I never saw your faces."

Clara nodded, then glanced at the others kneeling on the floor.

These people had given up their humanity long ago.

Suddenly, Emily snatched the gun from Clara and pulled the trigger.

Clara stared, stunned, as the kneeling men dropped to the floor.

Emily stood there, shaking all over. "I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore. Just thinking about them living-it makes me sick. None of them are innocent. They all deserve to die. If someone needs to be punished, let it be me. I killed them. Every last one."

She pressed her hands to her head, and the gun slid from her fingers.

Clara just picked it up and placed it back

pemily's hands. "When thene

police get here, you don't know

Understand?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah."

"When you get back to the Capital, go find Ryan. He'll help you."

Emily nodded again, sinking to her knees, shoulders trembling.

Clara reloaded the gun and handed it over. "Some of them are still breathing."