He was nothing but my boss at work 16

instead. 

“Shut up!” Mark snapped. He slapped her face hard. 

“Enough! Stop hitting her!” I said, my voice soft and pleading. 

“I’m hungry, Mark. I want to eat the pasta you used to cook me.” 

I gave him a pitiful glance. 

“Okay! I’ll make you pasta right now!” 

For a moment, Mark’s eyes seemed to clear. He tossed the knife aside and headed for the kitchen. 

Sharon eyed the knife eagerly. She picked it up with great effort and used it to cut the rope around her wrists. 

“Untie me too!” I shouted, seeing she was about to leave. 

“I’ve been through all these nightmares because of you. Why should I help you? 

1/2 

Chapter 8 

+15 BONUS 

“Go to hell, Claire!” Sharon hissed. 

Then, she walked toward me with the small knife. 

In that instant, my wrist ropes loosened. I quickly pushed my chair aside and used my feet to knock it over. 

I had a special bracelet on my wrist, which could turn into a small dagger. It also had a locator inside. I was sure that Andy would 

find me soon. 

When I collapsed to the ground, Sharon fell as well. 

She had been stabbed in the back, struggling a few moments before going still. 

“Claire, are you okay?” 

Mark walked toward me with a blood–soaked kitchen knife. 

When he noticed the fear on my face, he threw the knife aside. 

“I was in such a hurry earlier I forgot to ask–do you want onions in your pasta?” 

I shook my head; I had never liked onions since I was a child. 

After dragging Sharon’s body away, Mark locked the basement door and left. 

I huddled in a corner of the small room, waiting for Andy to rescue me. 

As the sky grew dark, suddenly, someone kicked the basement door open. 

“Claire, are you okay? I finally found you!” 

Andy, trembling with emotion, hugged me tightly. I could hear the fear in his voice as if he could not bear to lose me. 

“You’re late. I was so scared!” 

Tears streamed down my face. Sharon had died in front of me, and it became a nightmare I would never forget. 

Not long after, I lost consciousness. 

P