Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Not too far off, in a booth, there was Arthur, surrounded by a bunch of women. I didn't think he'd be living it up like that after all this time.

I glanced over and saw Ethan eyeing him too. But he didn't look surprised at all, just casually lit up a cigarette.

Our crew was pretty hard to miss. Arthur spotted us quick and, man, he looked freaked out.

I thought, 'Well, if you've got a guilty conscience, you're bound to be jumpy, right?'

Arthur jumped up from his group and bolted. I tried to go after him, but Ethan held me back. Soon enough, I got why Ethan stopped me-Arthur had no chance of getting away.

After just a few steps, a bunch of guys came out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.

We strolled over, and Oliver bent down, grabbed Arthur by the hair, and yanked his head up. "Did you really think you could run away?"

I was floored. From the way he talked, it seemed like we came here just to nab Arthur. Or maybe, dealing with Arthur was the whole point of this trip.

Arthur got tied up tight with ropes and dragged out.

The folks in Sunhaven City were way more chill than those in Starlight City; this scene didn't faze them at all. Everyone just kept doing their thing like nothing happened.

Arthur got tossed into a van, and we piled into an SUV. Both rides took off, heading deeper into the boonies.

Eventually, we pulled up outside this creepy, abandoned factory.

Arthur got thrown inside by those guys, who then came out and had a few words with Ethan before taking off.

I didn't catch what they said, but they seemed pretty respectful to Ethan.

We headed towards the factory, with Ethan and the others leading, and Bella holding me back, whispering, "Looks like Ethan's here to settle the score for you, Emmy. This time, don't go soft, okay?" Honestly, the moment I saw Arthur, I got all fired up. I clenched my fists. "Why should I go easy on someone who's screwed me over so many times?"

Bella gave me a pat on the shoulder. "That's the spirit."

A dim light from an old bulb lit up a corner of the factory, and there was Arthur, all tied up and looking pathetic.

Ethan walked over, step by step, stopping in front of Arthur with a cold grin. "Arthur, you took my 7 million bucks and bailed on Starlight City, living it up, huh?"

I was beyond shocked and looked at Ethan. "What did you say? You gave him 7 million dollars?"

Ethan just lit another cigarette and didn't answer.

I turned my gaze to Arthur on the ground. His eyes were darting around, and he looked scared out of his mind.

"Arthur, you took the money and still leaked the photos? You're a total jerk!" My voice was shaking, and I was trembling all over.

Arthur tried to say something, but Ethan stomped on his head, pressing his face into the dirty ground, twisting it.

Ethan, holding his cigarette, bent down a bit, staring into Arthur's terrified eyes, and said slowly, "I told you before, if you dared to release them, I'd make you pay."

His words were calm, but they had a real threat behind them.

Arthur was genuinely scared. His lips, pressed by the shoe, made muffled sounds.

"But, no rush. Since you like playing games with me, let's take our time." Ethan lifted his foot, leaving a clear shoe print on Arthur's face.

A whip was handed to me, and Ethan looked at me, saying, "Emily, it's payback time. The more you hate, the harder you hit. Don't hold back."

I stared at the whip in front of me, slowly raising my hand to take it.

After I gripped the whip, Ethan's hand gently rested on my shoulder. It was like some kind of magic; I felt this surge of energy flow from his palm into me. That energy pooled in my hand, itching to explode. Step by step, I walked towards Arthur.

Arthur, lying on the ground, stared at the whip swinging in my hand, his eyes wide with fear.

"Emily, no, don't," Arthur started begging.

I gave a bitter smile. "Arthur, you thought you could push me around, but you have no idea how ruthless someone can get when they're truly pissed off."

I took a deep breath, clenched my fingers, and lashed the whip at Arthur.

The whip cut deep, leaving a bloody mark on his face. But that first hit wasn't enough to quench my rage; it only brought all my hatred to the surface, making each strike harder than the last.

Arthur gritted his teeth but still cried out in pain.

Thinking about the child he took away, how he trashed my reputation over and over, and how he made it so I might never have kids again, I whipped him while tears streamed down my face. I wasn't sad; I was filled with pure hate. Arthur was beaten to a pulp by me, and he had long stopped crying out, maybe finally realizing that I wasn't going to show him any mercy.

Ethan and Oliver just watched me beat him; no one stepped in. They probably knew that only by doing it myself could I truly vent my anger. When I was finally exhausted, unable to hold the whip anymore, I stopped. I was drenched in sweat, and Arthur was covered in blood.

The whip fell from my hand, and my entire arm was trembling. A hand gently wrapped around me, silently calming my emotions.

"Do you know what real revenge is?" Ethan's voice sounded beside me.

I didn't know what Ethan was planning, but Oliver seemed to get it. He walked over with a cigarette in his mouth, and Arthur suddenly tried to crawl away. Frank quickly ran over, caught Arthur, and threw him back to the original spot.

Oliver got a message and said to Ethan, "They want us to deliver him."

Ethan took a drag of his cigarette and smiled faintly. "I told you, someone would be interested. Let's deliver him."

Oliver and Frank dragged Arthur into the SUV, and we all got in. Arthur lay at our feet like a pig waiting to be slaughtered.

Oliver drove to a bustling nightlife area.

Turning into an alley, the car stopped.

In a hidden bar, someone came out, opened the door, and dragged Arthur out of the car.

After they dragged Arthur inside, Ethan held my hand and led me in. I asked him, and he told me they were from Cyanber Country. Though the bar was hidden, its business was booming. But Bella and I hesitated to step inside when we reached the entrance.

Ethan held my hand tightly, his calm voice soothing me. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Actually, I was fine, but Bella, being unmarried, would definitely feel awkward seeing such a scene.

Oliver stood in front of Bella, blocking her view. "If you don't want to see, lean into my arms."

Bella gave him a sideways glance, reluctantly following us in.

We entered a private room, which was very simple, with only a curtain separating each room. The sounds of screams from the next room were clearly audible. I was a bit scared, holding Ethan's hand. "Let's go."

Ethan pulled me to sit beside him, put his arm around my shoulder, and said unhurriedly, "Don't be afraid, I'll leave after finishing this cigarette."

I didn't want to listen, but the sounds from the next room were very clear.

Arthur was screaming miserably. I didn't sympathize with him; I was just scared of the environment.

I didn't know how long I sat there uneasily before Ethan finally stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and pulled me up. "Let's go."

I quickly got up to leave, not wanting to stay a moment longer.

As we passed the next room, the curtain was blown open by the wind. I looked inside out of curiosity and saw a scene that shocked me.