Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Ivy had never felt so clever in her entire life. Those short ten minutes had bought her precious time to escape. Fearing the two men might catch up, she ran without

thinking, her lack of experience with mountain trails quickly becoming evident. Her delicate upbringing left her stumbling with every step, and eventually, her foot slipped, sending her tumbling down a steep slope.

She rolled faster than she could run, panic surging in her chest. She had no idea where she would end up, her hands desperately searching for something to grab onto. After what felt like an eternity of spinning chaos, she finally came to a halt.

She realized with relief that her thick jacket-borrowed from her time on the ship-had protected her. The jagged rocks she had encountered along the way could have easily torn her skin if she had been wearing anything thinner. But her relief was short-lived. The moment she stopped, her head struck hard against a large rock, and a deafening crash echoed in her skull.

A warm stream trickled down her forehead. She gingerly touched it, only to find her hand covered in blood. Every bone in her body felt like it had been shattered. Her head throbbed with pain. But fear of the two men kept her moving. She couldn't stop. They were locals-used to the rugged terrain-and she had to get as far away as possible.

Ignoring the blood and the pain, Ivy crawled and scrambled forward. But no matter how determined she was, she couldn't outrun them. Their angry voices echoed closer and closer.

"This is your fault! She must've realized something was off. We should've just dealt with her in the car!"

"How is it my fault? She acted so convincingly! You didn't notice anything either!"

"Shut up! Look at her-she's just a pampered little princess. She couldn't have gone far. Hurry up and catch her!"

around, desperate for a hiding spot. That's when she saw it-a hollowed-out tree trunk. Without hesitation, she squeezed herself inside, curling

bit down on her hand so hard she could taste blood, terrified that

she prayed silently. Just

trickled from her

run this way.

went that way. Hurry up! If I catch

voices rang out just inches from her hiding spot. Ivy held her breath, her body trembling uncontrollably. Finally, their footsteps faded

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the blood from her eyes with trembling hands, staining her sleeves red. She hugged her knees tightly, too afraid

nightmare she had endured. She

she had always clung to Mio Walsh as her hope. But

Ivy found herself spending the night in the

wasn't Mio she thought of now. It was Frank-silly, clumsy Frank, who had always treated her with nothing

wasn't until this moment that she realized

and knowledgeable about what women wanted. That one night had been flawless. He had known exactly how to make her feel good. But now,

suddenly saw it clearly: she had been the only one lost in the moment. Mio hadn't felt anything. To him, she was just a means to