I glared at him, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and fury. “You won’t get away with this, Simon. You and Scarlett will pay for what you’ve done.”
Simon leaned closer, his breath hot against my ear. “No, Zara. You’re the one who will pay if you don’t play along. You’ve already seen what we’re capable of. Do you really want to test us again?”
His words hung heavy in the air, a suffocating threat that made my skin crawl. I had underestimated Simon’s ruthlessness and now I realized just how deep his manipulations went. But I also knew I couldn’t let fear control me. I had to find a way to outsmart him, to bring him and Scarlett to justice.
I straightened, meeting his gaze with as much defiance as I could muster. “You may think you hold all the cards, Simon, but you don’t. I’ve survived prison. I can survive anything you throw at me.”
Simon laughed, a dark, mocking sound that echoed in the quiet night. “We’ll see about that, Zara. Just remember, you’re playing a dangerous game.”