"Johnson! Is this the woman you've been hunting for?"
Her words had barely hung in the air when a gruff voice cut through from not too far off.
All eyes turned, and there was Serana, her wrists clasped tight by a burly man, stumbling forward, her pale face streaked with tears.
Boyd's brows drew closer together.
The intimidating figure holding a pistol to Serana's head, just beside her temple, was all too clear.
"Logan! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Cut the crap. We're brothers in arms, and I ain't the type to abandon a friend to fend for himself."
Johnson looked at the man, his eyes alight with urgency, "Logan, you didn't have to—"
The content is exclusively provided on Noveldrama.com. Support the translation team by reading the original content on Noveldrama.com. But Logan, called by name, wasn't in the mood for a heart-to-heart with Johnson. His glare fixed on Boyd and the others, he growled, "Back off, or I swear this thing might just go off!"
The two bodyguards stepped back cautiously, their eyes never leaving the man, ready to move at a moment's notice.
"Yeah! Back the hell off. Or I swear I'll cut her throat." Johnson, catching on, held Yasmine tight and barked his threat.
Yasmine grunted, the grip on her shoulder so tight it felt like it might break.
Boyd quickly gestured to the bodyguards to stand down.
Logan swiftly moved past with Serana in tow. Serana was pale as death, tears still tracing her cheeks.
"Boyd. I was just worried about you. If something happened to you, I... I couldn't just live on."
When Yasmine truly saw Serana for the first time, the words "damn fool" leaped to mind.
Normally, she couldn't care less about others' foolishness. But now, she suddenly wished she hadn't been the one to save Serana all those years ago. If Johnson had just finished her off, they wouldn't be dealing with this mess now.
Boyd had assigned two bodyguards to Yasmine, for no apparent reason. How could she not know Johnson was out of the slammer?
The truth was, Yasmine wasn't surprised Boyd had come alone. It wasn't that he treasured Serana so much. It was that she knew Boyd wouldn't trade a life for another, no matter who it was.
And besides, if they had stalled for time, waiting for the cops to show up and set up an ambush, maybe they could've taken out Johnson some other way. Yasmine might've been saved without Serana being in any danger.
Boyd understood that. She understood that. If Serana hadn't shown up, things would have been simpler.
But now...
Serana had answered Boyd's call, but Yasmine hadn't told her about the incident, and now here Yasmine was, dragged into this mess because of Serana.
Boyd had locked her up in a hospital, treated her like a precious gem, but Serana, knew full well Johnson was gunning for her and yet she ran straight into the lion's den.
Worried about Boyd getting hurt? Why would Boyd get hurt if not for trying to save her foolish self?
Serana was just worried about Boyd risking his life for Yasmine, worried that all the bad blood between them might thaw, that they could be together without a shadow hanging over them.
Was Serana here to prove her loyalty and love to Boyd?
Couldn't bear to live without him? As if they'd sworn some ancient vow of undying love.
Watching Serana's tear-stained face being shoved in front of her, Yasmine let out a bitter laugh, full of scorn and derision. "I gotta hand it to ya. Thanks for showing me what it means to be 'sending oneself to the slaughter'."
Yasmine's nature was to choke people with the softest words possible. Cursing and swearing weren't her style, and she looked down on it. However, when someone like her let loose, even just once, it hit harder than anything anyone else could say.
Serana stood frozen, a single tear falling from her chin, a ludicrous sight.
Boyd's gaze darkened even more.
It took a moment for Serana to blink, "Yasmine, you should know Boyd came to save you. He'd risk his life for you, and yet you couldn't care less if he lives or dies. I've said I'd give up my life for him, so I came. If he's safe, great. If not, then we might as well die together."
Before she could finish, Serana stumbled and fell to her knees with a thud. Johnson and Logan, who had just appeared, were both shocked by this unexpected turn.
Serana gasped, still trying to comprehend what had happened, when another sharp pain hit her shoulder. Then Yasmine's foot was on her, pressing down hard.
Boyd frowned, "Yasmine!"
He had just spoken when Serana let out a sharp scream, Yasmine's foot bearing down on her shoulder with renewed force. "Serana, get this through your stupid head. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here, and Boyd wouldn't have to risk his neck. The sins are yours alone, and yours to atone for. Who do you think the real culprit is? You rush over here and put on this pathetic show of 'till death do us part.' Well, guess what? Who wants to die with you? The only one who should be six feet under is you."
"I regret ever saving you. I must've been out of my damn mind. If you'd just died back then, I wouldn't be dragged into this mess now."
Having said that, Yasmine took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then slowly opened them again, her gaze growing wild and fierce, "I'm done. I'm so damn done. With you around, I can't have a moment's peace." Her voice dropped to a whisper, "You'd be doing me a favor if you just died."
Logan was the first to snap out of it, yanking Serana to her feet before suddenly chuckling, looking at Johnson. "Buddy, I got an idea."
Johnson looked puzzled, "What's that?"
"Don't have to kill someone in front of your family yourself. With how much this lady hates the girl, why not let her finish the job? We might just avoid the gallows ourselves. What do you think?"
Johnson hesitated for a moment, his mind a tumultuous sea of thoughts, but ultimately, he agreed with Logan's point. Alone, he could face death without fear, but Logan had stepped up to help him out of the mess, and the least Johnson could do was give the guy an out.
He glanced toward Yasmine.
With a chilling gaze, Yasmine stared down at Serana, her voice steady as she said, “Fine. If she lives, she’ll haunt me forever. Hand me the knife. I’ll do it. Consider it reparation for getting you locked up all those years ago.”
Fear shuddered through Serana’s eyes, unmistakable and raw.
Yasmine’s expression didn't waver, not a hint of deception in sight.
“You…”
Then, suddenly, Yasmine's hands went slack as Johnson used his own knife to cut the ropes binding her wrists. He then drew another dagger from his belt and handed it to Yasmine.
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