"Stephie... Steven is the mastermind. Don''t trust him.


    "Yasmin works for Peter. I''m sorry..." Michael held me close, murmuring apologies.


    He actually knew Yasmin was with Peter.


    It seemed all his foolishnesstely was just an act, to gain Yasmin''s and Peter''s trust.


    When did Michael start realizing something was wrong?


    Since I died?


    So, his suicides, self-harm, and even his sudden change in personality and behavior, were all just a front to deceive others, making Peter and Yasmin believe he had been brainwashed and hypnotized? But, what was Michael''s purpose?


    "After you passed away, I started looking into things... I know it''s connected to Yasmin.


    "But, as I dug deeper, I realized it''s not just a serial murder case. There''s a whole mess of other stuff involved, even involving our Ford family." Michael gripped my hand tighter. "Stephie... can you trust me this time?"


    My head felt heavy. Despite being colorless and odorless, carbon monoxide weakened my legs and left my body feeble.


    "Don''t trust Steven and anyone else except me, Stephie... I''ll get us out of here. I won''t repeat the same mistake." Michael''s voice faded into the distance.


    I finally sumbed and passed out. Clearly, I wasn''t strong enough.


    I had no clue how much time had passed. But suddenly, the hallway lit up.


    I frown, slowly opening my eyes to the dim, cramped space.


    We were hiding here, it was safe for now.


    But what came next might be tough.


    "It''s the sound of the venttion system starting up. The gas has been reced, everything should be fine now." Joel''s voice came from outside..


    Propping myself up with my arms, I nced around. Michael was gone.


    In a haze, bremembered Michael


    tellingText content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    me to trust him before I


    passed out. It mustn''t have been a hallucination.


    But in my current situation, who was trustworthy?


    Anyone could be the mastermind and executor.


    It might even involve more than one person.


    "We''re good now." Joel led everyone back to the hallway. Several bodiesy scattered on the floor, obviously dying here before they could make


    their escape.


    I muttered a curse at the lunatic and leaned against the wall as I exited the venttion room.


    "Steve..." I called out, my head throbbing.


    Joel had a lighter in hand, probably picked up from the pile of weapons earlier.


    The me flickered normally, a sign that the air was circting as it should.


    "Let''s go down this way," Joel directed, guiding everyone to follow the stairs down from the safe exit in order.


    "Steve... Where''s Steve?" I didn''t see Steven anywhere.


    Joel looked at me with surprise. "You weren''t with Steve? You''re by yourself?"


    He nced toward the vent where I was hiding.


    I instinctively shook my head. "No... I was... alone."


    Joel started to panic too, turning to look at the several lifeless bodies scattered in the hallway. "I thought


    Steve was with you. I mean, be


    wouldn''t leave you."


    My fingers felt numb as I hurriedly ran over with Joel to check the bodies on the ground.


    "Steve..."


    He''ll be fine.


    "Simmy... I saw Simmy. Hehe..." Carol''s voice echoed through the hallway.


    At the exit, Quinn, holding onto Carol, looked nervously at us.