As the gunshot echoed, Sophie felt a gust of wind rush past her ear, followed by a ringing that made everything around her seem eerily quiet. To her relief, the bullet hadn''t hit her. Colby, who had appeared from seemingly nowhere, had already taken down the bodyguard, snapping his neck before Sophie could even register what was happening.


    "Bang!"


    The gunshot was just a desperate, off-target attempt by the dying guard.


    Colby, dressed sharply in a suit with a ck masquerade mask, was unmistakable to Sophie, even in disguise.


    "Let''s get out of here!" he urged.


    There was no time to linger. The bodyguard had triggered an rm, and within two minutes, security would be swarming the second floor. Sophie and Colby sprinted towards the exit, weaving through the chaos on the first floor until they melted into the crowd. But escape wasn''t going to be easy. The main doors had already been sealed, and guards were closing in from every direction.


    Sophie, muddled from inhaling too much gas, felt her mind drift. Her thoughts were a blur, her legs wobbly like she was walking on clouds. She focused on the warmth of Colby''s hand gripping hers, sparking a memory of someone else who once held her hand just like this. Who was it?


    The memory was hazy, like something from a dream. The image of a young man, fleeting and surreal, danced in her mind-almost as if it never happened, just a figment of her imagination.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Around them, panic reigned. The wealthy guests were in a frenzy, their screams filling the air.


    Colby clutched her hand firmly, steering them towards the main doors. Despite the lockdown, one sharp whistle from Colby sent the castle''s exterior into disorder as well.


    The sounds of gunfire, shes, and


    cries tangled together in a symphony of chaos. Yet, amidst it all, Sophie could only hear a gentle voice in her mind saying, "Our.


    Sophie deserves the best man in the


    world." Content belong vers


    In her haze, the castle''s doors suddenly swung open.


    Colby, his expression unflinching, fired his gun with precision. One shot, two shots, three shots... His cold, ruthless demeanor was something Sophie had never witnessed before. He moved as if devoid of emotion, dispatching foes with a chilling calmness.


    Smoke filled the air as Colby led her out, resembling a grim reaper in the midst of the turmoil. The bodyguards recoiled in fear, their faces twisted in terror, as if Colby were an unstoppable force ready to devour them.


    Sophie couldn''t hold on any longer. Her consciousness began to slip, and she copsed into the solid warmth of Colby''s chest. He held her securely, and the gunfire abruptly ceased. Colby''s men rushed in, asking, "Boss, should we leave any?"


    Colby''s face was a mask of icy resolve, his deep eyes gleaming with a cold intensity. "Leave none."


    "Understood."


    The gunfire resumed, echoing through the castle as Colby carried Sophie out, threading through the chaos of battle.


    In just a brief span of ten minutes, the castle was a maelstrom of bloodshed and violence.


    Outside, Colbymanded, "Detain all the guests from today. I want to question each one personally."


    "Understood."


    Colby gently ced Sophie in the car, instructing the driver to take her back to the White family estate first. By the time Colby returned inside, the masked figures had already been rounded up by his team.