It was clear that Dexter needed to get on his knees before me.


    I was taken aback for a second, lifting my gaze to Colin, feeling an indescribable emotion welling up


    inside.


    “Caleb Langley!” Dexter clenched his fists in anger, looking like he wanted to throw a punch.


    “Thought you loved her to bits, huh? You used to say you’d walk through fire to marry her, and now you


    can’t even kneel for her?” taunted Dexter, then nced at Melody. “See, his love ain’t. all it’s cracked


    up to be.”


    “Foebe!” Dexter was infuriated by my words, probably wishing he could take me out right there. “You


    better hurry up, man! Time’s running out!” Cory was getting anxious; the rope was about


    to snap.


    Colin stood firm; no kneel from Dexter, no rescue for Melody.


    Gritting his teeth, Dexter nodded. “Fine, Caleb, just don’te to regret this.”


    Dexter swallowed his pride for the moment, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t seek revenge. He’d


    definitely make Colin payter on.


    Honestly, I was worried.


    This fleeting satisfaction… could it spell trouble for Colin down the line?


    But there was no time to consider that now.


    You deal with the hand you’re dealt.


    And there he was, Dexter, kneeling before me. His eyes were filled with rage. His kneeling was


    reluctant, but he did it nheless.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Ha…


    My body stiffened, unsure of what I was feeling.


    Back when I despised him, I would have given anything to have him groveling at my feet, full of regret.


    But now, the thought of such a man kneeling seemed to tarnish my path somehow.


    “Colin!” Cory shouted, the rope’s final threads about to give way.


    Colin let go of me and strode over, catching a random strand of rope just as it snapped. To an outsider,


    it wouldn’t make sense why he grabbed that particr strand.


    Above, the rope broke, and Melody’s body fell, her neck catching on the remaining rope.


    Colin looked on indifferently as Melody, like a puppet entangled in countless threads, lost her bnce


    and dropped again, her neck constricted, her face turning red with agony.


    I took a deep breath. Colin… he was intentionally tormenting Melody.


    He watched her suffer without a trace of empathy, watched her unable to even beg for mercy.


    Colin smiled… a frightening smile.


    I didn’t say a word, simply looked away, unwilling to watch.


    Robin massaged his temples and approached. “That’s enough.”


    Colin was unmoved. “She won’t die before the elevator gets here.”


    She wouldn’t die, but the agony of suffocation was hers to endure.


    Robin and Cory strangely trusted Colin’s sense of timing. If he said she wouldn’t die, she wouldn’t – but


    she was surely suffering.


    Meanwhile, Dexter stood up, silent now, his gaze cold as he watched me and Colin.


    I knew he wouldn’t let this go easily.


    The rescue team arrived, along with the elevator.


    Melody was saved just in time, unconscious from theck of oxygen, nearly gone.


    Colin’s eyes were icy as he watched Melody being carried away, hatred simmering beneath the


    surface. He would have preferred her dead, yet he intervened for my sake.


    Even if he hadn’t, the cops were powerless.


    “This time, the murderer lost, but he won’t take it lying down. He’ll be pissed.” Colin observed the


    surroundings, sure the culprit could see everything, yet remained out of the police’s grasp.


    “You just wait.” Dexter shoved Colin in a warning.


    “Dexter, I’d advise you to stick close to her around the clock. If the murdereres back, no one’s


    gonna save her next time.” I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Colin, & shooting a


    warning nce at Dexter.


    Dexter snorted disdainfully and followed the paramedics.


    Suddenly, Colin leaned into me, a quiver in his voice. “Phoebe, he shoved me.”