ra''s head throbbed, a sharp ache pounding behind her eyes. She pressed her fingers to her brow, trying to massage away the pain.

    Simon watched her, his lip curling in a bitter sneer. "I told you, didn''t I? Dn killed your boyfriend, but you never believed me. How could you actually fall for him? I just don''t get it. You used to hate the guy!"

    He''d always thought Dn was nothing but a snake-someone who''d taken advantage of ra while she was at her lowest and stolen her heart. The idea made Simon sick.

    The world spun around ra, her dizziness so overwhelming that Simon''s voice faded into static for a moment.

    "ra?" he called, over and over. She didn''t answer. Growing frantic, Simon stumbled back a few steps, his voice rising. "Who are you thinking about right now? Even now, is it Dn? Are you really that desperate? Is any guy better than none to you?"

    Down below, Megan was already awake, lying where ra had left her at the edge of the cliff.

    Megan had always been careful, always valued her own life. She never thought Simon would lose it like this.

    Her eyes were red as she shouted up, "ra, don''t worry about me! I''m fine, seriously!"

    Her voice wobbled, thick with tears, but even now she couldn''t help putting on a performance.

    She nced around, sizing up the cliff. It was steep, but there were a few trees clinging to the rocks below. If she got lucky, maybe she could catch one if she fell —she sure wasn''t going to pin her survival on ra.

    Megan had always been clear about one thing: she was the only person she could rely on. Her life was hers to control, and she''d always yed it safe. She just hadn''t expected to get tripped up by someone as unstable as Simon.

    Her mind raced, calcting the odds, even as she kept up her act for ra.

    Simon was done waiting. His expression twisted, his eyes wild.

    "ra, just say yes! My helicopter''s almost here. Get in first. Once you''re in, I''ll let Megan go. We''ll leave together. He had every escape. nned. No one would dare make a move right now, and once he and ra were in that helicopter, there''d be nothing anyone could do. The people desperate to save ra would be powerless.

    As soon as they were in the air, he''d knock ra out. Then, he could take her wherever he wanted.

    Suddenly, ra dropped to her knees, both hands pressed to her head. Sweat dripped down her face in fat, trembling drops.

    Even now, Megan kept acting. "ra, what''s wrong? Are you okay? Listen, just go Don''t worry about me. Let Simon go down with me if he has to. My life''s not worth much anyway. Being your friend was enough for me."  ?wnovel

    Her words sounded selfless, but her eyes never left those trees below, calcting her chances.

    Simon noticed ra''s distress but didn''t care he thought she was faking it, trying to trick him.

    "ra, get up! Don''t think you can change my mind. The helicopter''ll be here in ten minutes. Are youing or not?"

    ra''s head pounded, shes of memory and emotion swirling in a confusing storm.

    Simon was about to yell again when he saw a car parked in the distance-Dn''s

    car.

    Dn was here?

    Simon''s face twisted, panic shing

    in his

    . He backed up severly

    steps, so close to the edge

    lost

    his bnce.

    He knew he''d never win against Dn. Just seeing anything connected to that

    man was enough to make him unravel.

    But no one got out of the car.

    Simon hesitated, suddenly unsure. Was Dn actually here, or was his mind just ying tricks on him?