Love Burned to Ashes

The next day, Connor said he wanted to take Samantha out to a bar.

Samantha declined, saying she wasn't feeling well.

But he held her tightly, his voice low and soft against her ear, coaxing. "Come on, baby. After what happened at the hotel, everyone's still worried about you. Just come out, relax a little, yeah?"

Samantha stared straight into his eyes. She couldn't tell what game they were playing this time—or what kind of revenge they were planning now.

After a pause, she forced a smile. "Sure. Let's go."

At the bar, people kept coming over to toast her. Samantha accepted every glass without hesitation.

Seeing her drink so freely, everyone around her smiled in satisfaction.

"Samantha, a toast to you." Hannah Simone walked up to her, grinning, a drink in hand.

Hannah was Cathy's twin sister. They looked nearly identical. For years, she'd been by Connor's side.

Back then, Samantha had simply thought of her as a friend. But after learning the truth about Connor and his revenge, Samantha couldn't help but look at Hannah differently now.

"Alright." Samantha tipped the glass back and downed it in one go.

Suddenly, Hannah stumbled slightly, and the glass in her hand tipped forward. The drink spilled down the front of Samantha's clothes.

"Oh no! Are you okay?" Hannah asked, feigning concern.

"I'm fine." Samantha's cheeks were slightly flushed, and she rubbed her temple as if she were tipsy.

"Samantha, your clothes are soaked. You'll catch a cold like this. I'll take you upstairs to change, alright?"

Samantha glanced at Connor. He gave a small nod. "It's fine. Go ahead."

So she got up, staggering a little as Hannah helped her walk.

There were clean, private rooms upstairs in the bar. Hannah led her into one of them and said gently, "Take off your clothes first. I'll go grab something clean for you. Just wait here, okay? Don't wander."

"Mhm. Got it."

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, the hazy look in Samantha's eyes disappeared. Her gaze turned sharp.

She had taken hangover medicine in advance. The drinks they'd poured into her earlier had no effect at all.

She was playing along, just to see what they were really planning.

She pulled out her phone. Earlier, she had slipped a bug inside Connor's jacket.

Now, with a single tap, the voices of Connor and his friends came through clearly into her ear.

"Don't worry, Connor. Everything's ready. The intel's solid. Matt Wilson is coming here tonight to talk business. That room upstairs is prepped for him."

"Everyone knows Matt isn't into women. So many people tried to cozy up to him, even sent girls to his bed—he beat them half to death."

"Anyway, Samantha's not getting out of this tonight. And tomorrow morning, you'll rush in looking all panicked and worried. Show up right when she's barely hanging on. She'll love you even more after that."

Connor didn't say a word. His head hung low, face unreadable.

"But… what if he actually does something to her?" he finally asked, hesitant, after a long silence.

Just then, Hannah came back. She rested her hand on his shoulder, her voice sweet and playful. "Connor, are you actually worried about her? Everyone knows Matt's a weirdo. No matter how hot a girl is, even if she's on his bed in her birthday suit, he won't even look at her. And besides, Samantha killed Cathy. If Matt decides to take Samantha tonight, she should be thanking her lucky stars."