Reborn to Break the Traitor

Russell leaned closer, but I instinctively slapped him. "Don't touch me!"

The image of my death lingered, and I fought to contain my rage.

He blinked, taken aback. "Alright, Lottie, calm down. If you're not in the mood, we'll skip it."

His quick retreat felt off, but I had no time to dwell, not with danger looming out there. According to the timeline, the kidnappers would arrive in less than two hours.

I grabbed my jacket, slipped my phone into my pocket, and headed out. Russell caught my arm, his eyes wide with panic. "Where are you going?"

His reaction set off alarms in my head. "Not your business. Let go."

"It's getting dark," he insisted, his grip tightening. "What's out there? You said you were tired."

I stared at him until he faltered. My tone softened. "Just grab some water."

Outside, the kettle from dinner sat by the fire. I poured a cup and took a gulp, noticing that Russell was watching me closely from the tent's entrance. His eyes tracked my every move.

A chilling thought hit me, but I pushed it aside, slipping a few sleeping pills into the cup and watching them dissolve quickly. I had brought them for my insomnia, and now they came in handy.

I casually walked back and handed the cup to him. "Here, have some water."

He drank it without a second thought. "Alright, time for bed."

I got back into the tent, and he passed out like a light. I tied his hands and feet with rope and stripped him bare, thinking he'd be lucky if the kidnappers ignored him.

If not, he'd taste the suffering I endured.

I packed my backpack with a power bank and my phone, ready to flee. Then my eyes fell on his phone. On a whim, I unlocked it with his fingerprint and froze at what I saw.

His chat with Frida was still open.

Frida: [You guys there yet?]

Russell: [Yeah, babe. Just finished dinner, ready to crash. Those guys won't hurt me, right?]

Frida: [Chill, I paid them well. They'll film Lottie's humiliation and leak it. Her reputation's finished.]

Russell: [How soon will they get here?]

Frida: [Two hours, tops. Just don't touch her. You promised to be with me. That's why I'm doing this.]

My heart sank at those words. The kidnappers' lack of ransom demands, Russell's easy escape, and the video's release all made sense now.

No wonder Russell had been so nervous tonight, terrified I'd leave. They had hired those thugs and orchestrated everything.

I stared at his sleeping form, my hatred burning so intensely that I wanted to end him there and then.