Unmasking the Heiress

Celina was the first to arrive at the beauty salon, just like any other day, but her mind was miles away on this particular day.

She tried to lead the morning staff meeting, but her thoughts kept drifting off, her face etched with worry.

The young receptionist, who hardly ever saw Celina so out of sorts, joined the rest of the staff in urging her to take a day off to unwind.

Alone in Avalon City, Celina had no real place to escape to. However, the genuine concern in her employees' eyes made it hard to say no. She had not taken a single day off since Sunny Glow Beauty Salon opened its doors. Maybe a day of rest was overdue. With that thought, she quickly gathered her things and drove off to her empty home.

However, tranquility was short-lived.

Walking to the underground parking lot, Celina could not shake the feeling that someone was tailing her. She glanced back several times but saw nothing out of the ordinary, so she picked up the pace.

Then, as she slid into her car, a tall figure in black flashed in her rearview mirror before vanishing just as quickly.

Celina shut the door, her hands gripping the steering wheel, but she did not start the car. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart.

She had known the risks when she messaged David to meet up, but she had not expected them to act so fast.

The Bennison family had one rule: never forgive a betrayal. Their idea of dealing with a traitor like her was to abandon them to the wilderness.

However, Celina was not ready to die-not out of fear for herself, but because her family was still under Bennison's thumb, trapped with no way out.

Celina's heart was heavy with regret. Why did she have to be an expert at chemistry and catch the eye of that wicked family?

If only things were different, she would be at home, a happy-go-lucky girl, untouched by the dark and violent world she was then fleeing from.

She took a deep breath and startedContent (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

the engine. With her pursuers

momentarily dazed, she Stad

on the gas and zoomed out parking lot.

However, her escape was short-lived. The sound of tires

the

popping one after another

air, dragging Celina into a pit of despair.

Three blown tires-how much further could she possibly get? If the family's goons caught her then, she was a goner for sure!

Just then, more men in black swarmed into her view.

Was this going to be her last stand?

With that grim thought, Celina's foot pressed down even harder on the gas, and the car hurtled down the road.

She had no idea which way to go, any direction was better than none if it meant a sliver of hope.

However, with her tires gone, her car was no match for the sleek vehicles of her black-clad pursuers.

She zigzagged desperately, trying to lose them in a dizzying dance of turns.

Then came a loud crash.

Her battered car could not take the strain and finally gave out in the midst of a sharp turn.

Shaking off the dizziness, Celina clawed her way out of the wreckage.

As her vision cleared, she recognized the neon lights of Avalon City's bustling downtown.

There was a mall nearby, always packed with people. If she could just make it there, she would be safe

from the Bennison family's clutches!