On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 28

Jessica left the club and started walking toward the bus stop to catch a cab, but she soon realized she was being followed. A black Range Rover was crawling along behind her, keeping a steady pace.

Clutching her phone, she quickened her steps. The SUV sped up too, always maintaining the same distance. It felt like a cat toying with a mouse, confident its prey couldn’t escape.

By the time she reached the bus stop, her back was drenched in a cold sweat. Her relief was short-lived. A quick check of the bus schedule confirmed her fears: the last bus had run at 12:30 a.m. It was now 2:30.

The world tilted, and she nearly collapsed, leaning against the bus stop shelter to steady herself. She quickly opened a ride-share app on her phone.

Just then, the black Range Rover pulled up and stopped directly in front of her. The emergency number was already on her screen; all she had to do was press call.

The window lowered slowly, revealing a man with a strikingly handsome profile and an icy demeanor. He had one hand on the steering wheel, and he turned his head slowly. In the darkness, his deep-set eyes locked onto her.

“Need a ride?”

Jessica instinctively shook her head.

Before she could speak, he added in a low, quiet voice, “A woman was murdered here three days ago. Right where you’re standing. Raped, then killed.”

A chill ran down her spine.

He seemed to smirk. Jessica glanced around nervously. Suddenly, every shadow looked like a figure, every rustle of leaves a phantom whisper.

His gaze dropped to her pale, trembling fingers. “They found her body in that trash can, not a hundred yards from here.”

A buzzing filled her ears. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and the wind whistling past sounded like a woman’s wail. Her legs felt weak, and the app showed no drivers available. From a nearby alley, the slurred voices of two drunk men drifted toward her.

Biting her lip, Jessica pulled open the car door and slid inside.

“You forgot to unlock the door,” she reminded him.

His voice was a low, gravelly rasp, as if rusted iron were scraping together. “Not enough.”

Jessica sighed. Fine. Pay the man and get out. She offered him a hundred-dollar bill.

He took it without a word. “Still not enough.”

She surrendered. “Fine. How much do you want?”

A faint smile seemed to touch his lips. “Sixteen hundred and eighty-eight dollars. You still owe me fifteen thirty-eight.”