Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Ivy couldn't help but wonder if something had happened in the past few days. Everything had seemed fine between her and Walsh, so why had he suddenly decided to break up with her? Perhaps Walsh's image of perfection had always been too good to be true. Even now, after hearing the truth, Ivy found it hard to believe. Noticing someone approaching her, Ivy quickly wiped away her tears.

"Yes, I need a car," she said.

"Our prices are guaranteed to be the lowest, miss. You've made the right choice," said the middle-aged man with a fawning smile.

"I need to go to Clothville. Nyour price," Ivy replied, eager to get home. Money was the least of her concerns at that moment.

"Clothville? That's far. It'll take two to three days with stops along the way. A private car hire for that distance won't be cheap." "Just nyour price." "Well, how about eight thousand dollars? I promise that's the best rate in the industry," the man said with a sly grin.

"Fine. Let's go now," Ivy agreed without hesitation.

"I'll call a buddy so we can take turns driving," the man said, his small eyes lighting up with excitement. "Alright," Ivy replied, not planning to rest until she got home. With two drivers taking shifts, she wouldn't have to worry about fatigue.

Half an hour later, Ivy got into a black sedan. As the car started, her heart longed for home. If they drove fast, she could get there in two days. Two days, and she would finally be back. But the thought brought her no joy. Walsh's words still lingered in her mind, casting a shadow over everything.

"Miss, why are you traveling alone so far from home?" The driver, who introduced himself as Hale, had narrow, squinty eyes and a perpetual smile that felt unsettling. "I was traveling," Ivy answered curtly.

"Why spend so much money on a car? Flying would've been faster and easier." "I wanted to enjoy the scenery along the way," Ivy replied, her tone cold and distant.

"Ah, I see," Hale said, trying to keep the conversation going. The upbeat music playing in the car contrasted sharply with Ivy's heavy heart.

"Miss, the car's running low on gas. We'll stop at a station to fill up," Hale said after a while.

"Alright," Ivy replied.

At the gas station, the two men bought water and snacks. One of them handed Ivy a bottle of water, twisting off the cap as he offered it to her.

"Here, have swater," he said.

Ivy was parched, having left in such a rush that she hadn't brought anything with her. She accepted the bottle and drank without noticing the subtle smirk exchanged between the two men.

Back on the road, Ivy began to feel drowsy. She decided to close her eyes and rest. When she woke up, the world outside the window was cloaked in darkness, and the car was still moving.

If you're loving the book, nel5sis where the adventure continues. Join us for the complete experience all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Where are we now?" she asked groggily, her head feeling heavy and unclear. "Past Greystone," Hale replied.

Ivy noticed the car was bumping along a rough, uneven road. Looking out at the pitch- black surroundings, unease crept into her heart. Modern highways were well-developed, and with the money she had paid them, there was no reason to take a mountain road just to avoid tolls. It was harder on the passengers, cost more in fuel, and wasted time. Yet here they were, navigating a desolate, rugged path.

Her mind raced. Before she'd fallen asleep, they had handed her that bottle of water. She recalled how they'd deliberately twisted the cap in front of her. It was entirely possible they had drugged the water beforehand and only pretended to open it in front of her. A wave of fear swept through her.

What did they want? Where were they taking her? Despite her growing panic, Ivy forced herself to remain calm. Panic would only make things worse. Acting as if nothing was wrong, she spoke in a steady voice.

"You've been driving for a while now. You must be tired. Why don't we find a place to rest for the night?" she suggested.

"We're not tired. We've been taking turns driving," Hale replied cheerfully, his demeanor giving nothing away.

"I've been asleep for a while and I'm feeling hungry. Did you two eat yet? Maybe we could stop somewhere for a meal," Ivy said, trying to sound casual. She hoped to lull them into letting their guard down so she could find an opportunity to escape. "We bought ssnacks back at the station. If you're hungry, have snow. Since you're in a hurry to get home, we should keep moving," Hale said.

"Thank you. I haven't been hin so long, so I really appreciate it," Ivy replied, pretending to be at ease. She rummaged through the snacks, noting that the packaging was sealed. Relieved, she ate as much as she could, knowing she'd need energy if an opportunity to escape arose.

"Miss, you're quite carefree, traveling without even a bag," one of the men remarked.

"Oh, I shipped my belongings hahead of time. I didn't want to carry too much," Ivy replied, eating quickly. She marveled at how calm she had become. The hardships she'd faced recently had steeled her nerves. Even knowing these men were likely human traffickers, she managed to chat with them as if nothing was amiss. She couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for herself. The traffickers continued their small talk. Ivy pretended to grow sleepy again, yawning loudly.

"Driving at night must be difficult. Take it slow-it's better to be safe," she said.

"Of course, miss," Hale replied, though the speed of the car didn't decrease.

"Thanks for your hard work. I'll take another nap," Ivy said, wrapping herself in her jacket and feigning sleep.

Silence filled the car for a while, broken only by the rhythmic hum of the engine. Soon, Ivy began to fake soft snores. Hearing this, the two men relaxed and began chatting.

"This is a real score," one of them said. "A beauty like her will fetch at least fifty thousand if we sell her to sremote mountain village."

"Sounds about right. Last month, that ugly woman we brought in still sold for twenty thousand. Those villagers are so desperate for wives that they don't care as long as it's a woman. Turn off the lights, and it's all the sto them," the other replied with a laugh. "Honestly, with how pretty she is, I'm tempted to have sfun first," the first man said, his voice lecherous.

"Why not? Let's find a quiet spot to park and enjoy ourselves before we sell her."

Their words sent chills down Ivy's spine. Her suspicions were confirmed-they were traffickers om Ne planning to sell her to simpoverished, isolated area. Worse, they intended to assault her before that. Images from a film she'd seen once flashed through her mind: a girl kidnapped and sold to a remote village, her life destroyed forever. The thought made her blood run cold. mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1