Chapter 10 Burn Her
"What?!" Ellie breathed.
‘Am I losing my mind or just my hearing?’ she wondered. ‘I can't be going crazy over SNS's betrayal... not that fast, right?’
"I’m going to kiss you," Jeremy said simply, his breath warm against her skin as he stepped even closer, his body nearly pressing against hers. One hand cupped the side of her face, drawing her nearer. "A kiss in exchange for a fake kiss and some acting. Isn’t that a fair deal?"
"I'm not going to kiss you!" Ellie snapped, taken aback by his audacity.
He was barely an inch away from her lips, and by the look in his eyes, it was clear he wasn’t joking. He was just waiting for one more breath before he lost control and kissed her.
Even though the man was outrageously gorgeous, it just didn’t feel right to kiss him right off the bat after just meeting. Not that she was still thinking about Sawyer. It was just that she was still bound by an agreement with him, and if anyone—especially his mother—found out she was making out with another man at a bus stop, that five-minute kiss could cost her three years' worth of money.
Two million down the drain, all for a kiss?
Nuh-uh. Not worth it.
She let out a nervous laugh to lighten the mood and put a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder to gently push him back, trying to stop him from hovering so close.
"See, I’m a choreographer, and you’re a model. There’s gonna be a day when you and I work together. Imagine how awkward it’d be to work together if we kiss now."
"I don’t mind awkward," he said, his grin widening. "Awkward is like my middle name." He reached for her head again, pulling her closer.
Ellie dodged his hand, stepping back once more. Now, both of her hands pressed against his chest to hold him back. "No, I mean, imagine—maybe one day, you and I will work together, and we’ll have to kiss for a scene. So, how about you and I just wait for that day to come to fulfill this payment?"
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he pulled back just enough to look her over. Ellie sighed in relief, but it was short-lived.
"I think it’s best you just pay me for my appearance back there," he said, pulling out his phone. "So, how do you want to pay? Bank transfer? Card? Cash? I prefer cash."
"God damn it!" Ellie snapped, glaring at him, her anger rising. The man was a stubborn horse!
"Fine," she huffed, marching over to him. She tried to grab his head, but with his towering height, even when she stood on her toes, she couldn’t reach. "I’ll kiss you, alright. Let’s get this over with. Get down here!"
Jeremy’s body shook with laughter, though he kept his lips in a small, amused smile. However, the shameless man didn’t shy away. He lowered himself to Ellie’s level, and Ellie frowned, cupping the back of his head as she closed her eyes. She puckered her lips, getting closer to his.
But just as their breaths were about to mingle, the shrill sound of his phone ringing broke the moment.
Jeremy squinted in annoyance but didn’t remove his eyes from Ellie as he pulled out his phone and put it to his ear.
"Dude, where the hell are you? You were supposed to be here half an hour ago! The show’s about to start! You’re driving me crazy!"
Jeremy hung up and clenched his jaw, letting out a frustrated sigh. Then he abruptly pulled away from Ellie.
"Gotta get back to work, Ellie," he said, sliding his phone back into his pocket and pulling out the keys to his car. He stepped back quickly. "This kiss is pending until next time!" He said, half-running toward his car.
Ellie watched him disappear into the night, finally letting out the breath she had been holding.
This man was fucking dangerous. She had barely escaped one mess, only to jump straight into another.
Ellie groaned, muttering under her breath, “Ellie Madden, you’re a magnet for troubles!”
Making sure Jeremy was really gone, she wasted no time taking off from there before he could change his mind and come back. No way in hell was she sticking around.
And anyway, now that he was gone, what were the chances they’d ever see each other again? Close to none. A top model like him wouldn’t even spare her a second glance when there were thousands of girls out there dying for his attention.
Ellie grinned, feeling relieved as she walked away from the spot. Maybe she’d gotten lucky—or maybe unlucky. Kissing a dashing guy in the middle of the street at midnight wasn’t exactly bad luck, right?
Just as the thought crossed her mind—Something whooshed past her, slamming into her hard.
Her body was thrown off balance, crashing onto the road.
She hit the ground with a loud thud—a sharp, deafening sound that shattered the eerie silence of the night. Pain surged through her body as she lay there, barely conscious, trembling. Blinking against the dizziness, she tried to focus, but her vision swam.
The car that had hit her, came to a stop just ahead. The driver stepped out, but there was no urgency in his movements. Instead, he moved leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world.
Two other people emerged from the backseat of the car, one of them was Olivia.
She stepped out gracefully, arms folded, her heels clicking against the pavement as she approached Ellie. Her expression was one of pure boredom as she glanced down at her.
Turning to the two men, she scoffed. “She’s still alive? Seriously? You idiots don’t even know how to hit someone properly with a car?”
“I hit her pretty hard,” one of them muttered defensively. “If she had gone under the car, it would've been easier.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Just make sure you finish the job properly before leaving.”
She looked back at Ellie, her face filled with annoyance. Lifting her foot, she kicked Ellie’s hand, watching as her eyelids fluttered open slightly.
"What happened now? Why aren’t you bitching loudly?" Olivia sneered. "You had plenty to say back there when you were trying to seduce my man and drag him to your bed."
Even through the pain, Ellie’s brows knitted together. Gritting her teeth, she managed to rasp out, "Where the hell… did you see me seducing your man? Are you blind?"
Olivia’s face turned red with rage. Even when injured, this bitch wouldn’t stop getting on her nerves.
"Grab her," she snapped at the men. "Throw her in the car and burn her. I don’t want even her remains to be found in this place!"
Darkness pressed against Ellie’s mind, her body losing its battle against consciousness.
‘Damn it, Ellie.’ She cursed herself, trying to fight the darkness. ‘You just couldn’t keep your smartass mouth shut for a minute. Now don’t sleep. Don’t sleep… don’t sleep—’
But the blackness consumed her, and she slumped into unconsciousness.
The men grabbed Ellie, dragging her into the driver’s seat of the car, securing her hands and legs in position. Stepping back with smirks, they reassured Olivia, "It’ll look like an accident, don’t worry. We just have to throw her in that ditch once the car is lit up."
They moved swiftly. The car door opened again, and a container of gasoline was pulled out. The acrid scent filled the air as they poured it around the vehicle.
“Step back,” one of the men ordered, pulling a lighter from his pocket. He flicked it open, ready to throw it—
Headlights flashed in the distance. A sudden burst of light flooded the scene.
"Shit! Someone’s coming!" one of the men hissed, urgency lacing his voice.
The man quickly tossed the lighter aside and rushed toward the trees. "Hide!" he snapped at Olivia, pulling her back.
"Just burn her first! What are you doing?" Olivia snapped.
“Madam, if I light this up now, that other car will catch fire too. You wanna explain to the cops why this ‘accident’ suddenly turned into a double murder?” he shot back, shoving her behind the trees.
"Grab this stupid woman!" the other man growled, clamping a hand over Olivia’s mouth before she could argue.
The approaching car skidded to a halt.
A man stepped out.
Sawyer.
Olivia’s blood ran cold.
She ducked further into the shadows, panic gripping her.
Sawyer rushed to the abandoned car, thinking it had been in an accident. He yanked open the driver’s side door—only to freeze.
“Ellie?”
His expression changed instantly. Panic surged through his body.
"Ellie?! Ellie!"
She didn’t respond. Blood seeped from a wound on her head, her body eerily still. A strong scent of gasoline filled his nose.
His chest clenched violently. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!”
Sawyer had never felt fear like this. He had dealt with high-stakes deals, life-or-death situations. But the last time he had been this terrified was when Olivia’s house caught fire with her inside it—when he thought he had lost her forever. And now, that same fear, that same suffocating tightness, was clawing at his chest.
He grabbed Ellie, lifting her out of the seat but the seatbelt was stuck.
At that very moment, a spark of a small flame flickered near the hood. The car was about to go up in flames.
But Sawyer didn’t let go of her.
Sawyer pulled harder, not giving a damn that his hands were shaking. He fought with it, yanking at the buckle with all his strength. The fire was growing, the heat intensifying, threatening to engulf the car at any second.
Gritting his teeth, he gave one final pull—and the buckle broke.
Ellie was free.
Sawyer hoisted her into his arms. The fire was growing. He had seconds. He bolted toward his car. He placed her carefully in the passenger seat and slammed the door shut.
The second he hit the gas—a deafening explosion rocked the night.
Behind him, flames engulfed the car, lighting up the dark road in a fiery inferno.
Five hours later, Sawyer sat in a cold hospital room, his fingers curled around Ellie’s hand. His thumb brushed over her knuckles as his eyes remained fixed on her face.
She hadn’t woken up.
A thick bandage covered her head, and her complexion was pale—too pale, her breaths slow.
The doctor’s words echoed in his mind.
‘If she doesn’t wake up in twelve hours, she might slip into a coma.’
His chest tightened.
Sawyer’s foot tapped impatiently against the floor. Each passing second made the panic in his chest claw higher, suffocating him.
“Ellie,” he whispered, his lips brushing against her cold hand, which he held tightly. “Wake up. How long are you going to sleep?” His voice cracked. “Please wake up.”
Nothing.
“Goddamn it, Ellie, you’re scaring the life out of me,” he gritted out, his hands trembling. He reached up, gently brushing her hair from her forehead before leaning down, his intense gaze fixed on her still face.
She had never been this quiet before. Normally, she was a storm—restless, relentless, always pushing his buttons. Seeing her like this, lifeless and still, was terrifying.
He exhaled sharply and slumped back into his chair, rubbing his face. "Ellie, please wake up. If you wake up, I’m going to—"
"You’re going to what?" Ellie’s weak voice interrupted him.
Sawyer shot to his feet, his face going pale.
Ellie’s voice—soft, teasing—had sliced through the silence. His heart slammed against his ribs as he looked at her, only to find her eyes fluttering open.
Then, as if snapping out of a trance, he quickly let go of her hand, turned away, and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. A second later, he spun back around, masking his emotions with an arrogant expression.
"So, you’re still alive," he said.
Ellie’s brows knitted together, her cold gaze locking onto his as a dull ache pulsed through her body. She pushed herself up slowly, ignoring the sting in her limbs.
"What are you doing here?" Her voice was hoarse, laced with confusion. "You can leave."
Sawyer’s jaw clenched, his glare sharp enough to cut. Even after nearly dying, the first thing she did was piss him off? Unbelievable.
His voice was taut with irritation. “I’m here because of our agreement. You’re my responsibility until it ends.” His glare darkened, his patience thinning. “If something happened to you, I’d have to deal with a whole lot of annoying, unnecessary trouble because of your stupidity.”
Ellie scoffed, shooting him an annoyed look.
So she really had imagined it? The vision of him saving her—from the fire, pulling her out of the wreck, his voice screaming her name, his arms shielding her? Had none of it been real?
Ellie let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head. “Good thing I have a brain,” she muttered under her breath. “Obviously, that was just a dream. No way this narcissist saved me. His fingers would probably tingle just from touching something that could actually harm him.”
“What was that?” Sawyer narrowed his eyes.
She met his eyes with a defiant glare, her patience wearing thin. “Don’t worry. Even if I were dying, I wouldn’t expect you to take responsibility for me. I can take care of myself. You can walk away now.”
His expression tightened, a flicker of frustration darkening his stormy eyes. Instead of leaving, he took a step closer, his tall frame casting a shadow over her bed.
“You’re acting different,” he muttered, his voice low, scrutinizing her with sharp suspicion.
Ellie arched a brow. “And how exactly should I be acting?”
Sawyer leaned in, bracing his hands on the mattress, his face inches from hers. “Your attitude, your tone, the way you talk to me—everything is different. Ever since you left to live with Lily, you’ve completely changed, Ellie Madden.”
She rolled her eyes. “And you’re only noticing now?”
He didn’t answer, but the intensity in his gaze burned into her.
Ellie exhaled, her voice turning flat. “Your lover is back now. You have her. So why do you care how I act? Do you still expect me to behave the same way I did when I was pretending to be your girlfriend?”
Sawyer’s jaw tightened. “You’re still under contract with me, Ellie. Don’t forget that.”
Ellie let out a dry laugh, her eyes flashing with irritation. “Oh, right. Yada, yada. And you’re engaged.” She shoved his chest lightly, her lips curling. “You should be happy, Mr. Stark. Olivia’s back after almost three years. Isn’t this what you were waiting for?” She crossed her arms, tilting her head. “You were so eager for me to disappear the moment she returned. So why does it matter how I behave now with you?”
A mock look of realization crossed her face as she gasped dramatically. “Oh, wait… Don’t tell me—” Her eyes widened. “Are you in love with me? Is that it?”
Sawyer stiffened, his jaw clenching.
“Dream on.” Sawyer pulled back, his voice sharp, but something flickered behind his eyes. “Whatever’s going on in that mad head of yours—stop it. Enough of this nonsense.” He exhaled sharply, his frustration mounting. “I want you to act like before. I don’t like this new attitude.”
Ellie barely had time to retort before someone appeared at the door.
“There. Your true love is here.” She lifted her head toward the door with a cold smile.
Sawyer exhaled sharply, his hand resting on his waist, clearly frustrated. "Ellie, stop acting stupid. What’s Olivia’s got to do—"
“Hi, Sawyer. Hi, Ellie.”
Olivia strolled up to Ellie’s bedside, her heels clicking softly against the floor, before stopping beside Sawyer. With a practiced smile, she set a basket of fruit on the table and held out a bouquet of fresh flowers, her voice dripping with honeyed warmth. "I heard you had an accident. I brought these for you."
Ellie eyed the bouquet like it was laced with cyanide. Her arms folded over her chest as she leaned back against the pillows, her expression cold. “Yeah, no thanks.” She flicked a lazy glance at the flowers. “What did you do? Poison them?”
For a brief second, Olivia’s perfect smile faltered—but it was gone in a blink, replaced by a light giggle as she turned to Sawyer, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "She’s so funny. Oh my god."
Then, as if she hadn't just been accused, Olivia looked back at Ellie, her gaze sweeping over her in feigned concern. "Are you hurt badly? What happened? How did you even get hurt?"
Ellie’s lips curled into a saccharine smile, mirroring Olivia’s fake sweetness. "Oh, come on, Olivia, As if you don’t know."
Olivia froze.
Ellie leaned forward slightly. “Wasn’t it you who arranged for those men to run me over? Who threw me in that car and set it on fire?”