Chapter 184Hearing the commotion, Norah instinctively slammed on the brakes. Her gaze darted toward the alley, and she spotted a group of scruffy men, their hair dyed garish shades of yellow, huddled together. Something about their demeanor felt off—thin, unkempt, and radiating trouble.

And then her heart sank. She recognized the frightened figure in the center of the group. It was Elodie.

Elodie looked terrified, her face pale and her movements jittery. Surrounded by these men, she was clearly out of her depth. Her trembling voice broke through the tense atmosphere. “Don’t come near me! If you so much as touch me, my grandfather won’t let you off!”

The men, clearly hardened by a life on the streets and unfazed by her threats, chuckled darkly. One sneered, “Look at her, all dolled up. She’s gotta be loaded. We’ve hit the jackpot, boys.”

Elodie stumbled backward, desperately trying to put distance between herself and the advancing men. Her frantic eyes scanned the alley, but there was no one to help. Jamie, who had been with her earlier, was nowhere to be seen. Panic set in as she realized she had wandered too far into this desolate area without her phone or any cash.

The men closed in, emboldened by her helplessness. One leered, “C’mon, sweetheart, just hand over the cash. We’ll make this easy for you.”

Elodie stammered, “I—I don’t have any money!”