*ADELINE*
The world around me dimmed as Orlando's laugh resonated in my ears like a twisted symphony of chaos. My heart raced, the adrenaline pumping through my veins, battling the fear that threatened to consume me. I couldn't believe it had come to this—to be standing here, caught between a madman and the man I cared about, with my very life hanging in the balance. The grip on my arm was ironclad, painfully so, but my spirit was far from broken.
"Is this what you do for fun, Orlando?" I snapped back, my voice wavering only slightly, trying to mask the tremor of fear with defiance. "Holding innocent people at gunpoint? Bravo, you must feel like quite the king."
His amusement only deepened, that dangerous smile still plastered on his face. "Innocence is a fragile thing, darling. One blo
