In the abandoned warehouse, Martina unleashed her fury. "Shut your damn mouth!" she roared. "You don't get to say that!"

Susan endured the burning slap on her cheek, her teeth clenched. Martina, despite her resentment toward Manuel, fiercely defended him. Her possessiveness was evident.

"Susan Phillips," Martina sneered, bursting into laughter, "you're an idiot for choosing Henry Parker over Manuel! Do you have any idea what kind of person Henry is?"

Susan stared at the enraged woman.

"Sadly, you'll never know," Martina spat. "You'll never know how stupid your life was!"

"Martina, what the hell do you want?" Susan asked, exasperated. The tirade was driving her mad.

"What I want? To kill you, of course," Martina said viciously. "And to torment you first."

"You're crazy!" Susan cried, fear overcoming her. "You know that's against the law!"

Martina scoffed. "Against the law? I've broken it many times. My brother and I planned a lot in secret. We even tried to kill Sarah Collins. Do you think I fear killing you?"

Susan was chilled. She knew Martina was a wrongdoer, but her casual talk of murder was terrifying.

"Impressive, huh?" Martina asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You lunatic!" Susan cursed.

"Do you know what I hate most?" Martina gritted.

"Manuel doesn't love you!" Susan retorted. It was her fault, she realized.

"That's just one of them," Martina said apathetically, watching Susan unravel. "I still can't believe my brother fell at Hannah's hands! Have you heard what he did to her? How did she escape him?"

"Good prevails over evil!" Susan declared, her gaze unwavering. "You think you've got it all covered, but God won't let you get away with it! You'll lose to Hannah!"

"Enough!" Martina raged. She could tolerate Manuel's apparent lack of affection, attributing it to his loyalty to Susan. But losing to Hannah was unbearable. It would confirm their family's intellectual inferiority—a blow to their ingrained sense of superiority, their belief in their unmatched cunning. Their defeat was a complete shock.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, a stark contrast to Susan's growing sense of hope. Hannah's foresight was a stroke of luck; otherwise, who knew what hell Hannah would have endured?

"Susan, that's enough patience for you!" Martina's face darkened, a murderous gleam in her eyes. Susan, despite her bravado, felt instinctive fear.

"Since I can't kill Hannah," Martina said, "your death will serve as revenge for her!"

Susan trembled.

"Before I kill you," Martina said, scanning Susan from head to toe, "I want to see what he finds so attractive." Her voice dripped with malice. "It must be your body. Quite seductive, I must say."

Susan's body shuddered uncontrollably.

"You two!" Martina called to her henchmen. "Strip her naked!"

Susan was horrified. Martina, unmoved by her distress, reveled in the impending humiliation.

Martina watched as her men began to undress Susan. They were about to tear off her clothes when a loud bang echoed from the warehouse gate. Martina paled.

How had Manuel arrived so quickly? Even from the nearest part of the city, it should have taken at least half an hour. Yet, he'd arrived in less than fifteen minutes.

His speed spoke volumes about his desperation to save Susan. The thought fueled Martina's rage. She'd envisioned his arrival, his suffering at seeing Susan's plight.

She gritted her teeth, glaring at the gate as it was relentlessly battered.

"Plug up her eyes, ears, and mouth!" she ordered. She didn't want Susan to know of Manuel's arrival, to rob her of the satisfaction of Susan's miserable end.

Susan was blindfolded, deafened, and gagged, yet she sensed a presence, a potential savior. Terror and hope warred within her.

Finally, the gate crashed open, impossibly broken by bare hands. Seeing Manuel, Martina was certain he was the one who'd rescued Sarah.