Rosaline's POV: I stood on the edge of the cliff, watching as Candice pressed a blade to Yura's throat, forcing her to retreat step by step toward the precipice. "Candice, put the blade down. Let's talk this through," I said, taking a few steps forward, trying my best to keep my voice calm. I glanced at the cliff, and a sudden wave of fear washed over me. The situation felt eerily familiar. It hit me. I'd dreamed of this countless times—chased, cornered at the edge of a cliff, and then sent plummeting into the abyss. That feeling, the sense of helplessness, was terrifying. But this time it wasn't a dream. Yura was my best friend. We had worked together for years, and our bond ran deep. I couldn't let anything happen to her. "Talk?" Candice sneered, her lips curling into a cold, manic smile. She spat furiously. "Everything that's happened to me is because of you! Anyone connected to you has to die! "If it weren't for you, Jasper would never have left me. I'd still be his fiancée! But because you shamelessly seduced him and confused him, now he wants to break off our engagement! And to top it off, you've ruined my reputation. B*tch, I'm the heiress to Phantom Pack, and look at me now!" I stayed silent, my gaze steady. What she said was true, in a way. Her fame as a genius pianist was now nothing more than a joke to the online world. But how could anyone hold me accountable for that? "You ruined your reputation, not me," I said, my expression blank. Candice's logic was twisted. If she hadn't made mistake after mistake, she wouldn't have ended up like this. Her downfall was her own doing, yet she wanted to blame it on me.Candice was pathetic. Unable to accept her failure, she shifted all the blame onto others. "Candice, you know deep down that everything that's happened to you is your fault. You made one wrong move after another. You didn't want to accept your defeat. And what makes you think that after everything Phantom Pack did to Jasper, he'd just wait for you to come back?" Who in the world could be that lucky? "Shut up!" Candice's eyes blazed red, her face contorted with rage. "Don't you dare act cocky before me! Your friend's in my hands now. If you try anything, you'll never see her again!" "What do you want?" I asked coldly. No matter what, I had to keep Yura safe. Candice's eyes burned with hatred as she pressed the blade closer to Yura. She suddenly burst into a manic laugh; her laugh echoed through the forest, a chilling sound that made my skin crawl. Then, her venomous glare locked onto me. "You want to save your friend? It's simple. Trade yourself for her!" She sneered coldly as she pulled out a bundle of explosives, her face twisted in a grotesque grin as she looked at me. "If you want to save her, come over here, take her place as my hostage, and wear this!" Candice looked at me as she provoked, "Whether she lives or dies is in your hands now. If she dies, it's all on you. Don't say I didn't warn you!" My gaze locked onto the explosives in Candice's hand. Where the hell did she get a bomb? This woman has lost her mind. Should we go this far and try to kill each other over a man? I narrowed my eyes and reminded her, "Candice, don't you realize that everything you're doing is leading you straight to a dead end? Even if you kill me and somehow get away, where can you hide? My pack and Eclipse Pack will never let you off the hook. It's not too late for you to turn back." Candice's patience was thinning. "Enough with your lectures. I want you dead, now!" She pressed the blade closer to Yura's chest and spoke with a cruel grin. "You have three minutes. If you're too scared to make a choice, I'll push your friend off the cliff!"Behind Yura was the endless drop of the cliff. Her face was pale with fear, but she tried to put on a brave face, shouting at me. "Rosaline, don't come near! I don't want you to replace me. If I die, just get revenge for me. I'll never blame you!" Yura's words touched me deeply. Even in this life-or-death moment, Yura, terrified as she was, still didn't want me to take the risk. What a true friend, one for life! I couldn't let anything happen to Yura. Yura has stood by my side for all these years. If I couldn't protect my friend now, how could I be the Alpha of Shadow Pack? I thought quickly, formulating a plan. My skills were more than enough; I was confident that I could handle Candice. My face hardened as I fixed my gaze on Candice and said, "Fine, I'll agree to your terms, but you have to promise you won't play any games and you'll release Yura immediately." When I caved in, Candice grinned triumphantly. "Of course." She waved her hand, gesturing for me to come closer. "Come here. If you behave and let me tie the explosives to you, I'll let your friend go."