Inferno Hearts | Xu Minghao

30. A Dangerous Game

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He drove aggressively, the tension in the air mirroring his tumultuous emotions. Beside him, she sat with tears streaming down her face, a silent witness to the harrowing events that had unfolded earlier. The scene replayed in their minds like a relentless loop.

Her spirit felt utterly broken, her heart heavy with the weight of humiliation that clung to her like a suffocating veil. The memory of standing exposed and vulnerable in front of him on that stage was a wound that ran deep, a wound that seemed to fester with every passing moment.

The way she had been dressed, the way her vulnerability had been laid bare for his eyes to see, it was a searing moment of humiliation that etched itself into her very soul. The fabric of her self-esteem had been frayed, and the echo of his gaze on her body was a torment that seemed to have no end.

As they followed behind in their own cars, the members bore witness to the chaotic scene ahead. The distance between them and Minghao's vehicle seemed to widen with each passing moment, and it became evident that none of them could match his reckless speed.

Minghao appeared to be consumed by an unrelenting determination, as if he had forgotten the very existence of brakes. The roads stretched out before him like a dark canvas, and he painted his own narrative of pursuit and vengeance with every twist and turn. The members' expressions grew increasingly concerned as they struggled to keep up, a sense of foreboding settling over them like a heavy fog.

"Hyung, if he keeps driving like this, he's going to crash for sure!" Seungkwan's voice rang out, a note of genuine fear lacing his words. He turned to Jeonghan, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his focus unwavering on the road ahead, particularly on Minghao's car that led the way.

"Don't worry, Seungkwan-ah," Jeonghan's voice rang out with a touch of reassurance, his gaze still firmly fixed on the road ahead, never wavering even in the midst of the chaotic pursuit. "It's not the first time he's driven like this," he continued, his tone a mix of understanding and experience.

Jeonghan's words held a hint of familiarity with Minghao's impulsive driving habits, as if this reckless behavior was a well-known trait of their friend. Despite the gravity of the situation, there was an underlying calm in Jeonghan's demeanor, a sense of trust in Minghao's abilities, even if his actions seemed perilous to others.

Minutes of torment stretched on like an eternity, with Nabi unable to stop her tears. The atmosphere inside the car remained heavy, a palpable tension that seemed to mirror the aggressive pace at which Minghao was driving. His silence was a suffocating presence, his hands gripping the steering wheel with a white-knuckled intensity, a physical manifestation of the storm brewing within.

Nabi, who had made a desperate leap from the towering fence to secure her freedom, now found herself facing the dreaded reality of returning to the penthouse. The very place she had sacrificed herself to escape was now looming ahead like a specter from her darkest nightmares. Helplessness washed over her like a cold tide, and the familiarity of that place only served to intensify her feelings of despair.

The abrupt stop of the engine jolted the car, and before Nabi could fully comprehend the change, Minghao had already flung open his door and stormed out. The sharp slam of the car door echoed through the air, sending a shiver of apprehension down Nabi's spine. Startled, she flinched at the sudden noise, her heart racing as fear surged through her veins.

With a sense of urgency that bordered on aggression, Minghao reached Nabi's side of the car. He wrenched open the door with a forceful motion, the action so sudden that it left her momentarily stunned. His hand shot out like a vise, fingers curling around her wrist in an iron grip that offered no room for protest. The pull was so abrupt that her car door was left open.