Moon's Point of View:

I should not have searched that damn thing. What if I wasn't their daughter? There were many kids in the orphanage. I'm nobody, I kept telling myself.

I don't remember how I hailed the cab or walked back home. When I arrived, I saw the broken lock on my front door and swallowed hard, my heart beginning to race. I pushed the door open and entered, finding no one in sight. The house was a mess, like someone had turned everything upside down. The kitchen was trashed. Furniture was upended, drawers pulled out and emptied, their contents strewn across the floor. Couch cushions were sliced open, their stuffing puffing out like the guts of a butchered animal. The TV lay on its side, its screen shattered into a mosaic of black and silver.

I rushed to the bedroom, finding it in the same condition as the living room. The mattress was cut in half as if someone had tried to find something inside it. Somebody had tried to rob my house while I was away. But they wouldn't find it. If I had been with them, I would've helped them look for money because there was none.

My eyes searched frantically for the one thing I had left behind, the one thing I hadn't had the heart to take with me. It was hidden in plain sight, a treasure trove of memories wrapped in an old shoebox. The box was there, perched atop the bookshelf, untouched by the destruction below. Opening it, I saw the money exactly where I had left it.

I was about to count it when I heard a crunching sound—someone was coming inside. Panicking, I grabbed the money and stuffed it into my pocket. The sound of boots on the stairs grew louder, each step echoing through the quiet house like a death knell. I had to act fast. With a deep breath, I threw open the window, the cool night air rushing in to embrace me. I turned back towards the bedroom door just as I heard more voices approaching. The voices grew closer, their footsteps echoing through the empty house.

"She was dressed in an oversized coat? Are you sure someone came here?" I heard a manly voice. Having no options, I swung my legs over the windowsill. My bum rested on the edge as the voices grew louder. The floorboards outside the bedroom door creaked under the weight of heavy boots.

My palms were slick with sweat as I gripped the windowsill, feeling the chipped paint dig into my skin. "Where'd she go?" a gruff voice bellowed from the hallway. The doorknob rattled, and the lock gave a resigned click. Time was running out. With a deep breath and a silent prayer, I swung my legs over the ledge. The wind whipped through my hair as I glanced down at the unforgiving concrete below.

The voices grew closer, their footsteps echoing through the empty room. My heart was a jackhammer in my chest, threatening to shatter my ribcage. The second floor was high enough to break a leg, but I had no choice. With a grimace, I let myself fall towards the ground. My mind raced with thoughts of the pain I was about to endure, the potential for a shattered bone, a bruised body. But I didn't scream. Instead, I held my breath and braced myself for impact.

The cobblestones rushed up to meet me, and I hit the ground with a sickening thud. The world spun around me, the pain a dull roar in my ears. I tasted blood and felt the ache in my ankle, but I didn't dare scream. The voices grew louder upstairs, and I knew I had to move. Forcing myself to ignore the pain, I stumbled to my feet, my body protesting with every step. I hobbled away from the house, the adrenaline and fear driving me forward despite the agony coursing through me.

My own home wasn't safe for me anymore. My mind cried out from the pain coursing through my body. My legs throbbed with agony, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. I felt something warm and wet sliding down my cheek from a gash on my head, but I couldn't afford to care. Limping, I forced myself to run.

Each step sent jolts of pain shooting through my legs, but I pushed on, adrenaline fueling my desperate escape. The streets were dark, the setting sun casting long shadows that seemed to reach out and grab at me. The cold wind cut through my thin sweatshirt and coat, but I barely felt it. All I could think about was getting away, putting as much distance as possible between myself and the danger behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to see someone or any policemen closing in, but the street was empty. I turned a corner and kept running, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The city around me seemed to blur as I focused solely on my escape, my mind racing with thoughts of what to do next.

The pain in my ankle grew worse with each step, threatening to buckle under me, but I couldn't stop. Not yet. I had to find somewhere safe, somewhere to hide and catch my breath. My heart pounded in my chest, a frantic drumbeat that matched the rhythm of my steps.

I saw a dimly lit alley up ahead and veered towards it, hoping it would provide some cover. As I stumbled into the shadows, I pressed my back against the cold brick wall, trying to steady my breathing and listen for any signs of pursuit. The alley was quiet, the distant sounds of the city barely reaching me here.

I slid down the wall, my legs finally giving out beneath me. The pain was overwhelming now, a constant, throbbing reminder of my fall. I wiped at the blood on my cheek and took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. Just then, I burst out in silent cries. What the hell had happened in the past twenty-four hours? I couldn't believe it.

I had stabbed somebody, then ran away from Jungkook, the mafia prince of Seoul. It wasn't that I had never heard about him before. All I knew was that he was a cruel bastard, a spoiled brat. But somehow, this same guy had caught his eye on me. I didn't understand how. I was just a nobody! But now, I was entangled in his dangerous world, and it was all his fault. He had dragged me into this mess, turned my life upside down.

Tears streamed down my face as the weight of everything crashed down on me. My body shook with silent sobs, each one sending fresh waves of pain through my already aching limbs. I hugged my knees to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible, as if I could disappear from this nightmare.

I thought about my life before all this, the simplicity and safety of it. Now, everything was chaos. I felt lost, helpless, and utterly alone. But despite the fear and pain, a spark of determination ignited within me. I had to survive. I had to find a way out of this nightmare. Jungkook might have dragged me into his world, but I refused to be a pawn in his game.

Wiping away my tears, I forced myself to stand. Every part of my body protested, but I gritted my teeth and pushed through the pain. I couldn't afford to stay here any longer.

____________

For immediate access to additional content, check out the updated chapters on stckme. The link is in the bio!