Chapter 67 Betrayal And Escape

• Yulia slipped out of bed, her skin still warm from the heat of the sheets. Her movements were slow, languid, as though savoring the solitude of the moment. She draped a silk robe over her bare body, the fabric whispering against her skin, falling in soft folds to the floor.
• Her fingers found a cigarette in the ashtray. She lit it with a quick flick of the lighter, the flame flaring briefly before the embers caught, sending a delicate stream of smoke curling in the air. She took a long drag, feeling the cool burn in her lungs, savoring the bitter comfort.
• But before she could even reach the door, a hand shot from behind her, gripping her with such force that her breath caught in her throat. Before she could react, there was a sickening crack. A jolt of pain shot through her neck, and the world around her exploded into darkness. Her body collapsed, unconscious, as the shadows consumed her.