The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, and the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping.
Megan Kane had never imagined that Jason Forrester would let the company's stock plummet.
She had to admit she was panicking. 'After all, if I'm going to be with a psycho, he'd better have money. Otherwise, I'm definitely finding someone else.'
Megan Kane had gone through the trouble of transmigrating into a book; she hadn't come here to live a hard life.
Jason Forrester had lost count of how many cigarettes he'd smoked. It was impossible to know what was going through his mind.
"Since the company's reputation is already gone, let's just let it be utterly destroyed."
"They love leaking negative news so much? Fine. We'll play along and leak some more."
Jason Forrester handled his work in a methodical, orderly fashion. After all, he had been the second-in-command at the Forrester Group for many years, having clawed his way up through the trenches.
Megan Kane's eyelids twitched uncontrollably. She had no idea what the man before her was planning. 'Isn't this just a plan to drive the company straight to ruin?'
'Or has he completely lost his mind and wants to take himself down with it?'
She couldn't figure it out, couldn't make sense of it. She could only bottle up her questions, unable to voice them.
After organizing all the documents, Jason Forrester waved a hand, dismissing everyone from the room.
The study instantly fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Megan Kane hadn't managed to leave with the other employees before the closing door startled her, stopping her in her tracks.
'Are these people blind, or do they just not have eyes?' she thought. 'They locked me in here before I could even get out!'
"Megan Kane, I'm broke now. You can pack your bags and run."
The words from Jason Forrester's mouth seemed to come from the heart, as if he truly was giving her permission to flee.
There wasn't a hint of mockery in his eyes; it seemed like this time, he was being completely sincere.
Megan Kane's eyelids twitched furiously. She didn't know if he was testing her or telling the truth.
"C-Can I really go? You promise?"
"Actually, it's no big deal to stay and keep you company. I'm still worried about you."
Megan Kane's tone was hesitant and awkward. In any case, that fool Blair White had promised to help her escape when they left the hospital today.
'Although I don't know what her plan is, she already agreed, so I can't be bothered to overthink it.'
"I think it's best you don't go out for a while."
"I knew it. I knew what someone like you was thinking. The moment I have no money, you want to run. Just as I expected."
"I thought you might stay with me while I make a comeback. Turns out, I wasn't wrong about you after all."
Jason Forrester frowned, turned, and left, slamming the door shut with a loud BANG.
Megan Kane was dumbfounded, standing frozen on the spot, speechless.
'This guy is completely insane,' she thought. 'He was the one who told me to leave, and now he's the one yelling at me.'
Mr. and Mrs. Kane had moved out to live on their own, and they had Jason Forrester's permission to do so.
Rowan Monroe had also left. The psychological pressure of staying here for so long had become too much. Besties or not, sometimes you have to put your own life first.
At this point, Megan Kane had no one left to even talk to.
She sat by the window, chin in hand, wanting to curse someone out but with no one to direct it at.
It was utterly boring, and now she was imprisoned and couldn't leave.
"Megan Kane, hurry up and jump from the window! Don't forget what you promised me!"
Blair White's loud voice drifted up from downstairs. She was surprisingly fast.
'I thought she was joking, but she actually came.'
"Are you really going to help me escape? Aren't you worried you'll get yourself into trouble?"
Megan Kane poked her head out, her face a mask of disbelief. She truly never thought this woman would agree to help her escape.
'I really thought it was just a joke.'
"As long as you keep your word, I won't back out of helping you escape. I'll do what I say."
"Now hurry up and jump from the window. The longer we delay, the more likely we are to get caught, and I won't be responsible for that."
Blair White felt she must look especially cool right now. For some reason, she thought she could faintly see a look of gratitude welling up in Megan Kane's eyes.
'It's not that I want to help her,' Blair thought. 'It's just that she's become a stumbling block for me here.'
"You're my savior! Wait for me, I'm jumping down right now!"
Just as Megan Kane was about to back up for a running start, the door was pushed open. The man stood at the entrance, a smile on his face as he watched her.
Jason Forrester didn't say a word, but the expression on his face was terrifyingly grim, as if he were ready to murder someone on the spot.
Megan Kane tried to ignore him. Just as she was about to take her chance and jump, the man grabbed her wrist in a tight grip.
Jason Forrester raised an eyebrow at her as he fastened a chain around her neck, giving her no room to resist.
Staring at the heavy chain hanging from her neck, Megan Kane couldn't even form the words to beg for mercy.
Jason Forrester let out a laugh, then pocketed the key right in front of her.
"From this day on, don't even think about taking a single step away from this bed."
"I'm going to lock you up tight. So tight."
"As for your accomplice downstairs... heh!"
Jason Forrester strode to the window, but Blair White had already bolted.
Blair had heard the noise. Anyone who wasn't a complete idiot would run. She didn't want to leave a bad impression on the person she liked.
"Stop looking! It was Blair White! If you've got the guts, go settle the score with her!"
"What kind of man bullies me? Are you not afraid of strangling me to death with a chain this heavy on my neck?"
Megan Kane opened her mouth and bit down on Jason Forrester's neck.
Jason Forrester was even more ruthless, shoving her directly onto the bed.
An hour later, Megan Kane was utterly defeated, her face a tear-streaked mess as she leaned against the headboard.
She was in despair. All hope for her life was gone.
"Jason Forrester, I'm begging you, please unlock this chain. I don't want to be a caged canary, locked to the side of a bed, unable to take a single step."
'If medicine for regret existed in this world,' Megan Kane thought, 'I'd take it and never, ever trust the female lead again.'
'I knew it. Blair White was never going to help me. It's always Blair who ends up hurting me.'
"Weren't you just about to jump when you were trying to run away? What are you crying for now, my darling?"
"Be good. Being chained up isn't so bad."
Jason Forrester pinched Megan Kane's chin, his laughter laced with a sinister chill.
"Have you no conscience? When you were arrested, I was the one running around for you! Now that you're out, you want to lock me up in the house?"
"Is your heart made of stone? Where is your conscience?"
"You sent my parents and my best friend away! If you lock me in here, I'll go crazy, I swear I will!"
Just imagining what her future would be like, Megan Kane felt that her life was already hopeless.