"And that's what you want, isn't it?" Jenny whispered, looking down the hall at a volume that only she and Zad—and perhaps Cesare could hear, looking down the hall, looking at Jon, Charles, Harry, the expressions on the faces of her valued fans, and the cautious blank faces of Cesare. In Jon's rebuke, all the negativity receded: it had all happened, no matter how reluctant she was, no matter how instinctively she resisted, it had happened, like paying a credit card bill that had been delayed for years, heartache - it was normal, but she also felt strangely refreshed and light, all the confusion and anger vanished into enlightenment. "So you let them stay - it's all in your plan. So you hand the DV into their hands, isn't it, it's a ritual and you need them to complete the final step. ”

Zade's smug chuckle blew through her ears, and the gun—his gun rested weakly against her back, avoiding all vital parts, and Jenny tried to flick the handcuffs with her fingers—she had been secretly trying to break free from the hooks of the other handcuffs or something, but so far to no avail. "At the end of the day - you're still a smart girl, and I have to say, Cesare isn't a good thing for you at all - you really shouldn't be messing around with him - and isn't that fun? Isn't that fun, my dear? ”

The whispered conversation ended, and he raised his voice again, "So, then, let's talk about it, and defend yourself a little more—why can your marriage be bought off by money to avoid taxes?" What is the price of the performance at the Oscars, and the two awards that are set? How about playing with the audience? ”

Like a rock warm-up host in full swing, he excitedly and wantonly stirred the emotions of the audience, and Jenny could almost see the mood of Charles, Jon and Harry changing, and under Zad's morbid, fanatical, singularly inflammatory rhetoric, the situation was slipping in the direction he wanted: he was counting on Jennifer. Jefferson's most loyal fans came to finish her off and had them hand in the video to complete the ritual one at a time. And little by little, the tide is turning in Zade's, and there is no doubt that this is happening.

She glanced at Cesare again, trying to discern something from his expression—he had something to say to her, that was for sure, but Zade shared the same perspective with her, which made communication inconvenient.

What is he trying to say? Jenny thought that he had been motioning for her to look for opportunities in cooperation from just now, and after seeing Zad's hostility towards her, he remained silent with a knowing understanding, but still maintained a posture of approaching, and even had the intention of taking the opportunity to close the distance. It wouldn't be wise for him to get so close if he didn't have something to break the game, at least with a loaded gun pointed at her, and getting in too close would only get her killed by Zade, or worse, Cesare killed - so he thought there was hope, and he was hiding some killer trick, she just needed a chance.

And she had to create that opportunity, before it was irretrievable, before Zad took control of the situation - calling her Bitch, whore again and again、...... The man's superior, self-righteous superiority had already infuriated her, and now, knowing his plan, the fear of the gun had long since vanished: Zade would never use it lightly, except against Cesare, who needed the sympathy of the three Charles, and could not shoot any of them to provoke them to antagonize, in which case they might destroy the memory card and frustrate his plan.

Zade's attention must be focused on himself, and the psychology of the Charles trio must be controlled......

Countless thoughts flew through her mind, and Jenny lowered her eyes and trembled slightly—this was an emotional movement that Zad could feel, and facial expressions were of course important, but he might not be able to see them.

"Playing with the audience, lying, and contract love." She said that the more she talked, the more excited she became, and she was moved by her true feelings when she entered the play, and it was difficult to distinguish between people and plays. "How do I feel, you ask? baby――”

It was like an emotional overload, and she suddenly laughed, yelling uncontrollably in the midst of laughter, "ss, that'sshowbiz, baby- don't you remember?" Lockhee's lines, this is showbiz, Edward, if it weren't for these hypocrisies, lies, these deceptions and uses that you say, how would you know me, Edward? How do you think I got Lockhee? Well? You don't think I want to conquer the world with my acting skills, do you think I don't have that confidence? ”

Her voice could almost knock the ceiling, Jon stared at her in shock, as if involuntarily drawn into her mania, Zade squirmed uneasily behind her, Cesare remained cautiously blank, but Jenny could see it—in the eyes of her 'breakdown', she could see the hope in his eyes: well, Zad's reaction was good, and he kept pushing forward.

It was like a tangible wind blowing, and as she shouted, the 'qi' in the room was snatched from Zade's body to her side, and although she had a gun in her hand, the initiative was tilting towards her, and Jenny continued to show her true feelings, "You say I'm a vain, and you say I'm a attention. Son, and you're right - that's what we're talking about, Edward, that's the whole industry, ok? The entertainment industry is a creepy weird show! The whole of Hollywood is a bedbug that parasitizes the global attention! ”

Zad didn't speak, and there was a terrible silence in the room, save for Jon's intermittent muffled moans. Moan—like a gasp after a few rounds of hard beatings, Cesare winked at her slowly: Zad has no tendency to go mad, continue.

"It's not fair that it's corrupt and filthy and covered in pus, but like Capitol Hill, it's always the best share of resources -- yes, life isn't fair, dealwithit," Jenny said coldly, her tone revealing a bit of tiredness after excitement, and a slight hint of excitement crept into her heart: she had kind of found her rhythm, and for the first time since being held hostage, she felt that the situation was turning in a good direction, a direction she could control. "And you ask me why I'm doing this, why do you have one show after another, fake marriages, fake relationships - why do I stay in the game when you ask me that after I've already had three Oscars, you think you'll find my weakness - I'm not short of money, I'm not short of power?"

Zad's gun was tipped out, and he seemed to want to speak, but Jenny only paused for a moment, and she said before he did—she looked deeply into Jon's eyes, and said with 120,000 sincerity, "Didn't you think that the answer could really be very simple, Zad—you didn't think about the answer, except for those far-fetched vanity, liaring—you didn't think about it, I just- I love acting so much?" ”

Zad let out a roar of rage, and he pushed her out so hard that Jenny was dragged back by the handcuffs in embarrassment, and the plastic thread was stuck in her wrists, her hands were swollen and painful, but none of this could stop Jon's expression from changing, and the complicated expression of struggle gradually faded away, and relief emerged bit by bit, this simple girl, she was like an open book - and Zad had lost her, Jenny had won the upper hand, and now that everything had been said, it was not so easy for him to get it back.

Then came the harder part—Zade was left with only a gun, and she really didn't want him to be pushed to the point where he pulled the trigger, but she couldn't help but continue, she had to chase after the victory—Jeanne looked at Cesare, hoping that he would give her a hint, but she saw only a signal in his face for her to continue—Zad was probably blinded by her, and she hadn't found an idea yet, she had to take advantage of her precious opportunity.

Jenny gritted her teeth, and she simply followed her instincts.

"I know what you're trying to do -- you want to destroy me, mentally, physically, you want to destroy me completely," she said, "of course you don't want to die, if you can, you want to live to see all this, isn't it, after a while, the police will rush in - they can't help it, and you want my most core fans to hand over the evidence, ruin my career, ruin your Jennifer - if no one in this world treats me as a good person anymore, if I am ruined, you will still want me, So I'm yours, isn't it? And you can watch it all in your cell, and you don't cause any casualties anyway, and you can't be sentenced to death—"

"Who says I didn't cause anyone to be killed or injured?" But his tone was a little weak, Zadeh said — he tried to regain control, but this attempt was a failure, a weakness. "Maybe I don't have it right now, but that doesn't mean I don't have that intention."

Jenny couldn't help but smile contemptuously—but something in Zade's words made her heart move: as much as it sounded like a bluff, her instincts told her that Zade's words seemed to have some sincerity—that perhaps he did intend to take a human life tonight.

"Oh, so you're going to kill me," she said, reflecting on her feelings, "yes, you can't be so naïve—though in your heart this video is the weapon that will destroy me, and in your little ideal world, it will leave me with no place to beg you to take me." But you also know that this is a dirty, shameless world, and this video is far from ending me, is it? I can deny it, I can put everything on your head, even if you have done the precaution and let me speak for myself, but you still have a hint, I can say that this is all my nonsense, I am just speaking according to your heart-"

She laughed, a little frightened at what she had discovered, but at the same time she caught a touch of weird humor. "And you've anticipated all that might be, so, I guess...... You're going to kill me, aren't you? ”

Jon let out a suffocating exclamation, she seemed unable to maintain her position, relying on Harry's support to maintain her position, while the two men were pale, shaky and overwhelmed, except for Cesare's expression did not change, and Jenny's gaze swept over him, wondering if he had already seen this, "You're going to do it when the police come in, aren't you?" When they get the DV and see Jon or Charles hand it over, 'boom-'"

The muzzle of his gun trembled slightly, and Jenny felt Zade's excitement and weakness ignite at the same time, his ambivalence, on the one hand he was annoyed that she had spoken to his heart, but on the other hand, the picture she described made him excited and full of yearning. "If you're lucky enough not to be killed on the spot -- which, by the way, is very likely -- with the speed at which the death penalty is being carried out in California, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it all in your prison cell, won't you? The scandal that went along with the news of the death - how did you ruin everything I had, my body, even the last vestiges of my existence: people's memories of me...... Did you secretly rejoice in everything you just did? It's like playing the violin, with rhetoric, you control me, you make me think that if you say everything, you'll save your life - maybe you'll also use the 'submit evidence to end it all' rhetoric to lure Charles into ending it all, the last lie - and then ruin it all with your own hands. ”

The trio's shocked expressions seemed to confirm her suspicions, oh, Zad's expression must be quite wonderful now, he must be very panicked by now, and he is thinking of a way to fight back. Jenny couldn't help but laugh: these people always seem to be like this, when the situation is favorable, they perform brilliantly, they seem to be unstoppable, but when the situation changes, they suddenly change people, and it is difficult to regain the advantage.

"And you know what makes me interesting?" She whispered, as much as she could, "Edward, what makes me amused?" - You really think that such a video can destroy me, that such a question scares me, that you really think that my reluctance just now is from the bottom of my heart, not a game to coax you, but you are not that smart, are you, Edward? ”

Zade let out a faint growl, Cesare's eyes flashed with melancholy, Jenny knew she was a little too excited, but she continued to push forward, and with a chuckle, she continued, "The truth is, seriously, you can publish the footage, even the evidence you have - Edward, I don't really care. Something like this can't destroy me, Edward, I've got a lawyer, I've got a PR team, and I can do more and bigger than you think—"

"Actually, it's probably a good thing that all the lies are exposed, and it makes me move forward more unburdened." ”

She knew Zad would take her word for it, because she was so sincere—and that was indeed her sincerest thought, now that the bill had been paid—seriously, what if she had no incentive to hide it now, and let it all be exposed? After this life-and-death adventure, to be honest, at least for this moment, she didn't bother to think about it at all.

Losing the footage, losing control of Charles and the others, all the chips being cashed out one by one, she could feel Zade's muzzle trembling, even his breathing, his whole person—no doubt he was out of order—and Jenny struggled to calm her heartbeat, keeping all mood swings out of the way, and seizing the opportunity with transcendent calmness—

"But none of this is so interesting—" she said softly, "and the most interesting thing is that you have done so much to me, Edward, you have done so much to me, you have held my cause in the palm of your hand, and my life and death, and at this moment, there is no doubt that you want to be my master, and you want to possess me, and leave an eternal mark on my life—"

She made her tone more haughty, more ruthless, more mocking: "But you never had the courage to show your face before me. ”

Maybe it was the look on Zad's face, maybe it was the contemptuous tone, the panic and fear on the faces of Charles and Jon and Harry, Jon desperately stared at her, as if trying to make her restrain herself, but Cesare didn't say anything, his shoulders hung loosely, his eyes calm, as if he was ready for what would happen next.

And how angry Zad was—oh, God, how angry he was—the words hit him in the underbelly, and his breath squirted heavily into her ears like the roar of a beast, and he burst out of words intermittently, but they were slurred and out of tune, and Jenny ignored him, and she said aloud, "And I never remember your face—Edward, isn't that funny?" I've only met Charles, Jon, and Harry a few times, but I remember them, and what about you? There is only blankness, and maybe the next second you will shoot me to death, but before you die, your face will still be blank. ”

In Zade's roar, she laughed and said, "Isn't this the funniest, the funniest, the funniest—"

"Shut your mouth!" Zad shoved her out, but quickly grabbed her plastic handcuffs, and Jenny's words seemed to help him make up his mind - Jenny could feel the firmness in his words: all he had left was this gun - he could only use it to accomplish his goal, no matter how inconsistent and unsatisfactory it was with her original intention, but only in this way could it put an end to everything.

As soon as the wrist was loosened, the plastic handcuffs were still there, but what had hung on it before, whatever it was, was untied, she was rudely pushed a few steps, Zad controlled her with one hand, and held the gun in the other, unquestioningly, his voice low, so dangerous, regaining his confidence: "Turn around and look at me." ”

Jeanne glanced at Cesare, but it was too fast for the message to be delivered—she turned.

Zade held up the □□ and aimed at her chest, his ordinary face wrinkled, his mixture of frenzy, anger and satisfaction complicated his expression into a mess, and he even stuttered a little from being too excited, "Remember, this, this, this, just—"

Jenny looked at him deeply, staring intently, and she realized that this might be the last scene she had seen before she died—and with that, he was about to shoot—that she was going to die, and that it was purely her own death, which had spurred Zad all the way to where she was now-

But at the same time, for the first time tonight, she was also free.

Vaguely praying in her heart that the tacit understanding between Cesare and her would not fail, Jenny took a deep breath, reviewed all the gunfight knowledge she knew, and mobilized all her motor cells-

She spun to the left, kicked her feet, and slid down the stairs.

Screams, roars, loud gunshots buzzed back and forth in the room, Jenny lost her balance halfway through, her hands tied behind her back tripped her, and she stumbled all the way down in great pain, and she was knocked all over her body in severe pain, dizziness and vomiting.

#

“ohmygod，myfuckinggod。” Jon whispered, and she caught up with Jennifer - she had basically rolled down the stairs, and now she was obviously blind, and she couldn't get up from the ground. "You're alright, you're alright-fuck! fuck！ I-I need a pair of scissors! - Dinner knife! ”

Charles was still standing stupidly behind the DV, and Harry had already made it up the stairs, and Jon stood on tiptoe to look upstairs - Cesare. Vijeri stood there steadily, pulling the trigger in Zade's direction, the gunshots still ringing, steady and mechanical—she felt uncomfortable, she felt as if she had seen brains.

"Charles, Charles!" She retracted again, almost instinctively picked up Jenny's head and neck, placed it on her knees, and called to her companion on the other side, "Go find a dinner knife - her handcuffs - Charles!" ”

Charles was still staring blankly ahead, as if he hadn't reacted yet, but the sudden sound of a huge siren outside the window made everyone smart, and he came back to his senses and ran to Jenny's side, "Ohgod, ohgod- is she okay?" ”

Jon had already touched Jenny, and she held up her hand to show Charles, "I didn't get hit - I just fell into a daze, I really need a knife now, her hand - "

But she didn't finish, for the sirens seemed to wake up the two men on the steps as well, and Cesare strode to them, and took Jennifer without saying a word, "Is she okay?" Didn't get hurt, did you? ”

"I shouldn't have been hit." Jon said, a muffled shouting came from outside the house, and she glanced out of the room in a daze—before that, she really didn't realize that there might already be a lot of people watching here—and the whole world had shrunk to this room just now. "That's—"

"Police," said Harry, who also bent down to check while Jennifer moaned. Moaned a few times, slowly opened his eyes, apparently trying to sit up on his feet. "It must have been the gunfire that alarmed them - are you alright, Jennifer? Do you feel any pain? ”

Jennifer shook her head, she looked left and right, "Edward—"

"He's not a problem anymore." Cesare said in a cold tone, he stopped Jennifer's movements, put his hands behind her back to support her, and softened his voice again, "Don't be afraid, you're doing well - shhh, don't talk, it's all over, he won't hurt you again-"

"I ...... I want to ......vomit," Jeanne said with difficulty, shrinking into Cesare's arms, "my hand hurts......"

Jon stared blankly at the scene, and she had a vague feeling that Cesare and Jennifer now seemed to be undisturbed, and that she was exhausted from what had just happened, and she slid to the ground, holding on to the ground and exhaling a long breath: yes, it was all over.

'Bang, bang, bang! ’

The loud sound made her startle and she stood up in a panic and looked around, and Harry made a reassuring gesture to her.

"It's the police knocking on the door—" he said, "shhh, don't be afraid, it's they who care about what's going on." ”

Jon breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumped, she patted her face lightly, frowned at the sticky touch, and walked towards the door—only to be pulled back by Harry. “what？ You don't mean the police—"

As Harry's meaningful eyes looked in a certain direction, it dawned on her and she let out a soft 'oh' - "DV ......"

'Bang! Bang! Bang! The knock on the door rang again, followed by the rustle of the megaphone, "Is everything alright?" Were there any casualties? Count down tens of seconds, break through head-on without response, 10, 9, 8-"

Jon's gaze was on the DV, and a myriad of mixed thoughts and emotions swept over her mind, and she couldn't help but look at Harry and James-

None of the three of them had any intention of opening the door, but looked in the direction of Jeanne and Cesare, almost reflexively.

- But Cesare was bending down to look at a dazed Jennifer, whispering in her ear that he seemed to have forgotten all about the dazed DV.