You will be mine!

Sam's laughter echoed off the walls of the room, a chilling sound that seemed to reverberate through the air like a taunt. His eyes gleamed with a mix of madness and triumph, as if he were savoring the moment of power he held over Roman and Cindy. The room felt suffocating, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Roman's grip on Sam's lapels tightened momentarily, but he released him with a shove, taking a step back as he stared at the man who now seemed utterly unhinged.

Cindy, who had been standing silently beside Roman, watched the exchange with a sinking feeling in her chest. The Sam she remembered from that fateful day on the cruise was nothing like this. She took a step forward, her voice softer, tinged with a desperate edge that she could not hide. "Where is he, Sam? What have you done to him?"