Chapter 5
But clearly, the one who owed a mountain of debt, who was beaten black and blue and cried while begging me to save him, that was him! My breathing quickened and hatred filled my eyes as I stared at him. My voice squeezed out from my throat, “Arsen, you’re not even human!” My furious words rang out sharply.
But the filthy looks from the men before me only grew darker, like poisoned blades ready to carve me apart, “Celine, that’s not right. How can Arsen not be human? He’s our god! If not for him, how would we know that beneath your icy surface, you’re this wild?“}
“Yeah, Celine, relax. We’re not trying to hurt you. We just wanna have some fun, that’s all.”
As they crept closer, panic surged within me. I dug my fingernails hard into my palm, trying to stay awake through the pain.”
“Don’t come near me! What you’re doing is illegal!” Using what little strength I had left, I struggled to stand and kept backing away.” “So what? If I die and become a ghost, I’ll die with pleasure!” With a crazed shout from one of them, the rest charged at me like beasts unleashed from a cage.
In that critical moment, I caught sight of the open balcony window out of the corner of my eye.” Dodging their grasp, I used every last ounce of energy I had and bolted toward the balcony.” Looking down at the ground below and the crowd bustling past, a wave of sorrow surged within me. As I stepped up onto the balcony and jumped, tears streamed down my face like broken pearls.” Mom, Dad… if I survive this, I promise I’ll listen to you from now on. I’ll never leave your side again.” I shut my eyes in despair as twenty–some years of memories flashed before me like a movie reel.}]
But then, I seemed to hear Arsen’s anguished voice calling out, “Celine, don’t …!”
I opened my eyes and met his deep, fearful black gaze. Arsen … so you do know fear.”
The moment my body fell, I instantly lost all my consciousness…
***
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a hospital bed.
The pain all over my body reminded me clearly of what had happened before I passed out.
Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling, tears welled up in my eyes and a broken sob rose from my throat.
I pleaded with the nurse beside me, who was changing my bandages, to bring me my phone.
The moment she handed it over, I took it with my uninjured left hand and called my mom, not noticing the flicker of disgust that flashed in the nurse’s eyes.
I choked out, “Mom, can you
come get me? I don’t want to stay here anymore.“}}
My mom didn’t reply right away. She was silent for a long while, then finally answered with a trembling voice, “Don’t worry, Celine. Mom will make the ones who hurt you pay the price. I won’t let them off easily.”
I softly said okay and ended the call, just in time to hear the nurse mutter beside me, “Doing disgusting things and still crying to your family? If I were you, I’d have jumped to my death already.”
I pretended not to hear her and opened my phone.
That’s when I saw it, someone had posted all those livestream videos online.
In the footage, Arsen’s face had been blurred, but mine… mine was fully exposed to the camera.@
I didn’t dare stay in the hospital any longer. I didn’t want to hear those malicious whispers and pointing fingers, so I flee, still wearing my hospital gown, struggling with every step.
Luckily, my old apartment was on the second floor. Only my right leg is seriously injured, the rest are just minor scrapes.
Meanwhile, Arsen returns to the hospital with my test results, face dark as he stares at the empty hospital bed.
Amelia had followed him, intending to mock me, but when she sees his gloomy expression, she trembles and stays silent.
After a while, a doctor in a white coat runs in, panting, “Mr. Becker, you took the wrong test results. These are Miss Jameson’s. Not only did she suffer a comminuted fracture in her right leg, she also had a miscarriage …”
