Her Voice 2 [JENLISA]

Chapter 14

Jennie

Bogum paid me no attention as he sat on the sofa chair and stared down at his phone. Since Lisa left, he had been keeping me company. Sometimes he’d wander into my room, sit on the couch, and fade into the shadows. Bogum wouldn’t speak to me. Maybe he knew there was no point, because I chose not to converse.

I sat in the silence on my bed and continued to knit the black scarf I was making for Lisa.

The winter in Thailand was harsh, and I knew Lisa could make good use of the scarf. I liked the thought of making something useful. If she wore it, it meant that I would be with her, keeping her warm even though I wasn’t physically there. My presence would still be a balm to her soul, like she once said.

I had been working on it for two days, and I was almost done. There was nothing else for me to do. Being trapped in the room, this cage…it became sickening.

When Lisa was here with me, it was the perfect escape. My solace. Being trapped wasn’t so bad. With Lisa, my cage became a paradise. She knew how to make it all better with her humor and her sweet touches. She was my saving grace. And I’d rather live under Lisa's dark halo than be alone and Jiyong's caged doll—at my husband’s pleasure.

I was confined here like an animal. Fed three times a day and then left alone, with nothing else to do than wander around the four walls of this bedroom.

Seven years. Seven very long years.

My thoughts went back to Ella and my parents. It had been so long since I really thought of them. My days had blended together. Sometimes I’d even forget what day it was…what month…

But now, I wondered. How they were doing? Had Ella gone off to college? Was she happy? Did she have a boyfriend now? Ella had a pure romantic heart. She used to dream of fairy tales. Happily ever afters. A sweet girl, wearing her beautiful heart on her sleeve. It was one of the reasons why I felt the need to protect my sister. She didn’t deserve this. She was a pure soul, too young to become an object of pleasure for depraved men.

God, how I wanted to hold her in my arms once again. When I left, she was only thirteen years old. Now, she would be twenty. Did she miss me? Or had she forgotten her sister?

The thought was a blow to my stomach, and my knees weakened. If I weren’t already sitting down, I would have fallen over.

So many years had passed…did they all forget about me?

I felt a shift inside of me, and it was painful. My lungs clenched, and I closed my eyes, fighting back the stinging tears.

I breathed out shakily while gripping my knitting needles tighter in my hand. My knuckles hurt under the pressure, and I grinded my teeth together. Why…why do I cause myself more pain?

My family had always been my greatest weakness and my deepest torment. I was here in this hellhole so my sweet Ella could have the life she wanted, she deserved.

I dreamed of the day I’d meet her again, the day I would be free from these shackles.

One day. One day soon.

Lisa had promised me.

She was no Prince Charming, but I knew my dark knight would keep her vows. I trusted her with every fiber of my being.

Opening my eyes again, I stared at the wool scarf. I blinked the tears away and threw Bogum a glance. He was already looking at me. This had become a daily routine.

I didn’t think Bogum would be allowed in my room. But maybe he was my new bodyguard. He was a trusted man of both Jiyong and Lisa. He was powerful and important.