EVE: The Apple Of Their Eyes | ✔

Chapter 7

He came into her, withdrawing slowly and removing the belt.

"Sarah!" He called out to his housemaid, who responded and came to unlock the basement door.

The old woman, seemingly accustomed to such occurrences, looked down at the woman before her with a sense of pity.

"Handle her. Take her to one of the rooms upstairs, bathe her, then tie her up again," he commanded, giving a warning look to ensure Jane remained under close supervision.

He adjusted his appearance and left the basement first.

Sarah approached Jane with sympathy, gently fixing her dress and removing the gag. Jane gasped for air as the older woman spoke, "Oh dear... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." Sarah then helped Jane to her feet.

Jane walked, limping and hissing in pain. Though she remained silent, a flood of words filled her thoughts. 'god... Have I still not paid my sin enough? If that is so, then break my will, and then I will know that I've paid it completely.' Tears streamed down her face once more.

Sarah carefully guided Jane into the bathroom, settling her in a tub filled with warm water. Despite the heavy burden of guilt for Kaitlyn's murder, Jane managed a smile.

"Miss Sarah," Jane spoke up, her voice breaking.

"Yes, child?" Sarah responded, attending to Jane's wounds without meeting her eyes.

"You know I killed someone..." Jane paused.

"I did it out of jealousy and love," she continued, "Does this mean I loved wrong? Or maybe loved the wrong person?"

Sarah looked up, seeing Jane's bruised eye shedding tears mixed with blood. She wept alongside Jane, feeling deep pity for the woman before her.

"I was raised in a poor family, you see. My parents were merely farmers. I loved working with them, tending the fields and such. Come to think of it, I'm starting to miss it again. But I don't think I'll ever get the chance again." Jane sighed, seemingly ignoring the pain all over her body.

Sarah listened attentively.

"Dean was someone who took a liking to me back then. You know, before he was engaged to his ex-wife, we became lovers. Why did it feel like I became the mistress?" Jane chuckled, as if concealing the emotional ache she was feeling.

"Ah. My mistake was that I could not let him go and did an unforgivable thing. Maybe I just couldn't accept the fact that he loved someone else all along after everything I did to finally reach his status."

Jane continued, her voice filled with remorse. "I thought having him would fill the void, but I was wrong. I was blinded by my own desires, and now I've committed an irreversible sin."

Sarah, still tending to Jane's wounds, listened compassionately.

"I don't know what's worse, Miss Sarah," Jane confessed. "The physical pain I'm enduring or the guilt eating away at my soul. I took a life out of jealousy and selfishness."

Sarah gently spoke, "Child, there's always a chance for redemption. We all make mistakes, and sometimes we must face the consequences. It's never too late to change."

Jane nodded, tears continuing to stream down her face. "Maybe, in facing the consequences, I'll find a way to make amends, even if it's just within myself."

Sarah sighed, recognizing the depth of Jane's suffering. She continued to tend to her wounds, silently offering comfort in the midst of the turmoil.

In the next room, Dean, thoroughly drunk, collapsed onto his bed and fell into a profound sleep. The room stayed shadowed, keeping the bright moonlight outside from penetrating through the window.