BOUND BY BETRAYAL

Chapter Eighteen

Ashley's POV: (Trigger warning: Please mature audience) 

The drive back home was absolutely haunting. The air was heavy with an unsettling silence as if it held secrets waiting to be revealed. Not a single word escaped my lips. But the driver, I appreciated the driver's professionalism as he remained courteous and focused, navigating the road with precision. It was as if we were in our own little bubble, isolated from the outside world.

When we arrived, the guy on my left opened his door and came out before opening mine. What a gentleman! It's nice to see some chivalry still exists. Despite his rough looks, I think his gentle gesture warms my heart. 

"Thanks," I muttered quietly and headed toward the house. 

The moment I stepped inside the house, I felt this dreadful aura and the chills crawling on my skin. It's like this place will never become familiar to me... never! I find myself muttering in my head, "Never!" Can never get used to this place. 

I shook off the strange feeling, my heart pounding in my chest as I strode towards my room. Almost reaching the corridor, I glanced ahead and my eyes widened in alarm. There, in the distance, a crowded group of men stood, their presence sending a shiver down my spine. The atmosphere was thick with an eerie and terrifying energy.

The change in aura was impossible to ignore, and as I walked in further, a sense of unease washed over me. My grip on my purse tightened, my knuckles turning white with fear. The silence was eerie, almost suffocating as if the air itself held its breath. And then, out of nowhere, a deafening explosion shattered the stillness, sending shockwaves through the building. The sound was so powerful, so intense, that it felt like it could pierce through solid walls. *BAM* The noise reverberated in my ears, leaving me momentarily stunned and speechless.

I heard a nervous gasp escape from the men, and it made me freeze in my tracks. It was as if a bag of ice had been dumped on me, paralyzing me with fear. I couldn't bring myself to move, and in that moment of terror, a bloodcurdling scream escaped from my trembling lips, echoing through the walls.

    However, the men, who were once crowded together, suddenly stopped in their tracks upon hearing the scream. They parted ways, creating a small space that allowed me to see the culprit. My face instantly turned pale, and my Debbie Wingham bag, worth a staggering six point seven million dollars, slipped nervously out of my already trembling hand. My eyes immediately noticed the presence of an expended propellant, contrary to the myth, with smokeless powder swirling around the tip of the gun, indicating that it had just been used. It was a chilling realization.

Fear gripped me, causing me to cower and nearly collapse to the ground. Desperately clutching onto the nearby wall for support, I managed to steady myself and avoid a fall. But then, our eyes locked, and I found myself staring into the chilling gaze of that brutal demon. A toxic smile twisted his lips, sending shivers down my spine.

My heart raced as a devilish smirk played across his lips, his gaze twinkling mischievously. "Welcome home, wify," he said, his voice dripping with a dangerous blend of menace and intrigue. The anticipation of what would come next hung heavy in the air as I locked eyes with him, unsure of what awaited me.

However, just then his gaze shifted away from me, darkening as he noticed the guards standing behind me. "I made a rule," he said, sending my heart into a flurry of uncertainty.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as his voice carried a heavy wave, rippling through my soul. "They are just three, and yet you all couldn't avoid any of them. Every day, one seemed to be disobeyed," he said, his words echoing with a mix of frustration and disappointment. The weight of his words hung in the air, leaving an unsettling silence.