Ruthless

9

It felt as if time had come to a standstill for a brief moment. The entire atmosphere had fallen into absolute silence, leaving the possibility of even the slightest sound, such as the drop of a pin that could have been distinctly heard.

Also, in the span of just milliseconds, my own fight had ceased to nothing. It seemed as though I had no choice but to comply with his demands.

"You want to save your friend?" he unexpectedly uttered, catching me completely off guard.

A frown creased my face as I struggled to grasp his motives behind this sudden proposal.

What in the world could be going on in his twisted mind?

Despite my doubts about his intentions, I had no other option but to nod, forced to go along with whatever plan he had planned.

His left brow slowly arched, drawing my attention. I cannot help but notice how immaculate shaped they are.

He remained quiet even after my response and I couldn't comprehend what he wanted, until I realized he was waiting for my verbal agreement.

I wanted to straighten up a little, but then I realized that the unknown still had a firm hold on me, making it difficult to move even the slightest.

"Yes-s," I managed to say, silently scolding myself for sounding so weak.

I didn't want to portray myself as invulnerable, but I also couldn't let him see how shaken I truly was.

And why did I feel as if I had been thirsty for ages?

"Convince me in five minutes why I should marry you, or your friend here will bleed to death," Adam stated firmly.

When Adam finished speaking, the grip around me loosened, and I stumbled, managing to break my fall. I wanted to turn around and gouge the eyes of the person who had held me.

"I don't want to die, Faith," Kelly whispered, lying on the ground with her head on Colten's lap. Colten's hand was pressed firmly against her stab wound, trying to stem the bleeding, but her blood was flowing profusely, forming a pool around her.

Pain was evident on her face, and she was on the verge of losing consciousness. Strangely, I could feel her pain as well, although it didn't make any sense.

"You won't," I tried to smile, but my trembling chin made it difficult.

I detest crying. It's not like anyone loves shedding tears, and the same is true for me. Some people might derive pleasure from making others cry, but no one enjoys being the one shedding tears. What I meant, however, was the acute embarrassment that came with it.

I locked eyes with Colten, silently pleading with him to take care of Kelly. His face contorted with rage, but he nodded curtly, acknowledging my request. My attention returned to Adam, who remained motionless, his hands buried deep in his pockets.

I had no idea what I could say or do to persuade him to marry me. Deep down, I knew he wouldn't agree easily. It was obvious that he wanted me to suffer humiliation, as his ego must surely have swelled to the size of Everest after my rejection.

Adam's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Your friend is running out of blood."

His words elicited a few chuckles from the people gathered in the room.

Struggling, I managed to rasp out, 'Please marry me.' It felt as if my mouth was filled with scalding lava, and I longed to spit it out onto his face so he could taste the same burning sensation.

He regarded me in silence, causing my knees to wobble with anticipation. Retrieving his right hand from his pocket, he ran his thumb over his brow before tucking it back in.