The Thirteen Shadows / SEVENTEEN FF

Chapter 26 : Escape

The halls of the mansion echoed with a harrowing scream, cutting through the stillness of the night. The sound reverberated off the high ceilings, each sob and wail bouncing back to intensify the despair. It was as if the very walls were alive, sharing in the torment, amplifying the raw emotion that poured from the room at the end of the corridor. Heavy, desperate sobs filled the space, growing louder and more frantic with each passing second.

Then, BANG—the deafening sound of a door being slammed shut. The echo ricocheted down the corridor, silencing the mansion for a brief moment. And then, the crying resumed, softer now but no less gut-wrenching.

Jeonghan stood in the shadows, his silhouette barely visible in the dim light. His eyes were cold, calculating. The sounds from the woman's room no longer bothered him—he had grown used to it. With a sigh, he adjusted his sleeve, his steps calm as he made his way toward the source of the noise.

The door to her room was ajar, allowing the soft whimpers to slip out. He stepped inside without knocking.

The sight before him was pitiful. She sat on the floor, leaning against the bed, her body trembling as sobs racked her frame. Her clothes were disheveled—barely covering her. Her wrists were bruised, angry red marks against her pale skin, and her face was a mess of smudged makeup, streaked with tears. Mascara ran down her cheeks, mingling with the remnants of eyeshadow and foundation, giving her a ghostly, broken appearance.

She didn't look up when Jeonghan entered. She was too consumed by her misery, her shoulders shaking as she continued to cry. The sight might have evoked sympathy from anyone else—but not from him.

Jeonghan crouched down beside her, his movements slow, deliberate. He studied her for a moment, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

"You should've listened to Seungcheol," he said coldly, his voice devoid of any warmth or comfort. There was a hardness in his tone, an unspoken warning that lingered in the air.

Her sobs quieted momentarily, but she didn't look up. She had heard him, but she was too afraid—or perhaps too ashamed—to meet his gaze.

Jeonghan's eyes flickered to her bruised wrists, then back to her tear-streaked face. He shook his head slightly, almost as if amused by the pathetic display in front of him.

"You're not even good at lying," he continued, his voice a low murmur, but sharp enough to cut through the silence like a blade. "We all know what you've been doing. Do you really think you're fooling anyone? Seungcheol sees right through you. Hell, we all do."

She trembled under his words, her sobs softening into quiet, shallow breaths. She hugged her knees to her chest, her nails digging into her skin as if trying to hold herself together. Her entire body felt fragile, like it might shatter at the slightest touch.

Jeonghan leaned in closer, his breath brushing against her ear, making her flinch. "Stop messing with the others," he whispered, his voice chilling and void of empathy. "We know what lies you've told. It's over."

Her shoulders slumped, her whole frame crumpling in on itself as the weight of his words pressed down on her. She didn't respond—what could she say? Her lies had already caught up with her. There was no escaping the consequences now.

Jeonghan stood up, brushing invisible dust from his pants, as though being in her presence had somehow tainted him. He cast one last glance at her, shaking his head again, this time with more disdain than amusement.

"Just stop," he muttered, turning his back on her. He walked toward the door, his footsteps unnervingly soft in contrast to the earlier chaos.

Before leaving, he paused at the threshold, his hand resting on the doorknob. "You brought this on yourself," he said over his shoulder, his voice distant, cold. And with that, he slipped out of the room, the door clicking softly shut behind him.