Ruthless

44

At the grand dining table, I sat quietly with my eyes downcast, focusing intently on the food before me to avoid drawing any attention. The people I loathed were deep in their own conversations, speaking in a language completely foreign to me.

The sounds of their voices, mixed with the clinking of silverware, created a lively atmosphere, yet I felt alien. Like an uninvited guest, an intruder at a party. I didn't belong here.

Nostalgic thoughts of family dinners resurfaced—our gatherings were a whirlwind of laughter and debate. A dejected feeling crept in as I longed for those warm and carefree moments. At that moment, I yearned for connection, for someone who could truly understand me, but it was an impossibility in this place.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I sliced into the perfectly prepared steak and lifted the fork to my mouth. Pinching the meat with my teeth, savoring the explosion of rich flavors and soft textures of the meat. The food was the only comfort for me amidst an otherwise unpleasant dinner.

As I reached for my glass of water, my foot inadvertently nudged the other, sending a sharp pain shooting up my leg. I bit my lip to stifle a grimace, the pain a cruel reminder of what I had endured two nights before.

That night, Hades had been furious, his rage like a destructive storm. It was a moment of pure terror, etched vividly in my mind. The memory of his furious eyes still made my skin crawl with fear.

Hades had bound me to the bed with such force that the rough ropes cut my skin. With a rough, calloused hand, he pried my mouth open and shoved a wad of cash inside, inciting a surge of panic. The acrid taste of the money made me want to retch.

After rendering me silent and helpless, he then lashed my feet with a belt. Each lash was cold and unforgiving, the pain eventually numbing into a dull ache. As the ordeal continued, my breathing became shallow. The room started to blur, and darkness crept into my vision. Just as I was on the brink of slipping away, I heard a faint sound of the bedroom door creaking open, and the whipping stopped. Distant voices reached my ears, though they were muffled by the pounding in my head and ears.

The money was yanked from my mouth, and I gasped for breath. As I gradually regained my senses, still shaking, I looked up to identify my rescuer. To my astonishment, it was none other than Adrian, who had been missing from the mansion for days. Bewildered by his act, I averted my eyes, but my confusion quickly turned into a cold, heavy dread when I noticed Hades still staring at me, his eyes ablaze with fury and malice.

***********

Adrian once more became my shield, forcing Hades out of the room, while I latched onto his arm, refusing to let go after he returned. At that moment, it didn't matter to me that he was one of my tormentors.

To my surprise, Adrian didn't grow irritated with my frantic, clingy behavior. Instead, he showered me with countless kisses and soothing words. It took a while, but eventually, I calmed down and drifted off to sleep.

As I emerged from those painful memories, my gaze fell on my wrist. The faint red marks of the rope were still visible. I shuddered to think about what might have happened if Adrian hadn't stepped in. The fear of that possibility lingered, haunting the edges of my mind.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to steady my racing heart.

Just seconds later, Allison's voice cut through the murmurs, and a hush fell over the room. "Now that we've finished eating, are we ready for the show?" Her tone carried a note of excitement that piqued my curiosity. The day had been filled with unusual activity—Allison and a handful of unfamiliar guests had arrived, and the mansion was more heavily guarded than usual. The maids seemed especially busy, rushing around with an energy that hinted that some event was being held since it didn't seem like a party.