Chapter 4
Her white dress was marked with stains, her nose reddened from crying, resembling a small white rabbit lost in a den of wolves. Her tears only fueled the violent urges of these maniacs.
“Come on, Ryan, why not enjoy ourselves first? This woman is so hot.”
As they moved to grab Mandy, I swiftly sliced through the rope and lunged forward. I collided with Ryan, positioning myself as a barrier between Mandy and them.
“Damn it, why are you just standing there? Grab her!” yelled the yellow- haired guy, clutching his nose as he barked orders. The other thugs rushed forward. “Rough her up! Break her limbs, and we’ll take our time with her.”
With too many of them, I had no choice but to protect Mandy by covering her as best I could.
“Lina, Lina… stop hitting her… stop hitting her…” she cried, trying to push me away while pleading for them to stop. She felt hopeless.
Just then, the iron gate was forcefully smashed open with a loud crash by an off–road vehicle. Gunfire erupted, drawing everyone’s attention to the
entrance.
Mateo rushed over to Mandy, pulling her into a tight embrace.
“I’m so relieved you’re safe.”
Overcome with emotion, Mandy cried until her voice faded, and with the abrupt release of stress, she immediately fainted.
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Chapter 4
He carried Mandy into the ambulance, carefully smoothing her tangled hair. I got up from the ground and faced Mateo’s icy stare. My heart dropped.
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“Lina,” he said softly, though his words chilled me. “Why were you with
her?”
I tasted the metallic tang of blood in my throat and managed a forced smile. “We just happened to meet. Can you believe that?”
A sudden slap struck my face, sending me crashing to the floor.
“Lina, when did you start believing in religion?”
I coughed up blood. But ultimately, I didn’t reveal that it was for our
child’s service.
He crushed my fingers under his foot, intensifying the pain to the point where I couldn’t help but scream.
“When did you begin planning this?”
“I didn’t.”
Mateo spun around and fired at Ryan’s thigh, then aimed the gun at his head. “She didn’t?”
Ryan howled in agony, his hand shaking as he pointed at me.
“It… it was Ms. Glakin who came to me first. She offered me money to get revenge on Mandy.”
“You’re lying!” I shouted, but his men held my shoulders firmly.
Mateo laughed icily and shot Ryan in the head without a second thought.
“Lina,” he said, crouching down and gripping my hand tighter.
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“If you damage what’s dear to me, you must offer something equally precious in return.”
There was a “crack“-he broke my index finger.
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“Ah!” The agony caused my vision to blur, and my entire body trembled. “Mateo! How could you do this to me? I’m your wife!”
He rose and adjusted his cuffs, speaking with calmness, “Finish the rest.”
“Go ahead.” The two words were spoken softly.
I was shoved harshly against an oil barrel, my hands pried open.
“Mateo!” I shouted frantically, “I hate you! I should have never saved you a decade ago!”
He paused for a moment as he turned to go, but ultimately never glanced back.
Before the intense pain set in, I recalled the first song I played for him. He had knelt beside me, lifted my hands, and softly said, “Lina, I really love you like this.”
A decade ago, I saved him and unknowingly plunged myself into a living hell.
Now, ten years later, he had cut the final tie between us himself.
It was three in the morning.
I lay helpless in the abandoned factory, my fingers contorted in unnatural angles. Several people rushed in with medical supplies. Behind me, the factory erupted in flames.
I reclined in the chair and contacted the person assisting me.
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“Inform the ship to remain at the dock. Obtain new identity details for me.
“I need the name Lina to be erased entirely from existence.”
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