Chapter 6

His movements were even more brutal than last night, the pain making my toes curl as I kept shrinking away in retreat. "Please... stop torturing me! Let me go, I'm begging you!" "Still dare to call another man's name? Hmm? Helen, don’t push me. Understand?" He had utterly drained me of all strength, leaving me humiliated, tears streaming down my face. In that moment, it felt like a thousand knives were stabbing into my heart. Just let me go... I can't take it anymore... I sobbed, my body like a lone boat lost at sea, helplessly surrendering to his dominance. No—how could I? I was being violated! I fought stubbornly against this terrifying sensation, but I couldn’t resist my body’s instincts. Like the euphoria of opium, the moment it seeped into my bones, it devoured my willpower. I felt monstrous, sinking into such depravity, beyond redemption. This isn’t me... Please, just let me go... I wept uncontrollably, my heart in agony. I don’t know how much time passed before he finally had his fill. Shamefully, I buried my face into the pillow and cried. How could I be so weak, finding pleasure in his coercion? No—that wasn’t me. The humiliation and self-loathing made me want to slam my head against the wall until I died. He didn’t leave. Instead, he coiled around me like an octopus, limbs entwined with mine. Only when my sobs gradually quieted did he speak again. "Did you take the morning-after pill?" The gag was removed, but I remained silent, drowning in self-disgust, refusing to acknowledge him. Why did I have to suffer like this? And who gave him the right to do whatever he pleased? His fingers tightened around my chin, his voice laced with a dangerous chill. "Answer me. Or do you need another demonstration?" "No!" I sobbed in humiliation. "I took it." "Hmm." The mattress shifted slightly as he seemed to move away. A flicker of hope rose in my chest, and I reached up to remove the blindfold. "Try untying that," his voice cut through the darkness like a blade, "and I'll release the footage of tonight. Let the whole world see how the Carter family's precious daughter-in-law begs for pleasure." My hand froze midair, then dropped limply to my side. Something round and bitter was pressed against my lips—a pill. Then the cold rim of a glass touched my mouth. "I'd prefer not to deal with corpses just yet. Swallow it. Next time I'll use protection." Next time? My entire body trembled with suppressed rage. Monster! Psychopath! I'll kill you! We'll die together! Yet the memory of his earlier threats coiled around my throat tighter than his hands ever could. With mechanical obedience, I took a sip of water and swallowed the bitter tablet. "Good girl." His weight returned, limbs entangling mine as he pulled me sideways against him. The bastard actually meant to stay the night. I expected to lie there seething, consumed by fury and shame. Instead, an unnatural drowsiness crept through my veins. My muscles relaxed against my will, consciousness slipping away as I sagged against his chest. With my last shred of awareness, I whispered, "Do I... know you?" Only silence answered. The void swallowed me whole before I could decipher its meaning. [...] When I woke up, just like yesterday, the blindfold was gone and he had vanished, leaving only the lingering scent of indulgence on the sheets. I sat up, staring blankly at the untouched desk behind the door, my pupils contracting. I got out of bed and tried the balcony door—unsurprisingly, it wasn’t locked. Last night, he had come in through the balcony. He had a key… The moment that horrifying realization crystallized, I completely broke down. I crumpled to the floor, clutching my head in despair, sobbing uncontrollably. Because I finally understood something terrifying. He really was a Carter. He could effortlessly obtain every key to my bedroom, knew my daily routine inside out, and precisely exploited my vulnerabilities—leaving me unable to speak of the inhuman ordeal I endured. In a daze, I soaked the bedsheets in a basin. After scrubbing away every trace of his scent from my body, I stood numbly before the mirror, staring at the woman covered in love bites, tears of utter devastation streaming down my face. Why did this have to happen to me? What does he even want?