Chapter 4

Everyone turned to look at Melanie in unison. She stood frozen to the spot. Before she could even process what had happened, Susan's panicked scream tore through the room. "Yasmin!" Yasmin had fainted from shock after seeing the slurs on the screen. In an instant, Zachary's expression changed drastically. He scooped Yasmin into his arms and hurried toward the infirmary. Melanie's mind went blank. Suddenly, a slap cracked across her cheek, jolting her back to reality. Charles' eyes blazed with fury, veins bulging at his temples as he roared, "What kind of monster did I raise? Your sister's sick, and you still have the nerve to curse her to death?" Melanie stumbled back, bumping into the champagne tower behind her. It toppled over with a crash, and liquor spilled across the floor. She collapsed onto the shards, gritting her teeth against the pain. "It wasn't me!" she cried. "Shut up!" Charles barked. "I've always known you hated how we treat Yasmin better. But she's dying! Is it so hard to show her a little sympathy?" Then, he turned to someone and ordered, "Take her away and lock her up!" … Just like that, Melanie was thrown into a pitch-black room. She had been afraid of the dark since she was a child. Worse still, she was claustrophobic. The door slammed shut, and her chest instantly tightened. It felt like the darkness was closing in from all sides, choking the air out of her lungs. She pounded on the door with all her strength, leaving a bloodied mess on the wooden panels. "Open up! Please, let me out! I'm begging you!" But outside, there was only silence. Her strength slowly ebbed away. She slid to the floor and gasped for air as her vision blurred. Melanie had no idea how much time had passed. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, the door creaked open. Upon seeing the streak of light, she dragged herself toward it. In the next second, a bucket of warm, foul-smelling liquid came crashing down on her. Then came a second bucket, and a third. Melanie choked so hard that she could barely breathe. Through the haze, she barely made out a familiar figure standing in the doorway. It was Zachary. He stood at the threshold between light and shadow, coldly watching as his men doused her again and again. Yet, he didn't tell them to stop. Only after the last bucket was emptied did he finally step forward. He crouched before her and gently wiped her face with a silk handkerchief. "Yasmin woke up," Zachary said, his voice icy. "She didn't blame you for cursing her. She even begged me to show you mercy. She said you were just possessed and not truly evil. So, I had this prepared. It's meant to drive out evil." After a pause, he added, "But for it to work, you'll have to soak in it for three full days and nights." A flash of terror crossed Melanie's face. She grabbed Zachary's arm and pleaded, "I didn't curse her. You have to believe me." Yet, he simply pried her fingers off, one by one. His movement was slow, deliberate, and cruel. "You did something wrong. Actions have consequences, Melanie. Even a child knows that." The warmth of his touch faded from Melanie's fingertips. She parted her lips, but all that came out was a broken plea. "Please… don't leave me here. I'm scared of the dark." "And what about Yasmin?" Zachary glared at her. "Did it ever occur to you that she might be scared when you cursed her?" At that moment, Melanie slipped into a daze. She remembered a stormy night when the power had gone out. She had curled up in a corner, trembling in fear. It was Zachary who had lit candles to fill the room with light. Then, he held her close, his touch gentle as he whispered, "Don't be scared, Mel. I'm here." But now, that very same man was shoving her into the abyss. Suddenly, a searing pain tore through Melanie's lower abdomen. She instinctively clutched her stomach just as warmth began to spread between her legs. Realizing she might be losing the baby, she clutched Zachary's pant leg with trembling hands. Her voice cracked as she begged, "Zachary, my stomach hurts. I think I'm having a miscarriage. Please… take me to the hospital." He paused before frowning slightly. "You're not even pregnant. How could you possibly be having a miscarriage?" Pain clouded Melanie's vision. "I am. I'm carrying your—" "That's enough!" Clearly, Zachary didn't believe a word she said. "I'll come back for you in three days." And with that, he turned and walked away. A sob escaped Melanie's throat, raw and helpless like a wounded animal. Her fingers dug desperately into the ground, but she still couldn't stop him from leaving. Her trembling hands grasped at empty air. A beat later, they fell limp. She lay motionless in a pool of her own blood. Right before everything faded, a wry smile tugged at her lips. This time, she saw Zachary for who he truly was.