He didn’t even care that he hurt me while pulling me out of bed abruptly. He seems out of control. My hiss of pain had no effect on him. His hold on my wrist was so tight that for a moment, I thought he would break it.
“Let go, Ansell!” I shouted, struggling to free my wrist from his grip, but it seemed impossible.
He continued to pull me along as though I were not a human being but a rubber doll.
When all my attempt to break free proved futile, I planted my feet firmly on the ground, refusing to take another step forward, even if meant he might drag my body along the floor. I didn’t want to go anywhere with him.
He is looking so scary at the moment.
He stopped and looked back at me. My chin quivered, my lips pouted, my eyes were brimming and my cheeks were drenched with tears.
I shook my head from side to side, silently pleading with him not take another step.
My heart raced in my chest, consumed by the fear of what he might do next. I had no idea where he was taking me, what he intended to do, or what he meant by ‘His last wish ‘
All I knew was that he was engulfed in rage, and he seemed determined to reduce someone to ashes. That someone was not only me but also Jonathan, the person I had unweighting put in grave danger.
I regret and curse myself for calling him and putting him in such a dangerous situation. I should have thought about the consequences before doing it. Only if I could rewind the time.
“Please, Ansell” I pleaded, a son escaping my throat.
“You know what, Tereso?” He said with chilling calmness. “From the moment I entered the house, my men have been beating Jonathan relentlessly ”
My eyes widened in horror at his revelation.
“The more time you waste here, the more cruel my men will be not him. Don’t blame me if he couldn’t make it for long”
I sobbed loudly as my heart clenched in my chest. I felt as if all the energy had been drained out of my body. He again yanked me forward and this time. I followed him without any protest. My tears are continuously rolling down my cheeks.
How could I have been so stupid?
We left the house, and just when I thought he would force me into the car and take me somewhere, he walked around the house and led me underground. It was the same place where he had punished me before when I had tried to escape him.
The mere sight of that place sent shivers down my spine, and my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t sure I could endure any more cruelty.
I couldn’t tell if I had passed out again. My head was already spinning with everything happening around me. I wanted fresh air.
As I entered the dungeon, the overwhelming smell of blood welcomed me. The room was dimly lit, much like the last time, but I could still make out the gruesome scene before me. Jonathan was tied to a chair, and Ansell’s men were beating him black and blue, as he had told him earlier. Jonathan was out of energy as blood dropped from his skin and mouth.
“Jonathan!” I shouted, and my body froze to place as I saw an innocent becoming the victim of Ansell’s wrath and that too because of me.
“Nara?” My name came out of his mouth in a very low tone but it was silenced by a punch from Ansell.
I was so lost in taking in his appearance that I didn’t come to know when Ansell walked to him.
“Ansell, no!” I cried out, rushing to Jonathan’s as fast as I could. “Please leave him” I pleaded desperately.
“He liked you, Nara. He deserves to die” Ansell declared coldly, as if it were something normal.
Indeed, taking lives is something normal for him but not for me.
“No! I don’t like her” Jonathan managed to say, his voice weak but resolute.
Ansell laughed upon hearing him, his crackles resonating in the dungeon.
“When I took him here by ordering a helping hand, he was confessing his love for you” Ansell continued, his tone mocking. “The way once he brought you flowers, the way he dreamt of a simple yet beautiful life, the way he wanted to build a small house with you and now a few beating have made him change his words” Ansell laughed again. “This is how much he loves you, Tereso ”
Ansell’s eyes flicked at me as if the wanted to show me a mirror.
“And you said you trusted him” he clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “You are terrible at understanding people”
For the first time, he is sounding right to me. I am terrible at understanding people, the way I couldn’t understand him.
“I would never have denied my feelings for you, even if someone had put me through hell. Yet, look at this pathetic man who can’t even fight for his so-called love”
Jonathan’s eyes were barely open, his face grotesquely swollen, and his body covered in deep purple bruises. The way Ansell had beaten him, anyone would have falsely admitted to a crime they didn’t commit.
At the moment, I was also ready to say anything to save his life.
“Yes, Ansell, he doesn’t like me. You see, he himself is saying that. Doesn’t he?” I tried to stay calm. “Just let him go, please”
“Tsk” he again clicked his tongue, “Not se easily, Tereso. You need to learn a lesson that you cannot go against m and he need to learn that he cannot even think about you.
I trembled as I heard him. He was looking determined about what he had planned for Jonathan and it seems like no one could move him.
“He gifted you flowers, right?” Ansell asked, and I stayed silent. “Don’t you think that he deserves a return gift for that?”
Return gift?
I swallowed hard, feeling like my heart was pounding in my throat, my stomach churning with dread as I wanted to throw up all the content of my stomach. I am sure the return gift that he has mentioned is not going to be normal.
“Bring me the flowers” he ordered his men.
Flower?
My eyes moved around when one of his men brought some flowers.
“Tereso, do you know which flower this is?” He asked me.
With horror clearly visible on my face, I shook my head. I barely had the energy to stand on my own.
“They are monkshood, which can lead to severe poisoning if ingested” he smirked. “And this is what he is getting as a return gift. I would make him eat them”
“No, Ansell!” I shouted, attempting to approach the flowers to destroy them.
But before I could even touch them, Ansell stopped my by holding me in his arms.
“Nara, please save me. I will never cross your path ever again” Jonathan pleaded, desperation in his eyes when he saw the determination in Ansell’s gaze.
Ansell delivered another blow at his mouth while holding me with one arm.
“Do not take her name with your filthy mouth” Ansell spat.
Jonathan yelled pain as his head was forced to another side. I couldn’t this sight.
“Please, Ansell, stop it!” I cried out, but it had no effect on the devil.
“What are you waiting for?” He barked at his man, “Just make him eat those flowers”
My pleas and cries became desperate as I turned around to face Ansell. Crying hysterically, I his my face in his chest, my fist holding his shirt tightly, crushing the cloth under the pressure, while he wrapped his arms around my waist as if I were hugging him.
At the moment, he was my tormentor and also my lone consoler.
“Ansell, please, stop this, please” I shuddered and shouted, my voice trembling. “I have learned my lesson”
My sobs echoed in the room.
“Let him go, please ”
“Will you think about any other male, Tereso?” Ansell asked, his voice vibrating through his chest.
“No! I won’t, please, Ansell. Stop this. Please” I answered immediately.
I could feel my breath escaping me, my head spinning, and my vision becoming blurry as if I were about to have a panic attack.
“Awww, my baby”
He pulled back, his tone shifting to that of soft and consoling but it scared me even more if possible.
“I want to ruin you for every other male, whenever you think about someone else”
I sobbed and hiccuped. 3x.
Eventually, I couldn’t breathe.
Ansell noticed it, so he slowly pushed me back into a chair and asked for water. Within seconds, a man brought a glass of water, which Ansell held close to my lips. I took a few sip, drawing deep breaths when I saw the flowers lying on the ground.
Once I calmed down and could breathe properly, I couldn’t stop myself from looking towards Jonathan, who was already looking at me with sympathy in his eyes despite his own vulnerable situation.
I could see that he understood everything and now he is pitying one me_the thing that I never wanted someone to have on me.
We were apologizing to each other with our eyes when suddenly Ansell grabbed my jaw in a tight grip and forced me to face him.
. “Your thoughts, your eyes, your mouth, your words, everything if for me. You can only stare at me, no one else!” Ansell shouted in my face, his grip on my jaw tightening with every word. “Can’t you understand this simple thing?”
His anger was reaching a dangerous level, and I had to calm him down before he harmed Jonathan.
“I understand Ansell, ” I said, my voice shaking. “Just let him go, please. I will not try anything, I promise”
It wasn’t an empty promise. I didn’t want to hurt anyone because of me anymore. my gaze remained locked on Ansell, pleading for Jonathan’s release.
“I have understood that I have no one else than you, that I can’t escape, that I belong to you” I said every word, looking deep into his eyes, to assure him that I was honest. I will never try anything funny again.
“Right, Tereso. You are mine and just mine”
He kissed my forehead.
“Anyone who would dare to even think about you will lose his life in a very painful way” he declared coldly.
“But… Let Jonathan, please ” I didn’t feel anything as I begged him this time.
He let go of my jaw and stood back. His eyes were moving between me and Jonathan as if he were deciding about his fate. I wasn’t left with enough energy to beg him.
“Charge him with the case of drugs, make sure that his certificates and degrees get nullified”
My heart sank I heard his words. Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks Jonathan’s career and life had been ruined because of me, and I felt utterly helpless. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive myself for this.
“And you, my dear Tereso”
My eyes flickered open when he mentioned me.
“Let me show you how much I possess you”
He leaned down and effortlessly picked me up in his arms, holding me in a bridal style as if weighed nothing.
“Let me make it clear that every breath you take, every beat of your heart, every inch of your body, and every second of your existence is mine and mine alone”
He murmured against my lips before placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
Instead of releasing, I allowed myself to surrender completely to him, acknowledging his control over me.
I have now accepted my fate and the fact that I can’t go against his will.