Revenge Or Love ✔

Chapter 18 Clara

Clara POV.

This is not an ordinary bedroom. It's a shocking expanse of white, with nothing in sight—no tables, no chairs, just a bed and a bathroom. My heart fills with an ominous feeling.

I try to run out, but Arthur pulls me back onto the bed, immobilizing me. The sound of metal closing echoes in my mind as I struggle to catch my breath, turning my head to glare at him. "Let me go!"

"I didn't intend to treat you like this, but you forced me," he says, wiping blood from his chest, then chuckling. "Are you scared now? It's too late."

He puts something in my mouth and silences me, then picks up his phone, dialing Lucas. "Do you still have those needles you mentioned last time? It's alright, no matter how many you have, bring them to me."

Then my memory becomes fuzzy.

I remember someone wiping my arm with alcohol and injecting a pinkish substance into my body.

Lucas seems to have included a box of assorted tools as well.

Arthur tosses the box into a corner, then picks up something from the top—a device that can cover my eyes and fit into my mouth—and places it on my face. "To prevent you from hurting yourself," he says.

Now I can't see anything, and my tongue is restrained.

The footsteps gradually faded, followed by the sound of the door closing. Arthur has left.

Soon, my body feels like it's crawling with bugs, itching and burning. I struggle and roll, only able to hear my own heavy, labored breathing.

When I'm drenched in sweat, I hear more footsteps. Arthur enters, his hands cold as they touch my feverish body lightly. I instinctively move closer to him, hoping he'll touch me again.

Time seems to stretch endlessly.

Arthur always waits until I'm nearly at my breaking point before giving me relief. When I can't help but cry, I hear him sitting across from me, flipping through newspapers or pages of a book, observing my misery with cold eyes.

After what feels like many days, the chains on my hands are unlocked, leaving only the ones around my ankles.

As Arthur enters the room, I shrink to the bed's bottom.

He walks slowly to the bedside, reaching for the chain, the metallic clinks resonating. Then he bends down to look at me, slowly pulling my feet out.

I widen my eyes, looking at Arthur. "No!... I don't wanna..."

He pulls me completely out from under the bed, then holds me close, his hand over my lips. "Shh."

My body tenses, but I obediently stay silent.

"From now on, I don't want to hear a single 'no' from your mouth," Arthur lifts my face, meeting my eyes.

He softens his tone. "Do you want to go out?"

It's been a while since I've spoken, and my voice sounds hoarse even to myself. "Yes..." I say slowly.

Arthur continues, "What do you want to do when you go out?"

I don't answer.

"Do you want to see Giulia? She's been through surgery for so long, and you haven't visited her. Do you want to know how she's doing now, how her recovery is going, if she's started a new life?" Arthur seems remarkably understanding at this moment.

I blink, my brain, which had stopped thinking for so long, almost believing this to be a dream.

So I grasp his hand tightly, raising my voice. "Really? Are you willing to let me go? Let me..."