𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗

𝟒𝟓 | 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐃

꧁꧂

Her plate clattered to the floor.

    Staring at the screen in shock, her pupils shaking, (Y/N) staggered forward and collapsed on the floor. Eun-ji who had been sitting next to her at the time immediately moved downwards to place a hand on her shoulder, watching the TV with the same emotions flickering in her dark eyes.

    "What... is this?" She gasped.

    "For those of you that don't know who I am, my name is Ashton Ramone, son of Takeshi Ramone, former CEO of this company, Majime," Ashton announced, the black suit he was wearing pressed while his hair was slicked back. "Before my father and his wife, Miranda, died, he decided to pass this company on to me when the time was right. Unfortunately, that time has come far too soon. However, with calling this press conference, it is to announce my ascension as the new CEO, and already I am making the legal adjustments for this transition. In further news..."

    Eun-ji shut the TV off.

    Flicking her gaze back to (Y/N), already she could see her friend trembling, tears streaking down her face in mourning.

    My mom...

    Why...?

    How could she have... died?

    "(Y/N)...?" Eun-ji spoke softly, her hand squeezing her friend's shoulder ever so slightly as her lips twisted into a bitter frown, highlighting the devastated expression that tore her apart in such a situation. "I don't know if you want to be alone or not, but no matter, I'm not going to leave your side. Whatever you need, I'll help you."

    "Why?" She mumbled softly, her hands falling limply at her side.

    "Because," Eun-ji hugged the girl tightly, tears of her own already beginning to brim in her dark eyes. "You are my friend. And if you are my friend, I would gladly walk through fire with you."

    "That's kind of dramatic," (Y/N) muttered through her tears, now hugging Eun-ji back just as fiercely.

But it had worked.

Despite feeling as if something had torn through her heart and ripped it to shreds, Eun-ji's words had reached her. Knowing that she still had someone by her side was a greater comfort to (Y/N) than anyone could imagine, especially since the two figures who helped her the most—Takeshi and Miranda—were now completely gone from her life. Even now, she gazed down at the bracelet that Takeshi had gifted her not even two weeks ago, the silver chain glittering in the overhead light.

She wished she had been able to speak with him more and spend time with him—to really get to know him.

But it was too late, now.

And that guilt tore through her nonetheless.

Deciding to head to bed early, all energy drained from her, (Y/N) bid Eun-ji a good night before slowly walking up the stairs towards the other's room. Promptly collapsing onto the little bed that she had scrapped together on the floor next to Eun-ji's bed, she curled up into a tight hall and passed out.

She wanted to erase her pain so badly.

So all she could do was sleep and hope that her dreamless nights would ease such a wound.

Unfortunately, it didn't last.

Gasping awake to the sound of something crashing, (Y/N) sat up and promptly shook away any type of drowsiness that she felt, her senses on high alert as she let her eyes adjust to the darkness around her. Cautiously slipping out of her bed, she picked up her phone and squinted when the glaring screen invaded her sight. Lowering the brightness, she then took in the time: 2 A.M.

Glancing to her right, she saw no sign of Eun-ji in her bed, instead the sheets in a disarray.

Chills upon chills wracked (Y/N)'s body.

Something's wrong.

Praying to whoever was listening that Eun-ji was alright, however knowing that she couldn't risk anything by opening the door and leaving the room, (Y/N) instead pulled back the curtains to the window ever so slightly and peered outside. Two cars other than Eun-ji's was parked outside, her parents still gone for various reasons that the other girl didn't quite know of.

A cold bead of sweat dripped down her neck.

They're here.

Luckily, though, no one was outside.

Prying open the window and kicking out the mesh screening, (Y/N) gripped the ledge tightly as she stared down at the ground, calculating what she would have to do to make sure she wouldn't be injured if she had to jump. After making sure that there was no window below Eun-ji's room, she used the trellis to very slowly crouch down before hanging by her arms. And with that, she let go, landing with a small thump on the ground.

Narrowing her eyes and dusting herself off, she then rounded the house to look through a window to try and see if she could spot Eun-ji.

Finally, she found one.

Letting her arms fall limply to her side, (Y/N) watched with horror as Cassius, his expression a mask of stone, slid a knife through Eun-ji's throat. Blood splattered along the walls as she fell, her once vibrant eyes now dull when she hit the ground. The rest of her stepbrothers stood around the body, nothing other than satisfaction etched onto their faces. They absolutely held no remorse for the one who had withheld the object of their desire.

Not one bit.

No...

No, no, no!

Quickly fumbling for her phone, (Y/N)—in the midst of her tears—pulled out her phone and snapped picture after picture of the scene in front of her. With that proof, she could make sure that they would never see the light of day again.

She turned to run.

She was only met with a shadowy figure.

Instantly, Kai cracked his hands down on her head and she hit the ground hard, nothing but ecstasy flickering within his eyes when he gently picked the girl up—cradling her in his arms, even, whilst pushing back a lock of her (H/C) hair. He had noticed her shadow in the window from the corner of his eye, and moved quickly to strike.

He couldn't allow her to leave him again.

    She's mine.

꧁꧂