When Selena regained consciousness, she found herself in a completely sealed, pitch–dark room. The moment she tried to move, an unbearable sharp pain shot through her waist.
There was no bandage, disinfectant, or treatment of any kind. She was so weak that even speaking felt impossible.
But Justin wouldn’t let her die so easily.
Someone came regularly to deliver food. If she refused to eat, they forced it down her throat, ensuring she remained alive–just barely.
A week passed.
Just as Selena’s wound began to show signs of healing, someone came in and roughly removed the stitches. The pain was excruciating, and her screams echoed through the basement as fresh blood seeped out.
Justin watched it all unfold from the surveillance room. He held an old photograph of Norah, taken when their love was at its purest.
Norah was smiling radiantly in the photo.
Every time Justin looked at it, it felt like he had stepped back in time to a world where they were happy, even though they had little. They had dreamed of a future together. They cautiously held hands and exchanged stolen kisses, working hard for a better life.
V
And then, she left him without hesitation.
When they met again, everything had changed. The pure, kind, and warm girl he had once loved had become someone else. She was vain, indifferent, and unrecognizable.
Justin’s revenge had been relentless. He wanted her to regret leaving and to see that it had been a mistake.
But deep down, all he had ever wanted was for her to say that she still loved him. He wanted her to explain why she left. If she had given him any reason at all, he would have believed her without question.
But why did she never understand what he wanted when he had made it so obvious? If she had truly stopped loving him, why had she saved him again and again?
Justin’s eyes burned, and silent tears fell, landing on the faces in the photograph. It was as if their past selves were crying together.
Regret clawed at his chest. If only he had let go of his pride. If only he had looked past what had been and focused on what could have been. If only he hadn’t listened to Selena and hurt Norah.
They could have had another chance.
More tears fell. Justin was now sobbing uncontrollably. His shoulders trembled as he pressed his forehead against the photograph.
The days when Justin and Norah were in love now felt like illusions, fragile bubbles, or distant dreams that had slipped beyond reach just like that. Jeremy entered the room, observed Justin in silence for a moment, then spoke, “Mr. Johnson, Ms. Jones‘ injuries are no longer life–threatening.” “Is that so…” Justin lifted his head. Though his eyes remained red, his voice was calm again. “Proceed to the next step. Make sure she stays alive.”
“Yes, Mr. Johnson.”
Shortly after Jeremy left, the surveillance feed showed someone bringing Selena a cup of water.
She quickly drank it to moisten her parched throat, not wasting a single drop. Soon, the drug took effect, and Selena’s body burned with heat.
This was the same method she once used against Norah. That night, Norah would have fallen into the hands of others if Justin hadn’t intervened. But Selena wasn’t so lucky nove,
Justin watched coldly as several men entered the basement.
“No! Stay away! Get out!” Selena screamed, waving her arms frantically to fend them off.
However, she was too weak. They grabbed her, tearing away her last piece of clothing.
Days passed before the men finally left the basement, satisfied.
Selena lay on the floor, her expression hollow. Discarded like a worthless rag, she didn’t have an ounce of pride left. Within a month, she had lost all the radiance she once had and was a few
sizes thinner.
She didn’t even notice Justin when he approached her.
Chapter 17
