After hearing him out, Kristen could only laugh.
So this is what love and lovelessness look like—plain as day.
Veins stood out on Finn's forehead. He tried to tighten his grip but couldn't bring himself to, then flung her away with a sharp breath.
"Fine. Three days, right? Then I'll starve you for three days first." He ground the words out. "If you live long enough to cancel that email, good. If you die, I'll still drag you down and ruin you like Grace would be ruined."
He slammed the door and left.
The force of it made her already-weak body spin. Her head swam, and she lay on the thin mattress a long time before she steadied.
Starve for three days.
Kristen lowered her head and smiled. He underestimated her.
She'd once been starved for a full seven days and never bowed. Three days was nothing.
With Finn gone, the basement fell quiet again, nothing but the sound of her breathing.
Leaning against the cold concrete wall, exhaustion dragged at her. She closed her eyes and dozed.
—Snap.
The sudden sound jolted her awake. She opened her eyes to total darkness—she couldn't see a thing.
Power outage?
Or had Finn cut the electricity on purpose to force her hand? He really would stoop to anything.
Kristen's lips curved in a cold smile.
Then, in the dark, a faint hissing sound. Her skin crawled. She hugged herself without thinking. "What is that?" she asked the air.
Only her own echo answered in the empty basement.
The sound drew closer. Kristen curled tighter on instinct. Before she could react, something cold and slick crawled over her foot.
"Ah—"
She jerked her leg and swatted at it.
"Ah!"
Pain lanced her wrist. Then her foot. Then even her chest burned.
Snakes.
She didn't know how many sank their teeth into her, again and again, like they wanted to tear her apart.
At last Kristen broke, sobbing. "Finn, let me out… Finn, help me… get me out… I want to get out."
Ignoring the pain, she staggered up and, stumbling in the dark, felt her way to the door and pounded with all her strength. "Let me out… Finn, open the door…"
Silence outside. Of course he wouldn't come. He was the one who locked her in—wasn't he?
Maybe he'd even released the snakes.
"I'll delete—I'll delete the records. Just let me out!"
It hurt.
She had no idea how many times she'd been bitten. Her whole body throbbed.
But no matter how she begged, no one opened the door.
No one came.
Maybe it was the pain, or maybe the venom—her legs wouldn't hold her. She slid down against the door to the floor. In the darkness, the hissing rose again.
Closer.
Closer, and closer.
She shut her eyes in despair. Tears slipped soundlessly from the corners.
—Bang.
A sudden, explosive crash. Then a beam of searing light knifed through the dark, forcing Kristen's eyes to a squint.
Hurried footsteps, and a familiar voice: "Mr. Jin, Miss Liang is here."
Jason.
Kristen forced her eyes open, trying to focus.
Through the dimness, Jason strode toward her, features carved and unreadable, but a thin line of worry shadowing his eyes.
Was he worried about her?
She must be hallucinating from venom. Jason had left on a trip—she'd packed his luggage herself. How could he be here?
How could he possibly be worried about her?
"Sir, careful—snakes…" Old He's warning came too late.
Jason bent, reaching to lift Kristen, and the snake coiled like a mosquito coil around her forearm struck straight at him.
( End of Chapter )