The silence was deafening, the only sounds being Jia's labored breathing and the soft murmurs that escaped her. She trembled incessantly, her body overheating and her chest aching. Sweat ran relentlessly over her body, while tears streamed down her face - her eyes nearly shut, the dizziness threatening to overcome her. She was disoriented and disconnected from her surroundings, the world around her feeling unreal. In spite of her confusion and dizziness, she pushed herself to keep running through the desolate road in the dead of night.
In between labored breaths and sobs, Jia muttered, "I have to get away...far away... He killed them... He killed them… With a gun… He took everything..."
Her speed slowed involuntarily, losing control over her own body. Before she could hit the ground, two strong arms grabbed her waist, catching her before she fell. She struggled to break free, wanting to stand upright on her own accord. Despite her efforts, her body felt unresponsive, as if it refused to cooperate.
"Leave me alone...please..." she pleaded weakly, her vision hazy.
"I won't leave you until I completely ruin you," Jae declared, gripping her tightly with one hand while simultaneously extracting a phone from his jeans pocket. "You've committed a grave sin by evading me and forcing me to chase you. You will face your punishment."
With unwavering resolve, he tightly held her in place and swiftly dialed a number on the phone.
While Jia observed him through dazed eyes, appearing almost lifeless. Her exhaustion kept her from speaking or moving, making her look like a corpse caught in Jae's grasp.
"Send a car to a deserted road some distance away from the Seoul mall." He ordered.
Responding promptly, the person on the other end replied, "Understood, boss." With that, Jae ended the call, his attention fully fixed on Jia.
Within sometime, two black cars arrived, slowing to a halt. Immediately, two men exited the vehicle. They bowed respectfully to Jae before handing him a set of car keys. In a swift motion, Jae lifted Jia in his arms in a princess carry, carrying her to the passenger side of the car. Without delay, he settled into the driver's seat.
Jae ignited the engine, signaling his men to leave. They promptly proceeded to the other car, swiftly disappearing from the scene.
Jia observed the unfolding events through half-closed, hazy eyes, tears continuously streaming down her face. As darkness edged her vision, she felt a sense of faintness enveloping her. With a final flicker, her consciousness surrendered, surrendering to the enveloping blackness that consumed her surroundings.
●◇◇◇◇◇◇●
At midnight
Jia's eyes slowly flickered open, her gaze fixing on the ceiling. Dried tear stains streaked her cheeks as she remained motionless for a brief moment before hastily rising from the bed. Confused, she surveyed her unfamiliar surroundings, her eyes finally landing on a masculine figure. With determination, she approached the figure, her eyes widening in aghast as she recognized him.
Jae was seated on the floor, leaning back of head against the edge of bed, his eyes closed. The top three buttons of his black shirt were undone, exposing his broad chest beneath. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing muscular arms. His light brown hair covered his forehead messily, while face was slightly covered in sweat, holding an alcohol bottle in one hand and a pile of crumpled papers in the other. With a sudden movement, he opened his eyes, startling her with his intense gaze.
"Ah, finally regained consciousness, hmm?"
"Why did you bring me here? You murderer!" Her voice filled with anger, she questioned.
"You're not in a position to question me without permission." His cold tone echoed as he replied.
Her irritation flared as her voice rose in frustration, "CEASE WITH YOUR NONSENSE AND ANSWER MY QUERY!"
"YOU DO NOT HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME!"
He shot back, equally as furious, hurling the alcohol bottle onto the floor, causing shattered glass to fly in every direction before standing, towering over her petite form, making her flinch at his sudden raised voice and antic.
Their faces hovered dangerously close, his heated gaze locked with hers as he asserted, "You. Have. No authority to act without my permission." Their proximity accentuated the alcohol-fueled tension.
"Miss, Kang Jia...now you're my slave for life...You no longer possess the freedom to make your own choices." With a deliberate hand, he offered the crumpled papers, watching her reaction keenly. The moment she unfolded them, her legs trembled, her hands shaking uncontrollably, gripping the papers with a death grip.
Incredulous, she gasped, "I refuse to believe this...it can't be true."
"You have no choice but to believe. You willingly signed those papers, under my influence." He firmly declared.
Her denial was evident as she insisted, "I can't recall ever consenting to this..."
A sly smirk graced his face as he responded, "In the car, while you were semi-conscious, you signed them yourself, with your own hand."
"How could you do this? You took advantage of my panic attack...I was not in my right mind. I don't recognize these papers as legitimate at all." With a defiant gesture, she tore the papers into pieces and scattered them in the air, her expression seething with anger.
With a chilling calmness, he declared, "Those were just copies. If you disregard them, you'll lose everything...your mother, your entire property, even your very life. You and your mother are bound by this contract to donate your organs without delay upon your deaths. Should you defy these rules, I'll not only take your life but also end that of your mother." The intensity of his bloodshot eyes was unwavering.
"What rules? I said I refuse to accept this," she seethed, her eyes welling with tears. "This is illegal. You can't force someone into slavery like this."
"Illegal? I enjoy breaking the law, and in this Venom's world, illegal actions become lawful." He replied coolly.
"But that won't stop me from…" Before she could finish her protest, he silenced her, grabbing her cheeks with a forceful grip, his hand digging into her soft cheeks.
He held her gaze, his gaze unwavering as he asserted, "Your opinion doesn't matter. You're my slave now, and you can't deny it." A brief pause followed before he spoke again, his words ringing with finality.
"Princess, you made a great mistake of your life by knowing about me. Now Welcome to the cage of the Mafia King Venom." Releasing her, he walked out of the room, leaving her frozen in place, her mind in disarray as she grappled with the harsh truth. The weight of his words, like a dark prophecy, was slowly sinking in, and the tears streaming down her face reflected her deep turmoil.
"This has to be a nightmare," she whispered through her sobs as she made her way towards the bathroom, but the shattered glass from the alcohol bottle crunched under her feet. She looked down at her feet from which blood started to come out very fast.
But she didn't react to any emotion, her mental distress overshadowed anything else. Heading towards the bathroom, she could feel the blood coming out of her feet leaving stains on the floor by her steps. She stepped into the shower, letting the water mix with her tears as she stood under the streaming water. She hugged herself, letting the sobs wrack her small figure. It felt like hours passed before she finally turned off the water, sitting down on the cold floor of the bathroom. She remained in that position, her eyes red from crying, a mix of sadness and exhaustion visible on her face.
●◇◇◇◇◇◇●
"One hundred sixty seven."
"One hundred sixty eight."
In the hotel room, Leo and Max counted, sitting in a comfy position on the sofa as they watched Jackson's relentless pacing.
"Why is Jae not answering his phone?" Jackson grumbled, his concern growing. "I've called him countless times since last night, but he's ignoring all of them." Holding his phone in both hands, he couldn't seem to stop his incessant pacing, each step echoing his unease.
"Ugh, I've had enough of counting. My eyes are also hurting from watching you pace back and forth nonstop." Max complained, his annoyance apparent.
"Who said you had to count? I was counting, and you decided to copy me. You're a copy monkey!" Leo retorted, rolling his eyes at Max's frustrated expression.
"Shut up, Leo!" Max's voice tinged with irritation. "And for the love of all that's sacred, brother, can you please stop pacing and sit down?" He asked, watching Jackson finally take a seat on the sofa across from them.
"Now, will you kindly tell us why you're making so many calls to Jae?" Max inquired, his expression serious.
Jackson looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "Maybe Jae is with Jia, and last night he was angry at her as well."
"What? What, what, what, what, what, what, what, what aaahh~~~" Leo began to repeat dramatically, annoying the others. Max quickly grabbed a neckroll pillow and swatted Leo on the head, trying to silence him. "Shut your mouth, fool."
Turning to Jackson, Max urged, "And brother, for heaven's sake, stop speaking in riddles. Not all of us are as brilliant as you. So please, say what you mean clearly."
Jackson let out a sigh and began his explanation with a serious tone.
"Last night Jae and I were in the club, then suddenly Jae saw Jia there, then he started running after her in anger and seeing Jae running towards her, Jia started running away from him. After that I don't know where they both disappeared. We can clearly understand that Jae has taken Jia somewhere." Jackson dramatically changed the true story of last night and lied to them, his gestures animated as he narrated the events.
Max burst into laughter, soon joined by Leo. Their unexpected reaction left Jackson perplexed, his storytelling efforts met with unexpected amusement.
"What happened? I'm telling the truth." Jackson protested.
"Oh, absolutely, we trust your every word," Max assured, barely suppressing his laughter.
"Right, cut it out, Max. Focus and sit up straight." Leo directed, the two men attempting to regain composure.
However, they soon erupted into another fit of laughter, unable to contain themselves. Jackson's patience wore thin, his expression bored as he stared at the duo.
"Stop laughing immediately, or I'll knock out your damn teeth." Jackson threatened.
"Brother you can be a great narrator in the whole world." Leo said mockingly.
"Don't lie Leo. Actually brother, the gestures of your hands and facial expressions were very hilarious that we are not able to digest." Max also mocked.
Jackson's anger intensified as he absorbed their words.
"Today both of you are going to get a hard beating from me early in the morning!" Jackson shot back, rising from the sofa, heading towards them. Max and Leo swiftly assumed a ready stance, adopting a karate pose.
But suddenly, the phone rang, interrupting the impending confrontation. Jackson swiftly picked up his phone, checking the caller ID. As soon as he did, he swiftly answered the call and began a conversation.
"Jae, where the hell have you been? Where is Jia? And why weren't you answering your damn phone?" Jackson pressed, his frustration evident. "Do you have any idea how I managed to convince that goat Bella? She threatened to kick me to hell if anything happens to Jia. I had to lie through my teeth, saying Jia went with you willingly."
Hearing this, Max and Leo struggled to suppress their laughter, their lips tightly pressed together.
"We are coming." Jae ended the call with a brief reply, leaving Jackson baffled by his abruptness.
Jackson stared at his phone in disbelief, "I explained so much, and all he says is 'we're coming'..."
Meanwhile, Max and Leo finally gave in to their laughter, their suppressed chuckles bursting out uncontrollably.
Jackson's attention shifted to them, as he asked sarcastically, "Has anybody informed you that you both share the same brain cell, perhaps?" With that, he stormed out of the hotel room, leaving them alone in a state of amusement.
Leo grumbled, "First, with his story about Jae and Jia together, he made me feel like a lovelorn fool, and now he even insulted me, too."
Max quipped, "Oh hello, he insulted me, not you."
Leo rolled his eyes at Max's comment, his expression filled with annoyance.
●◇◇◇◇◇◇●
Jae entered the room, scanning it for a specific individual but finding nothing. His gaze landed on the broken pieces of the alcohol bottle, now stained with dried blood. Spotting the crimson streaks on the floor leading to the bathroom, he advanced with purpose, with a brief push, he found the bathroom door open, prompting him to proceed through it.
Stepping into the bathroom, Jae's gaze fell on Jia's sleeping form on the cold floor. His eyes scanned her body, noticing the glass pierced feet and the blood still slowly oozing from the cuts. Her clothes were soaked completely, and her face was puffy and swollen, a clear indication of excessive crying.
"Why do I always find you in the washroom or coming out of the washroom?" His gaze lingered on her lying form as she stirred awake by his sudden voice, sitting up without meeting his eyes.
Without warning, he scooped her up in a bridal carry, his hands supporting her back and under her knees.
"Don't touch me!" she protested, struggling in vain against his forceful grip.
Jae tightened his hold, asserting his dominion, "I can touch you, I can do anything I please with your body...because this body belongs to me now."
He carried her out of the bathroom, his strength unyielding, and threw her onto the bed, leaving her gasping at the unexpected toss.
"Have you lost your mind? Why did you throw me like tha..." Jia began, her words halting as Jae cut her off, leaning in close to her face, intimidating her, his finger to his lips as he demanded, "Shhh! Don't dare to use those words against me, and don't question me."
Her angry eyes locked onto him. He pressed, "Understood?" She nodded forcefully. "With words Jia,"
"Yes," she responded through clenched teeth.
"Good girl, and stay seated here and don't you dare move without my permission." he commanded.
With that, he left the room, only to return later holding a packet of epsom salt before going towards the bathroom. After a few minutes, he came back with a half a bucket filled with warm water, having mixed the epsom salt into it. He placed these items before Jia next to a small stool, and then proceeded to the cupboard, retrieving a first aid box.
Dropping to his knees before Jia, Jae opened the first aid kit and took out a cotton swab and tweezers. Jia watched diligently, confused.
Jae pointed to the small stool, instructing, "Place your feet on it, but don't put too much weight."
"But what are…" Seeing the stern gaze directed at her, Jia reluctantly complied, gingerly placing her feet on the stool, watching him carefully clean away the blood with cotton.
"Now immerse your feet in the water," he instructed.
Jia obediently did as he said, still baffled.
"Keep your feet submerged for half an hour." He informed, and promptly left the room. Precisely half an hour later, he returned before bringing a towel from the bathroom and sat facing her, catching her off guard.
"Leave your feet partially on the stool," he directed.
Jia carefully followed his instructions, and he tenderly dried her feet with a towel before meticulously removing any lingering glass shards. He applied an ointment, carefully wrapping her feet in bandages. While she was watching him with a jumbled mind as she was feeling a familiar touch.
Suddenly he stood up, going towards the cupboard and retrieving a black skirt and a white top from the cupboard.
"Quickly freshen up and dress." he ordered, tossing the clothes onto the bed.
"Why are you being so kind?" she asked, perplexed. "And why do you have these female clothes?"
"If you don't recover completely, then how will I torture you in my own way?" Jae replied with cold eyes.
"And I told you not to question me. Now stop wasting my time and get ready within fifteen minutes. I'll return to fetch you then." He left the room, leaving her alone with her bewilderment.
After he departed, she gathered her strength and rose to her feet, making her way to the bathroom. She swiftly freshened up before donning the provided clothing. Scanning the room, she contemplated escape options, but the ever-present contract came forcefully to mind, nagging at her like a persistent reminder.
Jia limped out of the room as the room door was open, but she was startled by the eerie surroundings – just a dimly lit, black corridor, culminating in a single door. Hesitantly, she propelled herself forward, each step an effort.
Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Jae. Startled, she toppled to the floor, making a loud thud. Gazing up, she found him staring at her with furious eyes.
Her throat choked with fear as he advanced, his anger palpable.
"What did I tell you...?" he demanded, each step toward her filled with fury. Unconsciously, she dragged herself backward, consumed by fear.
"WHAT DID I TELL YOU??" he bellowed, causing her to recoil as his voice echoed through the eerie corridor.
She managed to reply, her voice trembling, "T-that you would pick me up after fifteen minutes."
She was not easily intimidated, yet the weight of Jae's presence and his role as a mafia boss, coupled with the contractual circumstances at stake, left her uncharacteristically fearful.
"THEN WHY DID YOU COME OUT?" he thundered, fixing his gaze on her after crouching down to her level, taking a firm grip on her jaw.
"I warned you not to defy me, didn't I?" he inquired while she meekly nodded.
Then he stood up, his tone demanding, "Stand up."
Obeying his command, she hastily used the wall for support, rising to her feet.
"Come with me." He turned on his heel and began walking towards the door.
But suddenly he halted and turned back to her. Not giving her a chance to react, he bent down and effortlessly tossed her over his shoulder.
"What on earth do you think you're doing? Put me down this instant! You can't just pick me up like that whenever you please!" she shouted, squirming in his grasp, attempting to break free.
"I think you have amnesia? I strictly forbade you against questioning me, but here you are, disregarding my instructions yet again." The irritation in his voice was palpable.
"I'm not some toy for you to handle at will!" she retorted, still struggling to free herself, only fueling his irritation.
"I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT WITH you. You seem to have forgotten that YOU ARE MY slave...AND STOP MOVING. NOW." With a firm command, he made her stop moving and he finally stepped out of the house, firmly gripping her.
He helped her to her feet outside, his firm grip on her waist supporting her weight.
"Get into the car." He instructed, settling her in the passenger seat before taking the driver's seat.
"Hear this, you are now mine for the rest of your life, and you'll be my slave. So you better know what to say to people. Understand?" She nodded silently.
"Say it." he firmly reminded her.
"Yes," she responded with poker face.
He smirked, satisfied with her compliance. "Good girl!" He declared, starting the car.
••••••
The moment the car arrived at the hotel entrance, the staff and guards immediately bowed respectfully, recognizing Jae's presence. Everyone was visibly taken aback as Jae exited the car and walked to the passenger side, opening the door for Jia. The sight of him doing this for someone was unexpected, garnering surprised looks from all present.
"Get out of the car," Jae calmly instructed, maintaining a serious expression.
Jia carefully exited, supported by the car door. Suddenly, someone screamed out Jae's name before rushing towards him, arms wide open, drawing everyone's attention.
"Jaeeeeeeee! I missed you so much, broo!" Leo exclaimed, launching himself into an affectionate hug with Jae. "Where were you the whole night? I cried every moment thinking about you." He said dramatically.
Jae, exasperated, pushed him away. "Stop your drama."
"Stop saying that, bro. I'm not being dramatic, it's my unwavering affection for you that made me miss you constantly. Can't you see how much I care?" Leo protested even more dramatically, making Jae irritate.
He shifted his gaze to Jia behind Jae, a coquettish smile on his face. "Hey, beautiful, remember me? I'm Leo, but you can call me 'love."
"Yes, I --" Jia began, but Sarah interrupted as she rushed towards her, concern etched on her face.
"Jia! Are you okay? I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, engulfing Jia in a tight hug.
"Yes, I'm fine," Jia replied softly with a weak smile while breaking the hug. Sarah scrutinized her face, as if silently reading her thoughts. After a moment, her expression suddenly changed.
Sarah playfully scolded Jia, "You little b*tch! Why did you leave without telling us last night, huh? If you do this again, i'll make you living dead." She spoke with a subtle irritation.
Jia reassured her, "I won't do it again." While Sarah then embraced her with a wide smile, her anger quelled.
Suddenly Leo's voice drew everyone's attention, and he exclaimed with wide eyes, pointing at Sarah in disbelief, "Am i dreaming? You're Sarah, aren't you?"
"Hey, you rich playboy! I can't believe you're right here!" Sarah's words were filled with disbelief.
Approaching each other in slow motion, they slapped, pulled hair and punched each other passionately, only to shake hands tightly afterward without a hint of anger or pain. Throughout the exchange, Jia and Jae stood speechless, utterly bemused by the bizarre scene unfolding before them.
Sarah feigned tears, saying, "I missed you so much, you idiot."
Leo reciprocated the hug, replying, "I missed you more, dummy."
Despite their playful banter, Sarah delivered a firm punch to his face, causing him to groan. She followed up, "I haven't forgiven you yet. Why did you suddenly disappear without telling me anything?"
Leo rubbed his face, trying to alleviate the pain. "I didn't disappear, you did. I called multiple times, but your phone was off."
Sarah retorted, "My phone was stolen then. And when I got a new one, I attempted to call you numerous times, but you never answered." Her tone hinted at her mild anger.
"What? I didn't recieve your calls? Actually not a single call from you reached me, so there's no need to make excuses." Disbelief evident in his tone.
Switching gears, Sarah remarked, "Forget the past. By the way, you've grown up now, and I didn't expect you would look this handsome." She appraised him from head to toe, admiring his good looks.
Leo bristled, "What do you mean? Didn't I look handsome before? It's only been five years since we last saw each other. How could you forget so quickly that I've always been handsome?"
Sarah retorted, "No, I haven't forgotten that you resembled a monkey back then, and I was mistaken to think otherwise. You still resemble one." Her comment annoyed him, and he rolled his eyes in mild frustration.
"Well now you've become a model huh??"
"Have you seen me?" Sarah leaped enthusiastically, "Wow! Have I really become famous now? That's unbelievable!"
Leo burst her bubble, replying bluntly, "I also found it hard to believe how those people chose you as a model, as if they have vision problems." Sarah stopped jumping and her expression shifted from joyous to infuriated.
"And what about you? Are you still cooking for girls?" she taunted.
Leo, feigning indifference, combed his fingers through his hair. "I'm now a professional chef."
Sarah scoffed, "Right, a professional chef for girls, just like before." Her mockery grated on his nerves.
"I think we're invisible to both of you," Jia remarked, drawing attention to their presence.
Suddenly Sarah, taken aback, approached Jae with curiosity. "Wait...why haven't I seen you before?"
"A perfect body with a perfect face...it seems like God took leisure in crafting every part." She circled Jae, studying him closely with an amused smile. "Are you Jae, by any chance?" she inquired, standing face to face with him.
Leo's baffled expression prompted him to ask, "Do you already know him?"
"No, i'm seeing him for the first time," Sarah replied, not taking her eyes off Jae.
"How do you know his name then?" Leo inquired.
"Jackson mentioned that Jia was with Jae last night," she explained.
"And now how do you know Jackson?"
"I only met him last night. But wait...why are you asking like this? Do you already know these two?" She finally shifted her gaze from Jae to Leo, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, yes, for many years now." Leo responded.
Sarah raised an eyebrow, her expression turning quizzical.
"Actually, both of them are my cousins, and there's so much affection between us that Jae and I have even swapped tight's and worn each other's before." As he spoke, Jae cast an intense stare at Leo, who responded with an awkward smile, conscious of Jae's gaze.
Sarah was surprised, "You have cousins? I always thought you don't have any cousins except your brother Max. Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked with displeased expression.
"You never even asked me. If you had asked, I would have told you too." He nonchalantly shrugged, to which she just shook her head in disbelief.
"By the way, how do you already know Leo?" Jia inquired, her gaze fixed on Sarah.
"We've been friends since high school," Sarah and Leo responded simultaneously.
Puzzled, Jia noted, "I've also been Sarah's friend since high school, this means all three of us attended the same high school, right?"
Sarah confirmed, "Not only us three but Max attended the same high school as well. Do you know Max?"
Jia nodded, "I met Max briefly, but I don't recall seeing either him or Leo during school."
"I have the same question." Leo echoed Jia's question, his gaze fixed on Sarah.
Sarah explained, "Because you all lived in your own worlds. Leo was preoccupied with flirting with girls, while Max spent time correcting Leo's mistakes."
Sarah continued, " And you, Jia, stayed busy...well, honestly, I never really understood your behavior. You would act so strange at times, and then suddenly turn into some kind of superwoman. Even now, you can be so difficult to handle. Sometimes I wonder if you're high on cannabis, that's why you do those weird things."
Sarah's unexpected words provoked a mixture of reactions. Jia became angry, while Leo struggled to restrain his laughter, and Jae maintained a stoic expression while eyeing Jia.
"SHUT UP, SARAH!!" A look of shock registered on Sarah's face as Jia's outburst echoed through the area.
Unbeknownst to the others engrossed in their own actions, Jae's attention went to something else. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixated on a red dot glinting on Leo's forehead. Suddenly, a chilling connection pierced his thoughts. In a swift movement, Jae dashed towards Leo, forcefully pushing him away with himself.
Right that moment, a loud gunshot echoed, followed by the sound of shattering glass, sending waves of panic throughout the hotel vestibule. Jae's sudden intervention pushed both him and Leo to the floor.
Instinctively, Leo gazed at Jae with sheer horror before turning his gaze to the mirror behind them which shattered now because of the bullet that was going to shoot Leo's forehead if Jae hadn't pushed him out at the right moment.
Jae looked up at the direction from where the bullet came and he observed a man hastily attempting to hurriedly cover his face with a mask, only to have it fall to the ground with a clatter.
The moment the man realized Jae had seen him, he swiftly snatched up his oversized gun bag before scrambling away in a panic. Without hesitation, Jae gripped Leo's hand, pulling him up after rising to his feet.
"Take Jia and Sarah inside, now." Jae commanded, not even sparing a glance at Leo.
With determination, Jae started pursue the fleeing figure.
"You've committed a grave misdeed by attempting to shoot my brother. Now you deserve to die a very painful death." he muttered, fixated on vengeance.
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