Catherine's POV
I slowly moved my body, shivering as the cold sensation spread through my skin. It sent a sharp jolt through my entire body.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, but all I saw was darkness. The whole place was dim except for a faint, shabby light in the distance, barely illuminating the surroundings.
I felt like I was lying on something moist, my body drenched in its coldness. My clothes felt like ice. Slowly, I lifted myself up, sitting upright.
The throbbing sensation in my head caused me to wince in pain. My hands pressed against my head in a reeling moment.
Once it subsided a little, my eyes slowly scanned the environment around me, and then it dawned on me; I was in the middle of a large, narrow room that had no visible end in sight, except for the bare wall my back was pressed against.
Fear instantly gripped my entire body. I tried to figure out what I was doing in a place like this.
"The call…the hefty men…"everything came rushing back into my mind.
I gasped.
Frightened, I scanned around yet again, this time in desperation. When I couldn't make out anything more amidst the partial darkness, I tried standing upright, but then something huge clamped around my legs, hindering me further.
My gaze shifted toward the spot. Panic hit me like a wave.
A huge iron cast wrapped around my legs. That was when I felt the painful sensation pulling at the spot.
"Ahh," I groaned aloud.
Just then, I could hear footsteps approaching. My heart skipped.
My body trembled slightly.
Soon, my eyes landed on the huge figure walking toward me. Each step he took felt like a thousand beats in my heart.
My body slightly lost its strength from its effect, amidst the cold chill that ran through my spine.
He kept approaching until he was standing right in front of me. I swallowed hard.
I remembered that figure, one of the men who had apprehended me on that street.
Silence filled the room instantly. The only sound heard was my own shaky breathing, which grew louder with each second I sat in his suffocating presence.
I felt small under his watchful gaze.
He let out a low, eerie chuckle that sent chills through me.
I kept my head down, unsure what to say or do.
"I don't even know what punishment to give you yet," his rough voice broke the silence, making me startle.
Punishment?
The word echoed in my mind, making my head throb even harder.
He crouched down, lifted my chin slightly, then let it drop before standing up again. He paced back and forth, then stopped.
"I'll make it slow… but fast," he muttered.
I gasped, now breathing heavily.
My gaze shifted to the object in his hands. A whip.
My body froze instantly.
"Please, don't hurt me," I begged, my voice shaky from the pain in my head. My hands clutched together in desperate pleeds.
"Why wouldn't I?" He smirked devilishly, raising the whip in his arms. My heart sank, but I gasped slightly as the whip landed on his shoulder.
"I will pay you whatever you want. Please don't hurt me," I begged.
A more sinister laugh escaped his lips as he held his arm up high for a while.
I remained numb in my mind because, at that point, I knew I was in trouble.
Tears streamed down my eyes, but they stopped abruptly as his voice surged yet again.
"I know who you are. I know everything about you. And what makes you think I want your money?" he asked sarcastically. I couldn't comprehend the depth of his words, but I had to speak.
"Then name your price, and my parents will pay you off. Please don't hurt me," My voice cracked as I sobbed, my eyes locked on his cold, merciless stare.
He didn't answer. Instead, I felt a sharp, burning pain sear across my skin, slamming me back against the wall.
"Please!" I cried out, but another hit came. Then another. And another.
"Please…" I choked out, my body growing weaker with each lash.
My vision blurred. My head throbbed.
"I hate it when the rich think money is everything," the man scoffed, holding onto the whip, which I sensed was wrapped around his arm.
"I will teach you the lesson of the rich," he snapped, letting the whip lash against my skin, sending me to the floor.
I wanted to plead, but I couldn't. Words failed me. The pain sear through my body. My hands wrapped around my chest in agony.
I slowly let go of my arms on my chest. Memories flooded back. Mom's words and warnings. The call…My phone...
The man stopped once he was satisfied. I lay still on the floor, my body numb, my breath slowly hitching.
I could feel his eyes running over my body, but I couldn't move or utter a single word.
Moments later, I felt his arms around my waist.
I tried to stop him, tried to speak, but words failed me again. Only my eyes were partially open, my bleeding heart shredding yet more.
Bottled up in pain and grief.
"You will feel it hard and beg for mercy," I heard his voice faintly yet again.
"Pl…" I couldn't form a proper word in my broken state. I felt his arms trailing along the bare skin of my arms, then up to my neck.
Slowly, he started unbuttoning my shirt.
I could feel everything, but I couldn't shake. I couldn't move.
Memories that weren't mine started flooding my subconsciousness again.
A ship. The waters welling in sight. My arms clutched onto the rails of the ship…
"You better cooperate," his voice snapped me out of my memory lane.
I could feel his hands dragging my shirt off my body, followed by his hot breath against my neck and then slowly toward my chest.
"You still smell good," he whispered into my ear, slowly moving his lips towards my chest.
Then, suddenly..
A noise.
Distant voices.
A loud clattering sound rang out.
He moved away from me, hurriedly fixing his belt, stepping toward the far side of the room.
I lay still, my instincts screaming that something was about to happen.
A storm raged in my heart. I wanted to fight, but my body was too weak.
I could only watch, helpless, knowing this could be the end.
He would come back for me. He would take what he wanted.
I couldn't fight. I couldn't move.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Getting closer.
Faster.
I couldn't see who it was. But they were coming.
My heart skipped even more as the footsteps sped toward me…