[AFYC] Chapter 26

Seo Ah struggled to breathe, gasping for air. The man’s whispered words crawled into her ear, but even more terrifying was the overwhelming sensation that her mind was slipping away. Everything around her seemed to recede as she fell into a bottomless abyss. She was certain that everything would be lost if she fell into that darkness. 

She should have followed that man when she had the chance. 

Even though she was terrified out of her mind, she should have gone with him. 

If anyone—if anything could get her out of this hell, even if it was the devil himself, she wouldn’t care. 

Just as she was thinking that she’d rather make a deal with the devil, she heard what sounded like a long, deep sigh and caught the scent of cigarette smoke. The man holding her down stopped moving as the smell of smoke filled the air. 

With all the focus she could muster, Seo Ah saw the man turn his head sharply. 

Despite her daze, she followed his gaze, her eyes rolling in their sockets as she struggled to look in the same direction. Her vision shifted from the ceiling to the door. 

The man stood in the shadowy room that she had hoped would be a paradise but had turned into a nightmare. 

Even in her dazed state, Seo Ah recognised him instantly. 

The man who seemed as though he was crafted from darkness itself. 

The cigarette between his lips burned a bright red, the only light in the oppressive darkness. 

Please let this not be a hallucination. 

Please let that red glow be real, she prayed as he spoke, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. 

“Want to keep going?” 

His voice was so low it felt like her heart might stop. 

He seemed so casual as if the violence unfolding in the darkness was nothing of consequence to him. 

“If you want to keep going, I could wait a bit.” 

He spoke as if what was happening was just another trivial matter. 

Seo Ah couldn’t help but cling to him desperately, even though she couldn’t produce any sound. She didn’t even know if her voice was working or not. 

All she could do was plead with her entire being. 

Please help me. 

She could only hope that her desperate plea would reach him. 

Please, don’t leave me here. 

Sometimes, inexplicable events can hinder one’s ability to make sound judgments. 

The man, whose body was burning with excitement at the thought of “educating” Seo Ah, should have taken a moment to consider who this newcomer was and how he had gotten into the room. He should have realised the chill running down his spine was a primal warning signal. 

He should have understood the full weight of the man’s words and recognised that there was no concern for him in them. 

“Sir, you must have the wrong room,” he finally said, trying to keep his voice steady. 

The man’s gaze, which had been locked on the girl until now, slowly lifted. The end of his cigarette glowed red as he took a deep drag and exhaled the smoke, his words escaping. 

“Get out.” 

Something so unnervingly calm about his demeanour sent a shiver down the man’s spine. He couldn’t help but glance around the room, but luckily, it was just him and the man. The guards who had been outside...they must have stepped away for a moment. They should be back any second now. 

“You’ve got the wrong room, sir.” 

"…" 

“If you’re in the wrong room, you should be the one leaving, right, shouldn’t you?” 

He raised his voice, hoping the guards would hear him. 

The man who had been leaning casually against the doorframe suddenly straightened up. Before he could react, the stranger had crossed the room instantly, grabbing him by the back of his head. His neck was yanked back, and he stared into those icy blue eyes. 

“You people never seem to understand plain speech.” 

Oscar chuckled darkly as he dragged the man off the bed, forcing him to his knees by kicking the back of his legs. Before the man could shout, Oscar shoved the cigarette’s lit end into his mouth. 

It all happened so quickly and smoothly, like a well-rehearsed dance. 

“Mmph! Mmmph!” 

The agonising pain of his tongue burning made him want to scream, but the pressure on his jaw was so intense that he couldn’t open his mouth. The strength in his legs, the iron grip on his neck and jaw, was overwhelming. He flailed his free hand desperately, but it was no use. 

He felt like an insect trapped in a spider’s web.