CHAPTER 39

My nose crinkled when I felt something cold brush against it. I snapped out of my deep thoughts, realizing that we were in Rafael's and my favorite spot. We were sitting on a spread-out mat, eating the snacks he had brought. Rafael was holding a small cup of yogurt, and I figured it was what he had put on my nose. I grabbed a tissue from beside him and wiped it off.

"Daydreaming? What's on your mind?"

I swallowed hard, staring at Rafael in disbelief as he sat in front of me, his brow furrowed. He was wearing a white polo shirt and black shorts. His glasses slid down slightly, and he pushed them back up.

What's going on? Why am I here? The last thing I remember was losing consciousness after feeling something sharp prick my neck. I gasped loudly as the events started to come back to me. I was kidnapped!

"Sarah?" Rafael's gentle voice brought me back to the present, concern evident in his tone as he noticed my anxiety. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

"Raf..." I said softly, my gaze fixed on his kind face.

I knew this wasn't real, just a figment of my imagination. But as I stared at Rafael, who was still looking at me, I couldn't help but wonder—was I dreaming, or was this real?

"Raf," I called his name again.

He smiled at me and removed his glasses. I closed my eyes briefly as the cool night breeze wrapped around me. The air was chilly in our spot because it was already evening. The only light came from the lamp he always brought whenever we came here. The gentle rush of the waterfall and the chirping of crickets surrounded us in this secluded place.

"Yes?" Raf asked tenderly.

I wanted to hug him, to throw myself into his arms and hold him tightly because I couldn't do it when he was alive. I wish I had done so while he was still living so that I wouldn't be burdened with regrets now. But something deep in my chest held me back for reasons I couldn't explain.

I let him move closer to me. He placed his hand on mine, which was resting on my thigh. His face was so close to mine. The black of his ash-grey eyes seemed unnervingly large, almost like cat eyes when they saw their prey, his eyes are dilating—those are Rafael's eyes now. My brows furrowed slightly when I saw my reflection in his eyes.

My chest tightened with anxiety. I was confused. Something felt wrong—terribly wrong. I should've seen Sarah's face in his eyes, but instead, it was the face of Valentina Imara Meadows staring back at me.

Rafael took my hand and brought it to his lips, planting a soft kiss while never breaking eye contact. His tender smile spread across his lips, and I couldn't help but smile back. His grin was infectious as he continued to pepper my hand with light kisses.

"You're beautiful," he whispered softly.

I gasped lightly when he tugged my hand toward him, causing me to fall forward against his broad chest. His cologne enveloped me—it was distinctly masculine yet gentle, a scent that wasn't overpowering but lingered deeply in my senses. He wrapped me in a tight embrace, holding me as if I might disappear.

I should've been the one doing this.

I should've been the one holding him tightly because he had been gone for so long, and perhaps he was only visiting me in my dreams.

Unable to resist any longer, I hugged him tightly in return. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his smooth, fragrant neck, feeling the warmth of my tears soaking his skin.

"You're always beautiful to me, Sarah. Never forget that," he reassured me gently.

I nodded repeatedly, still clinging to him. Whenever I was with Raf, my walls came crumbling down. No matter how strong I tried to appear, every emotional barrier I had built seemed to shatter in his presence.

It was exhausting being with him, but not in a bad way. It was as if he saw through me, understood me without judgment, and made me feel safe in showing my vulnerability.

"I miss you," I sobbed, my voice trembling as I held him close.

"I know... and I miss you too, Sarah," he replied softly.

I felt his hand move to the back of my left ear, where he gently caressed the heart-shaped mark on my skin.

"I'll protect you, Sarah. I promise," he whispered suddenly.

My breath hitched at his words, and my heart swelled with both longing and confusion.

I lifted my gaze to him, tears still evident in my eyes and streaking my cheeks. His expression had turned serious as he gently wiped away the tears that had fallen.

He leaned down to press a soft kiss to my forehead just as a sudden downpour of rain drenched us. My clothes quickly became soaked, and my long hair clung to my skin. At the same time, an odd sensation crept over my body.

I tried to struggle but couldn't move. Breathing became harder, as though the air was slipping away from me.

"Lift her up. She might die before we get any information about Atlas."

A violent cough escaped me as I forced my eyes open. My vision swam, and I saw figures standing in front of me. I glanced downward and realized I was hanging upside down over a large drum filled with ice-cold water. My head throbbed as dizziness overwhelmed me, and water continued to drip from my nose and mouth.

I coughed again, gasping for air as I assessed my situation. My entire body was bound tightly, my hands especially numb from the ropes digging into my skin. Despite the panic rising within me, I told myself to stay calm.

They will find me. Oceanus will look for me. Atlas will come.

Stay calm, Hexia. They know you've been taken. They'll save you. Don't panic.

"She's awake now. Should we start asking questions?"

The room looked like a torture chamber. Rusty equipment was scattered around, and weak, flickering bulbs cast just enough light to see the outlines of cages and other eerie tools. The far end of the room faded into darkness, the light unable to reach the shadowy corners.

The two men in front of me wore black masks that covered their entire faces. They were likely the ones who had kidnapped me from the Sanctuario Seguro's main hall.

Sanctuario Seguro—a safe zone, they said. How could this happen if it was truly safe? How was I abducted in what was supposed to be a secure location under their organization's watch?

"Wait for his signal before we start," one of the men instructed, his tone firm. "He only told us to wake her up. If you want to stay alive, follow his orders. Don't make trouble."

The other man scoffed, clearly annoyed. "Fine. You decide."

I feel like I'm getting drunk from my position. It feels like I'm going to pass out again because I'm hanging upside down. My muscles are trembling from the cold I'm feeling.

"Mrs. Collazo," the man called out to me. His companion nudged him, as if they were taking turns on who would speak next. "Pray that your husband will find you soon because you're the one who's suffering here with us," he said meaningfully.

I glared at him. If I could just show them my middle finger and curse at them.

"Fuck you!" I shouted. "When I get out of here, I'll kill you both! I'll make sure you feel every bit of pain imaginable before I kill you! I'll peel back your skin, layer by layer, and I'm going to salt your wounds!"

The two men laughed and came toward me. I couldn't move away, and one of them slapped my cheek. My face felt numb, and for a moment, everything sounded far away, like I couldn't hear.

I could even taste my own blood on my lips. My lip must have burst from what he did.

My vision seemed to darken for a few seconds before it returned to normal. He slapped me so hard. I could feel the weight of his palm, and it took a long time before it went away.

My body spun while I was still hanging. Their laughter filled the torture chamber again. I clenched my fist when he grabbed my hair. His grip on my hair was so tight that I couldn't help but groan.

"That's the kind of pain we're going to give you, Mrs. Collazo," the man said, laughing. "You can't scare us with your threats because you're in our boss' territory. Don't be too brave, or it might kill you."

He slapped me again one last time before finally returning to their previous position. I was dizzy from my position, my body was spinning. I felt like a piece of meat just hanging there. My face was numb, and it felt hot from the man slapping me.

"Where is she?"

"Boss!"

"Perses!"

My ears perked up when I heard the last thing the man said. I looked at the person who had just entered the torture chamber. My heart raced when I finally saw Perses. He was wearing a black suit and holding a cigarette in his left hand.

When he came closer to me, he smiled. I couldn't see his face clearly because he was leaning over me, but there was only one thing I noticed about him. The white hair on his head. He's fucking old. Despite Perses being old, his posture is still screaming that he is strong.

"It's nice seeing you here, Mrs. Collazo," Perses said to me with a smile.

SHANGPU