Chapter 28
The first rays of dawn filtered through the cracks in the roof, casting a fragmented warmth across
the room.
Daphne spent the long, torturous night in the dilapidated shack, her hands and feet hound tightly. “Only the thought of her family gave her the strength to endure
“Dad, Mom, you must be so worried about me right now…” she murmured to herself, tears glistening
in her eyes.
As she glanced around, her gaze landed on a small, inconspicuous bamboo shard in the corner. A glimmer of hope sparked in her heart.
Carefully, she began to inch her body toward it, every movement accompanied by pain and
discomfort.
Suddenly, the man on the floor stirred slightly, causing Daphne to freeze. She quickly shut her eyes, feigning unconsciousness.
Once she was sure he had left, she resumed her slow, painstaking crawl toward the bamboo shard.
The atmosphere grew tense, each passing second stretching unbearably. Just as she reached out to grasp the shard, the door creaked open, shattering the silence.
“Stop pretending. I know you’re awake,” a cold voice rang out, dashing her hopes.
Daphne opened her eyes to see the man, now unmasked. His clean cut, sharp features were striking. a stark contrast to the cruel impression his actions had given her.
“Want breakfast?” he asked, his eyes still cold as he began roasting fish over an open flame he had just started.
“Who are you? Why did you kidnap me?” Daphne demanded, her voice hoarse with hunger and
fear.
“Do you ever get tired of asking the same thing twice?” the man replied nonchalantly, revealing a wound on his arm that still oozed blood as he worked.
“Your arm… what happened to it?” Daphne blurted out without thinking.
The man paused, momentarily taken aback by her question, before returning to his usual
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omposure.
Daphne herself was surprised at her reaction. She was bound, kidnapped–she should be terrified, not curious. Yet, now that she had seen his face, something about him didn’t scream “villain.”
“Killing someone,” he said flatly.
The response made Daphine recoil in fear, her tears welling up again.
But seeing her horrified expression, the man suddenly grinned, his straight teeth showing in stark contrast to his grimy, rough appearance.
“You’re trying to scare me on purpose!” Daphne retorted, her tears momentarily forgotten as anger sparked in her eyes.
The man, having finished roasting a fish, held it out to her.
Daphne, her hands still bound, bit down on the offered fish but immediately spit it out onto the
ground.
“I don’t want it! Let me go!” she shouted, her eyes blazing with fury.
The man calmly picked up the discarded fish and began eating it himself.
Though Daphne tried to keep up her defiance, her stomach betrayed her, rumbling loudly. Embarrassed, she turned her back to him, refusing to meet his gaze.
The man stood up, grabbing a knife, and approached her.
Seeing the blade in his hand, Daphne panicked, shouting, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have thrown your food! Please don’t kill me!”
To her surprise, he moved behind her and cut the ropes binding her hands.
“There’s another fish on the ground. Eat it if you’re hungry,” he said, his tone indifferent, before stepping out of the shack.
Daphne stared at his retreating figure, her emotions swirling in confusion.
She didn’t know what the man wanted, but she knew she needed to remain calm and alert.
Reluctantly, she picked up the remaining fish and ate in silence, all the while calculating her next
move.
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ith her strength somewhat restored, Daphne turned her focus to freeting her beg. The coarse rope
unde
too thick toute by hand she needed something sharp
She began inching toward the bamboo shard again when the man’s voice called from outside
“Don’t waste your energy. I’m not letting you go.”
