Chapter 12 Hope Dies in the Dark
1036 Words
Not long after Mrs. Tate left, someone else came into the room.
“Locked up, huh? How's that feel?”
Chloe walked in wearing that hospital-striped gown, still wet from the river, clearly not even out of recovery yet but couldn't wait to see Elena in misery.
“You don't look too bad,” she said, covering her nose in disgust. “Though it smells pretty nasty. But hey, maybe this way you'll stop trying to steal other people's men.”
Elena just stared at her, quiet and calm.
Out of nowhere, Chloe snapped. She stormed over and smacked Elena hard across the face.
“Why aren't you dead yet?!” she screamed, slapping over and over again. “Why are you still alive?!”
“Just die already! Die and take my brother with you, you b***h! He died because of you, but he still helped you—why?!”
“Die! If you're gone, maybe Brandon will finally forget about you and look at me! I'm supposed to be the only woman by his side!”
The echo of her strikes bounced off the walls, sharp in the heavy silence of that dark room.
When she got tired of slapping, she switched to kicking, hammering Elena in the stomach over and over.
“Rot in hell! Who do you think you are, trying to fight me over him?!”
Even the guard nearby couldn't watch anymore and quietly said, “Don't beat her to death… Brandon might have a problem with that.”
But Chloe? She didn't seem to hear anything at all. Her blows stayed vicious, like she wasn't going to stop till her rage burned out.
By the time she finally paused, she was panting hard, barely standing as the guard held her up. Her hair was a mess, skin pale, and her eyes wild like she'd lost her mind.
Then she suddenly let out this eerie, twisted laugh.
“Why can't I kill you? Tonight, I'm here because Brandon told me to come.”
She walked up and grabbed Elena's chin. “Hear that, b***h? Brandon doesn't want you anymore. He sent me here to ruin you. Got it? He. Doesn't. Want. You.”
“He… he told you to come?” Elena's voice cracked, disbelief written all over her face. That one shred of hope she'd clung to—gone.
Right. How could a man who's done all that to her show even a little mercy? A man willing to risk everything to save his fiancée wouldn't have love left for anyone else.
She had just been fooling herself.
“Otherwise, you think I'd get in here so easy?” Chloe clapped her hands. “Bring them in!”
The guard looked stunned for a second, but still turned and left.
A moment later, more than a dozen men walked in—lining up on both sides.
The already tiny room now felt suffocating.
“These guys? Special gift from me. Most of 'em are hobos off the street. Haven't touched a woman in ages. Couldn't afford one even if they tried. But you… you're my present to them.”The homeless men exchanged uncertain glances. They were used to getting their fix from dirty magazines salvaged from trash bins. Now, there was a real woman lying in front of them — beautiful, helpless. Temptation was real.
But... this was r**e. And yeah, they knew that was illegal. If they got caught, it'd be game over. So most just stood there, swallowing hard, nervous to make a move.
“Go!” Chloe barked, voice like a whip c***k. “What are you scared of, huh? She's just a criminal. She's gonna die anyway.”
A tall, lanky guy rubbed his palms together nervously, then stepped out from the group and approached Elena.
Chloe sneered. “That's it. Go on. Whoever puts in the most effort tonight gets a hundred grand from me.”
That did it. The rest followed like a dam breaking. One by one, they closed in.
Four of the skinnier ones took charge of pinning Elena's wrists and ankles. The bigger ones started roughing her up — tearing at her clothes, groping her everywhere without restraint. One shoved a meaty hand down her shirt, another reached lower with no shame.
Elena's eyes were blank, like the light had already gone out. She didn't move. All she could hear was their heavy breathing and disgusting laughter.
“Damn, never had a girl this hot before,” one muttered. “Those cheap hookers on the street don't hold a candle to her.”
“Rich girls are on a whole other level,” another chuckled. “Ain't nothing like what you're used to at home— Ow! You crazy b***h!” he yelled suddenly.
She had bit him.
He swore, grabbed her hair, and shoved her face into his crotch, his voice dripping with filth. “Bite me again, and I'll break your teeth. You know what to do — make me feel good, and maybe I'll go easy on you.”
“What if she bites it clean off?” one of the others joked, snickering. “Then you're done for, man.”
Humiliated and pissed, he yanked her cheeks apart with both hands, spitting curses non-stop. When she clenched her teeth shut, he slapped her — hard.
Elena was sent tumbling across the floor, landing right at Chloe's feet.
Chloe bent down, lips close to Elena's ear. “What's the problem? Got all these guys ready to please you, and you're still not satisfied? Want more? I've got plenty — different ‘flavors' too, take your pick,” she laughed, the sound sharp and cruel.
Elena spat in her face, red-tinged.
“You b***h!” Chloe snapped, slapping her. One of her lackeys rushed in with a tissue to clean her up, but Chloe looked like she was about to throw up.
“Why the hell are you all just standing there? Get to it!”
The men surged forward, clawing at Elena's clothes, yanking every last shred off until she was completely exposed. Their eyes were wild, devouring every inch like starving wolves about to feast.
- Writer
