CHAPTER 1

"Catch her!" Don't let her escape. " A loud voice roared from behind me. My legs wanted to give up, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop running right now.

I was panting and gasping for air as I sprinted across the dimly illuminated alleyway. I came to a sudden halt when I saw Yoshim's men approach me.

My heart skipped a beat, I looked back and saw the men chasing me growing closer.

"Oh fuck, I'm doomed." I cursed under my breath. I'm trapped.

I felt a heavy knock on my head and fell hard to the floor. I tried blinking to see clearly, but I was smacked in the stomach and then in the head again.

I blacked out after hearing a loud ringing in my ear. I awoke as I felt the extremely cold water on my skin. I blinked quickly and looked around, finding a familiar location.

This might be my last day on Earth. I discovered my wrists were bound behind me, and I was chained to a chair. My skull stung from the hits I'd endured earlier.

I could taste blood in my mouth. The men who brought me here stood quietly, their arms behind them.

My eyes burned and my tears kept on flowing. This is all my fault, I should've left him before it got this bad.

I closed my eyes and took in deep breaths, awaiting my death.

When I smelled smoke, I looked up right away. "He's here," I murmured to myself. I heard a tiny footfall that came closer and closer until I saw his shadow in front of me.

I couldn't glance up as I trembled in horror. I felt his hand on my cheek. He rubbed my chin and raised my head. "You look a mess, honey." He uttered it with no emotion.

Tears clung to my eyelids, threatening to fall. I gazed at him with contempt and rage. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I don't like the look in your eyes, honey. Who hit her?" He enquired, and one of the men spoke out.

He got closer and knocked him to the ground. He slumped beside me, and I looked at him with terror in my eyes.

"I told you to bring her here unharmed, you moron." The man suddenly dropped to his knees and apologised. He despised having his belongings touched.

"Yo…Yoshim, ple….please let me go." I stuttered with fear. He fixed his focus on me and walked gently towards me.

He struck me on the face several times before grabbing my hair and yanking me to stare at him.

"You've become brazen, right? "You even attempted to flee." He gave a sarcastic laugh.

“No matter where you fucking go, Hillary, I'll find you and do more than this to you; don't try to flee from me, you little whore."

He said that with an angry expression on his face.

My tears began to fall, not only from his harsh remarks but also from the severe agony I was experiencing as a result of the way he gripped my hair.

He eventually let go and directed his men to untie me. When they finally freed me, I fell flat on the floor. My body was weak; I attempted to rise, but my knees buckled and I fell again.

"You look so pathetic, why did you try to run in the first place?" I quickly looked up when I heard that familiar soft voice.

“Gail? How did you get here?” I asked in a perplexed tone. “Yoshim brought me here.” She said while twirling her hair around her index finger.

“Gail, leave this place immediately. You don't know Yoshim, he's dangerous.” I warned her. “Oh, please spare me this crap, Hillary, Yoshim loves m,e, and he wants to be with me.

You're just jealous 'cause he doesn't love you anymore.”

“Are you crazy? Gail, you're just a kid, and you have no idea how dangerous he is. Don't be stupid like me; he doesn't love you, and he never will!”

“You're in no position to tell me who to love and who to not love. Fix…,” “I'm your fucking sister, Gail; no one wants you to be safe more than me.” I cut her off.

“Yoshim loves me; he said he'll marry me, and you can't do anything about it. Stop being delusional. Your time has expired.”

“Gail, please.” “He said he loves me! Shut up,” she said in an annoyed tone.

“When did he say that?” She folded her arms on her chest and looked at me. “He said it when he was making love to me.”

“Gail! What the fuck you allowed this monster to sleep with you?” “It's not like you didn't do the same.” She clapped back.

“Listen to me…”

“I'm done listening.” She cut me off and walked away getting closer to where Yoshim was standing. I saw Yoshim kissing her passionately as he roamed his hands around her body.

My blood boiled inside me. “Get your fucking hands off her your cunt!” I yelled like never before. They broke the kiss and I saw Gail roll her eyes at me.

Yoshim came at me, landing a blow to my gut. "You don't fucking talk to me like that little whore!" I put my hand to my stomach and cried in anguish.

He walked away, leaving me in severe discomfort. I felt a warm liquid roll down my thighs. I looked down and noticed blood all over my skirt.

I screamed. I continued to scream until one of the guys approached and carried me. I awoke in a hospital bed with a doctor next to me.

I gazed at him, and he looked at me pitifully. "You just had a miscarriage, Hillary; I'm sorry." I stared at him with a puzzled expression. He took his phone out and left shortly.

I didn't know how to react to the news. I wasn't even aware I was pregnant. I looked down at my tummy and held it. I cried until I felt empty.

If I knew I was pregnant, I wouldn't have let myself be caught; I would've protected my child. I kept on crying while clutching my tummy.

Yoshim had everyone under him. He even had police officers under his payroll. He's been torturing me since I was twenty years old. I attempted to flee once but was apprehended by the police and returned to him.

That's when I understood that the Yoshim I'd fallen in love with was long gone. He abused me physically and sexually any chance he got.

"Do you want to escape?" A strong voice asked. I turned my head to face him. It was one of Yoshim's men. "What?"

"I can help you escape.”