Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

Slowly, Addie opened her eyes.

She felt utterly exhausted, as though every bit of strength had been drained from her body. Every muscle ached. Carefully, she tried moving her arms. She managed to, but even the slightest movement sent pain coursing through her.

It felt as though she had been beaten black and blue.

All she could do was stare at the ceiling of the unfamiliar room.

Why me?

Tears welled in her eyes once again.

She couldn't understand why she had ended up in such a situation.

Why had her parents chosen her to repay their debt?

Didn't they love her?

How could they hand her over to a man who seemed determined to make her suffer?

The tears flowed endlessly.

Perhaps it would have been better if she had died than live like this... trapped and at the mercy of that man every single day.

She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath.

No.

She had to think.

She needed a plan.

She had to find a way to escape.

Summoning what little strength she had left, she slowly sat up. The pain throughout her body remained, but she forced herself to endure it.

As she looked down, her eyes fell on her wrists.

Dark bruises had formed where the restraints had dug into her skin.

She bit her lip.

Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

She lowered her gaze to her body and saw the faint marks he had left behind.

Who could she ask for help?

Certainly not her parents.

If they had truly cared, they would never have allowed this to happen.

Slowly, she climbed out of bed and walked toward the bathroom.

Inside, she searched for something to wear.

Opening one of the cabinets, she froze.

It was filled with clothes.

Blouses.

Shorts.

Sleepwear.

Even underwear and bras in exactly her size.

"He really planned all of this..."

She picked a simple outfit before stepping beneath the shower.

The cool water washed over her face and body.

Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall, letting the water carry away some of her exhaustion.

After bathing, she felt refreshed.

The pain remained whenever she moved too quickly, but at least she no longer felt sticky and uncomfortable.

She combed her hair but didn't bother fixing her appearance any further.

She simply wasn't in the mood.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside the room.

The moment she entered the hallway, her stomach growled loudly.

She couldn't even remember the last time she'd eaten.

Looking around, she searched for the kitchen.

The hallway stretched ahead of her, lined with elegant paintings and expensive decorations.

At the far end stood a staircase leading downstairs.

As she walked, she paused in front of one of the closed doors.

Curious, she reached for the doorknob.

Before she could touch it—

The door suddenly swung open.

Standing there was the owner of the house.

A man with the face of an angel...

...and the heart of a devil.

She froze.

He simply leaned against the doorframe, crossed his arms, and stared at her with an amused smile.

Before he could say anything...

She turned around and walked away.

She refused to give him the satisfaction.

Quickening her pace, she headed for the staircase.

Just as she reached the bottom step, his voice echoed behind her.

"If you're planning to escape," he said coldly, "don't even try."

She looked up.

He stood at the top of the staircase, one hand resting on the railing.

His expression remained unreadable.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"You'll only end up getting hurt."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned around and disappeared upstairs.

She glared after him.

Who does he think he is?

I'm not afraid of him.

I'll escape this place...

And when I do, I'll make sure he pays for everything he's done.

Downstairs, she found herself in a spacious living room furnished in a sleek, modern style.

She followed the hallway until she reached the kitchen.

The smell of food made her realize just how hungry she was.

Opening the refrigerator, she sighed in relief.

There were several prepared dishes stored inside.

Without hesitation, she reheated one of them.

She found cold rice as well, but she was far too hungry to bother warming it.

She ate quickly, barely noticing the occasional grain of rice falling onto the table.

At one point, she nearly choked and hurriedly grabbed a glass of water.

When she finally finished, she leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

She had eaten far more than she intended.

After cleaning up the kitchen, she decided to explore the house.

If she wanted to escape...

She needed to memorize every corner of the property.

Eventually, she found the front door.

The moment she stepped outside, a cool sea breeze greeted her.

Silently, she walked toward the beach.

Before her stretched an endless ocean.

She slowly surveyed the island.

It was much larger than she had expected.

Off to the right was a small forest, roughly a kilometer away.

She collapsed onto the sand.

How am I supposed to escape?

She couldn't swim.

Judging by the endless stretch of water surrounding the island, the nearest land was likely miles away.

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes as the breeze brushed against her face.

Tears quietly slipped down her cheeks once again.

Is this really going to be my life from now on?

From the terrace, Zake silently watched the woman sitting alone on the beach.

Although her back was turned toward him, he could tell she was crying.

Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly.

This wasn't how he had originally planned everything.

The moment he met her...

His plans had changed.

He couldn't even explain why he had brought her to his private island.

Or why he had chosen to stay there himself despite the mountain of work waiting for him back at his office.

Something about Adrianne compelled him to remain.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Then, without another glance, he turned and walked away.