Chapter 6

Back then, even a single insect bite on my arm was enough to make Selena worry. She would carefully apply ointment to the bite.

I'd tell her it was nothing because I couldn't feel pain anyway. But she'd still fuss over me, blaming me for not taking better care of myself and for not even knowing when I was hurt.

"From now on, I'll protect you!"

Selena would look up at me with a radiant smile. That image of her was something I knew I'd never forget.

Back then, she'd even pout playfully and say she wanted to kill all those nasty bugs for me.

But what about now?

The woman who had once cared for me so tenderly had become this heartless stranger who placed leeches into my wounds.

She was so cold-hearted and cruel that I began to wonder if I'd ever truly known her at all.

How could she calmly place those disgusting, writhing creatures into my wounds without even flinching?

Rage rose in my chest. I could almost taste something metallic in my mouth. I felt as if my heart had shattered into countless pieces.

A trail of blood trickled from the corner of my clenched lip.

Yale watched my suffering with twisted enjoyment.

All the while, the leeches greedily gorged themselves on my blood, their soft bodies swelling noticeably with every passing second.

Suddenly, Yale seemed to think of something amusing.

He said with mock horror, "Oh, Martin. Those leeches are burrowing right into your wounds! What if they crawl straight into your veins? Or make their way into your chest and belly and start devouring your organs from the inside out?"

He paused, then turned to Selena with a wicked grin.

"I've heard leeches hate salt. Selena, why don't you give him a hand and try it out?"

I glared at Yale, my eyes burning with rage. He'd literally suggested pouring salt on my wounds. I couldn't believe he could be this vicious.

Hearing Yale's suggestion, Selena looked down at the leeches writhing across my body. Her fingers trembled as reluctance flickered across her face.

After a long moment, she bit her lip and turned toward the kitchen.

When she returned, she was carrying an entire bag of salt. She tore it open and poured it all over my body.

"I don't want you to die from blood loss," she said coldly. "That would be way too easy on you."

I stared at her in utter disbelief. How could she do this to me?

The salt hit the leeches, sending them into a frenzy. Some burrowed deeper into my open wounds to escape the sting, making the skin around them bulge into hideous bumps. Others were killed by the salt, spitting out mouthfuls of my blood as they writhed.

The sight was horrifying.

And then came the agony. The moment the salt came into contact with my wounds, it felt as if someone had poured sulfuric acid over me. It felt like my flesh and muscles were melting away to the bone.

The pain was beyond anything I could bear.

A hoarse, anguished wail escaped my throat as my body convulsed in weak, futile struggles.

Selena squeezed her eyes shut, her eyelashes trembling slightly. She said mockingly, "Martin, you're still pretending even at a time like this? What does a little pain like this matter to you?"

Hearing those words from the woman I once loved so deeply, I felt something inside me die completely.

I let out a bitter laugh and looked weakly at Selena, saying, "Selena, I really can't hold on much longer…"

She clearly thought I was still putting on an act. Disgust spread across her face.

"Martin, you just can't stop lying, can you?" she sneered.

Right then, the blinding agony reached its breaking point, like a system pushed beyond its limits. A sudden snap rang through my mind, then everything shut down.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe. The strength drained from my body bit by bit until my vision went black.

The last thing I saw was Selena rushing toward me.

"Martin, you…"