Chapter 5

Slowly, Addie opened her eyes. She felt utterly exhausted, as if she had no strength left at all. Her body felt profoundly weak. She tried to move her hands; she managed to do so, but they barely wanted to budge because her entire body was in deep pain. It felt as though she had been beaten by several people, leaving her body feeling completely battered.

She could do nothing but stare at the ceiling of the room she was in, asking herself in her mind:

Why me?

Tears began to pool in her eyes. She couldn't fathom why she was in this situation, or why her parents had chosen to give her away to pay off their debts.

Didn't they love her? How could they hand her over to a man who knew nothing other than how to make her suffer?

Tears flowed relentlessly down her face. She thought it might be better to die than to have him violate her body every single day.

Wiping away her tears, she stared back up at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. She needed to plan her moves carefully. She had to find a way to leave and escape from that man's hands.

Despite her weakened body, she tried to get up. She succeeded, but felt a sharp pain throughout her body.

Once seated, her gaze accidentally drifted to her hands, which bore visible bruises from the rope the man had used to tie her. A wave of self-pity washed over her again. She felt like a helpless child because of what he was doing to her.

A tear fell onto her bare thigh. Looking down, she realized she was still naked, her body clearly showing the marks left by that man. She had no idea who to call or where to seek help—if she asked her parents for assistance, they likely wouldn't help her at all.

She stepped off the bed and slowly walked toward the room's bathroom. Upon entering, she immediately looked for clothes to wear. She spotted a wardrobe, walked over, and opened it.

He really prepared for my abduction.

It was full of clothes—ranging from tops, shorts, and sleepwear to underwear that matched her size perfectly.

She quickly picked an outfit, went over to the shower, and let the water flow over her. She looked up at the falling shower stream, washed her face, then leaned against the wall, allowing the cold water to cascade over her face and entire body.

She felt refreshed after taking a bath, and her mood lightened slightly, though the pain remained whenever she made a wrong move.

After dressing, she combed her hair. She didn't bother doing anything else to groom herself, as she lacked the motivation. She simply combed her hair and left the room.

Stepping outside, she immediately felt a gnawing hunger in her stomach; she wasn't even sure when she had last eaten. She looked around to figure out where to go.

She walked down a long hallway from her room at the end of the corridor, which led to a staircase going down. As she walked, she observed the paintings hanging on the wall, as well as the furniture and decorations along the hallway.

She passed a room and paused in front of it. Just as she was about to open it, she was startled when it suddenly swung open, revealing a man with the face of an angel but the heart of a demon.

She froze in place, unable to move, and simply stared at him. He remained silent, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. A smirking smile appeared on his lips as he stared back at her. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she quickly turned her back and walked away.

She continued down the hallway until she reached the stairs. She hurried down, but as she reached the bottom step, she heard his voice and looked up.

He was standing at the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing, looking at her seriously with an unreadable expression.

"If you're attempting to escape, it's better if you don't even try. You have no idea what else I am capable of—you might just end up getting hurt even more," he said before turning around and walking back upstairs.

She was left standing there, looking up, before she resumed walking.

And who does he think I am? I am not afraid of him. I will make sure I escape from here and put him in prison.

Reaching the bottom, she was greeted by a spacious living room featuring a modern design and full furnishings. She walked toward the right side and found the kitchen. Feeling even hungrier, she immediately opened the refrigerator to see what she could eat. She uttered a quiet thank-you when she found cooked dishes in food containers, which she promptly took out and heated up.

There was also leftover cold rice. In her extreme hunger, she didn't bother reheating it and simply started eating.

She didn't care if food spilled onto the table; she just kept eating. She quickly drank water when she nearly choked.

After finishing her meal, she rubbed her stomach and let out a burp from fullness. She had eaten a great deal.

She decided to inspect the entire house and its exterior to familiarize herself with the layout, making it easier for her to escape later.

She cleaned up her eating area and looked for the exit.

Stepping through the front door, she was greeted by the afternoon sea breeze.

Disheartened, she walked toward the shore and gazed at the seemingly endless ocean. Looking around, she realized how vast the island was. From where she stood, there appeared to be a small forest to her right, which she estimated to be about a kilometer's walk away.

She slumped onto the sand. How could she escape this island? She didn't know how to swim. She looked at the ocean again, certain she would have to swim for kilometers just to reach the nearest island.

She looked up and allowed the wind to brush against her, until she felt tears falling from her eyes once again. How could she escape from this place? Boats and airplanes were surely the only ways to reach it, and besides, she had no idea where in the world this island was located.

Was this truly going to be her life now?

Zake quietly watched the woman slumped on the sand. Even though her back was turned, he knew she was crying because her shoulders were shaking.

This wasn't his original plan, but seeing her had changed its course. He couldn't fully understand why he had confined her on his private island, or why he was staying there despite having so much work waiting at his office.

Something seemed to impel him to stay there with that woman—or better yet, with Adrianne.

A smirk crossed his face at the thought, and then he walked away.