Chapter 3

"I can't believe you just sold me."

"I didn't!"

"Yes, you did! You don't love me!"

"Well, I really don't! But that's not the issue here. The point is, what I did was for your own good!"

I gasped and darted him a death glare, not minding the fact we're currently pacing one of the hospital's hallways. I was even about to shower him with my sentiments but he immediately interrupted it by pointing his fingers at my lips.

"Chill okay, you just have to write a book for him. That's it. I even made a thirty-page rulebook for the contract and it includes your human rights so don't worry. You'll still come home to us afterwards," he said, trying to calm me down, but it only made me scoff even more.

Gah! Why am I even related to this guy?

After saying goodbye to Papu and packing a few things, I silently waited outside the house for whoever was supposedly going to pick me up. That's what that animal, Mister Serenade, supposedly said. He even gave me a one-day grace period so I could still enjoy my freedom.

Like why the hellcrap did I end up this way? I know I'm not a good person and I deserve every misfortune that life has to offer, but what the flying fuck? Seriously? A cunning supernatural creature with a horned skull for a mask? Bruh, if the universe wanted to punish me, they should have sent a sexy vampire instead.

A sigh made its way to my mouth. I couldn't even do anything but stare at the empty street, as the flickering lights from the nearest lamppost became my only ally. With the breeze of the October night lingering through my nose and the howls of the dogs from our neighborhood, I successfully distracted myself from this mad woman beside me. She was in her all-black attire with heavy goth makeup again. And hell, she's been smiling ear to ear since she barged right into our house.

"Rogue, can you at least stop scaring the dogs," I blurted out. But well, it just made her laugh harder.

What a supportive childhood friend. And oh, note to sarcasm.

So basically, this is what I get when my cousin said he's busy at the hospital so he'll let his buddy accompany me for my departure. I ended up rolling my eyes and played with my backpack's straps instead, but that's just when Rogue playfully pulled me into a hug.

"There, so grumpy. I'm just happy because finally, there's a brave man who faced Briar to ask for your hand."

I scoffed. "I'm just going to be that bastard's ghostwriter. Stop making it sound as if I'm gonna marry him or something. That's so gross."

She pulled away from the embrace and plastered a sinister smile on her pale face again.

"Who knows? Maybe that creature was really the one you'll end up with? Look, he's taking you, he even has someone to take you and pick you up, and he pays. Those are signs. It's like you're just practicing to be his wife and then he'll really take you to his world—" Before she finished her horrible litany, I immediately shoved my palm towards her mouth!

"Shut up! I love you but I hate your words! I mean, you're really shipping me with a non-human species? And the worst part, you're seriously talking about marriage?"

Rogue shrugged her shoulders. "Well, you started the marriage thingy, but what if you're really going to start a family with hi—"

"Biatch, I have a dream, and it doesn't include being a wife nor being a mother. So cut the crap," I said with gritting teeth. I even turned my back on her afterwards, but the idiot just kept coaxing me.

Where the hell is the driver who's supposed to pick me up? You'd think they were driving a hearse because it's taking so long! I'll probably grow mold waiting here with this Rogue who wants to see my mythical creature Boss in person.

And speaking of that thing, I sighed again and faced her.

"Why are you two practically pushing me towards that man? I've said so many times that he's not human and he just manipulated everything, but you and Briar seem happy to give me to him. Bruh, aren't you even worried about me?" I sighed.

"Nope," she just said with a smile, which made me glare at her.

"You're like a sly demon so Briar and I will always know that you can handle shits. Besides, we're more worried about that poor guy's well being, because first, you'll seduce him but in the end you'll just might end up killing him, steal his fortune and make it look like an accident."

She chuckled. "Good thing he's not a human so he'd probably had enough powers to counter attack your wicked ways."

I raised one of my brows and gave her a horrified stare.

"That's disrespectful. What you said was just a trope for my horror stories! It's not like I'm gonna do that in real life. And bruh, never." I crossed my arms and that's just when a headlight from an approaching car somehow illuminated our direction.

Oh, finally! My driver!

As fast as lightning, I picked up my baggage, and it became easier when the young driver greeted and helped me with the crap. But before I entered the passenger seat, I once again gave Rogue a serious look.

Dude, don't get the wrong idea. I don't need men to become rich because I can be successful on my own. Probably not today, but it will happen soon! And what's happening right now isn't a desperate measure of mine because you see, that guy was the one who was chasing me.

And I'm not even seducing him. Well, not yet.

---

***

"Uhm, I-I'm sorry I took so long. I got lost. H-hehe," said that young driver who introduced himself earlier as Leaflet. I nodded and didn't mind the slight trembling of his hand.

"No problem, I like midnight drives in the middle of the forest, especially hearing the howls that aren't from our dog's neighborhood anymore," I said with a sweet smile, causing him to gulp harder and intensely focus his face in front.

"Is that sarcasm?" he even asked, but I just shook my head even though it was true. Lol.

But to think of it, Leaflet seems too young to be a full time servant. I mean, he just looked like a college student like me, but he said he's been working for that Harana guy for ten years already.

My forehead creased. "How old are you, Leaflet?" I asked seriously, causing him to startle slightly.

"H-ha? T-tw-twenty!" he blurted out, but I just nodded and focused my attention on the huge trees outside.

"Did he manipulate your situations too, so that you ended up being his servant?"

I wanted to ask, but if he's been working for that man for a long time, there's a possibility that his loyalty lies with him. I couldn't just ask questions carelessly.

"N-no ma'am, Master Serenade's butler found me in the gutter. And he was the one who really asked Master for a favor to help me and take me in as a servant."

Oh, what a good butler. I nodded again, but it immediately stopped when I realized what happened. In an instant, the chills made their way into my spine as I slowly turned my head towards his direction once again.

Did he just read my mind? And for the freaking fuck, what was found in the gutter?

I was about to open my mouth but he was too quick to respond.

"I was literally found and on the verge of death. If Butler Damon hadn't helped me, I might have been hanged by the Executioner back then."

"Executioner?"

---

I woke up because of the repeated calling of a familiar voice for my name, and when I opened my eyes, I only saw Leaflet and his innocent face.

"Miss Naenia, we've arrived at the house," he said seriously and opened the door for me.

I frowned as I got out and tried to remember why and when I fell asleep, but those things seemed to have just been blown away by the mist when I caught sight of the house he was referring to.

I even felt like my jaw had dropped, as the unexplainable heaviness crawled into my chest upon seeing the whole place. The gates were so huge and had a familiar emblem of a white horned skull. Wait, this is like the mask that the Harana Guy was wearing. Aside from that, the top of the four gigantic pillars were sculpted into bulls' skulls with crosses on the forehead, while the pillar itself became its body that was also sculpted into a tall man's features.

And there it was, the dark mansion just stood inside with pride and intense aura and it's just weird because the very existence of the place made my muscles weak. It also seems like the air became thinner, resulting in me pounding my heart and desperately gasping for air. Right at that moment, I knew my strength was slowly fading but my feet still continued to take another step because something inside me feels like the place is calling me. As if my soul was being dragged inside, even if it means leaving my body.

"M-miss Naenia, what's happening to you?"

The clicking of bats from every tree nearby, the fact that it's now the crack of dawn and the waning crescent moon started to rise. Everything was too murky and hypnotizing. I even felt dizzy. My knees wanted to disown me and it doesn't help that I literally tripped into something. From then, everything went in slow motion as I was waiting for me to kiss the ground.

"Hey, stop being a baby."

My eyes widened when instead of falling right into the grass, I fell into Mister Serenade's arms instead. So basically he caught me, and who knows when and where he appeared this suddenly.

"That's not the Naenia who slapped me with a hardbound dictionary the other 3 AM." He chuckled but I couldn't even move my fingers anymore. I'm literally a dead plant and he's carrying me like a fucking bride!

Damn this shit. I'm helpless and I hate this.

"I-I'm still going to write you a book, right?" Great. Of all the things that my trembling lips could ask, I really chose those phrases, huh?

Curse Rogue for also scaring me earlier!

"Of course you will. Specifically it's going to be a gore novel too. You just have to write everything that I told you to, as detailed as possible and we're good. But anyway, that can wait so get some rest first, it seems like you're really tired."

"Well, that's because your house is draining me!" I wanted to say but I was too hoarse to even utter a single word. He then paced the way towards the main door while Leaflet was carrying my baggage.

It took a few seconds before the door was opened and that's when a sophisticated guy bowed and greeted us. Probably the butler. But to hell be with that, I was too worn out to even comprehend shits and just ended up passing out again.

"Welcome, Haranias."

Third Person's POV

"Son of a bitch! Why do you keep hitting me!" the policeman who was about to sip his coffee hissed.

His coworker held both of his arms and widened his eyes at him. "They said one of the patients in the mental ward is acting up again."

"So what now? Pal, we're police, not nurses. Let them be—" Before the man could finish what he was saying, his friend hit him again with a rolled-up newspaper.

"I'm referring to one of the Verdugo's victims. He tried to kill himself again because he said he's coming back. The Verdugo will come back and take us one by one."

"Wow, that's really some bullshit news."