CHAPTER 3

Nadine’s body was lifted from the floor as Justine pushed her toward the bed — rough, merciless. She landed hard on the soft mattress that felt painfully unfamiliar against her back.

She tried to rise, but the man forced her down again. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes filled with tears that wouldn’t stop. Pain, fear, and helplessness merged into one, making her whole body tremble.

“Don’t fight,” Justine’s voice cut sharply near her ear. “You know I despise traitors.”

The world spun around her. Each hit blurred her vision, ringing filled her ears, and the stinging on her cheek burned like fire. Nadine could only cry softly, begging in silence for it all to end.

When it was finally over, she lay still and weak. Her breath quivered, her lips were cracked, and a faint trace of blood touched her chin. Through her blurred sight, she saw Justine standing in front of her — his face dark with anger, eyes cold and unfeeling.

Terror pressed down on her chest so hard she could barely breathe. She knew there was no escape.

“I’ll make you regret it,” his voice came low, deadly calm.

Nadine said nothing — only tears answered. That night became a silent witness to the moment she was completely broken. Her body stiffened, her mind shattered, and only a prayer remained within her heart.

God, please… stop this.

The world around her seemed to freeze. She felt nothing anymore — only an emptiness that pierced deep into her soul.

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When everything was over, Nadine stayed motionless, silent. Her eyes were empty, her face wet with tears she could no longer control. Pain coursed through her body, but the wound inside her heart was far deeper than anything a hand could touch.

“It doesn’t matter if I lost my virginity… as long as I’m still alive,” she whispered, pretending to sound strong. But in truth, she could no longer bear the pain alone.

With trembling hands, she gathered her scattered clothes and dressed quietly, avoiding his gaze. She stepped toward the door. She would leave — quietly. But it wasn’t as easy as she thought. There was a card, a pin, or maybe even an eye scan.

Her knees weakened as realization struck — she couldn’t get out easily.

She glanced at Justine, who was asleep. After everything he had done, exhaustion had clearly overtaken him.

Nadine pressed the keypad, trying numbers she guessed might be his password. But then the door spoke — “Incorrect code.”

Her heart nearly stopped at the sound. Trembling, she tried again. Still wrong. Again. Still the same. Too focused, she didn’t notice that Justine had already woken up and was watching her.

“Hm…”

Nadine froze at the sound of his voice from the bed. Sure enough, Justine’s eyes were on her.

“Sir… may I leave now?” she whispered, barely audible.

Justine didn’t answer. He simply stared at her, then moved his hand slightly — gesturing for her to come closer.

She swallowed hard. Hesitantly, she took a few steps forward until only a meter separated them. Her breath was uneven, her eyes still filled with fear.

Justine studied her face for a long moment, as if trying to read something from it. Seeing her bruised face, he wondered briefly — had he gone too far? Yet even through the swelling, she still looked painfully beautiful.

That gaze made Nadine wish she could disappear. But she knew — resisting would only make things worse.

After a long silence, the man leaned back and exhaled. “Go,” he said flatly.

Nadine bowed deeply, almost unbelieving. Step by step, she moved toward the door, her body trembling. Each movement felt heavier than the last.

“But… this door won’t open, sir.”

“11251890178,” Justine said.

Nadine froze. She had asked for the pin code — why did he give her a phone number?

After speaking the numbers, Justine said nothing more, only watching her confused face.

“Sir, I asked for the door code, not your phone number,” she murmured, her head lowered.

“That is the code,” Justine replied with a faint smirk.

“Can you repeat it, sir?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“11251890178.”

Quickly, Nadine pressed the numbers he said. The door clicked open, and the cold night air rushed in. But that relief could not touch her wounded heart. Without looking back, she walked away — aimless, silent — until she reached the bathroom where she worked.

The place was quiet now. The floor still stained with dark, thick liquid that hadn’t yet been cleaned. With trembling hands, Nadine took a mop and began wiping every corner. The blood on the floor, the shadow in the mirror — it all felt like pieces of herself that had been destroyed.

Her tears fell again. Not because of pain, but because she realized — tonight, something precious had been taken from her. Something that would never return.

And in that silence, only the sound of the mop brushing the floor accompanied her sobs.

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