อสูรเริงไฟ(หัวใจศิลา)

ANN

Running in those heels was a very bad mistake. The thin soles kept slipping against the rough ground, and the sharp pain shooting up my legs made it harder to move fast enough.

They were catching up. I could hear them clearly now.

I won’t go back to that house, nor will I get married to Judge’s brother.

Even in his death, Judge, my late husband, still wanted to possess me like an object, just like he had done for fourteen years of my life. He didn’t see me as a person then, and clearly, nothing had changed now.

He willed me to his brother as if I were something that could be passed down.

I saw a young man open the back door of a car ahead, and without thinking, I rushed forward. Before he could even react, I slipped in after him and slammed the door shut, locking it immediately.

“Drive,” I said quickly, my voice unsteady. “They are coming.”

“Excuse me, who are you? What are you doing in my car? Are you a crazy fan?” he said, his tone sharp with confusion.

I didn’t even turn fully to look at him.

There was no time.

I could already see the men sent after me getting closer, their figures becoming clearer with every second.

“I don’t have time to explain,” I said, my voice rising despite myself. “Please, sir. You have to save me. Some bad boys are after my life. Just drive.”

Sweat gathered at my temple, sliding down slowly. My hands were trembling, gripping onto the seat as if that alone could keep me safe.

“Drive to somewhere safe,” he instructed the driver.

The car moved immediately.

“For your sake,” he added, his voice calmer now but still cautious, “I just hope you ain’t some crazy fan.”

Fan?

Why does he keep saying that?

But whatever he had to say wasn’t important.

My neck stayed turned toward the back window, my eyes fixed on the road behind us until I could no longer see their faces.

Only then did my body start to react.

I wrapped my arms around myself, pressing my hands against my skin to stop the trembling, but it didn’t help much.

The car drove for a while before the man suddenly asked the driver to pull over.

The engine quieted.

“I believe you are safe now, Miss. Can you tell me what this is all about?”

For the very first time in fourteen years, I slowly raised my head and looked into a man’s eyes without fear.

Without the constant thought that Judge would suddenly appear, accuse me of something I didn’t do, and punish me for it later.

The young man’s face was calm after everything that had just happened.

“I was willed to my brother-in-law by my late husband,” I said, my voice softer now, but steady enough. “I was supposed to get married to him today, but I escaped.”

His expression changed immediately from neutral to surprised.

“Are you being serious right now? Willed? How is that even possible?”

I gave a small shrug, letting out a heavy breath. My feet were throbbing badly now, the pain catching up with me.

“Anything is possible with Judge.”

I quickly wiped the tears that were threatening to fall.

When Judge died a month ago, I thought that was it.

I thought I was finally free from his obsession, from the pain, from everything he put me through.

But I was wrong. Nothing ended.

“Okay…” he said slowly, running a hand through his hair. “This whole story is crazy. I have to meet up with my team in an hour. This place is safe. You can come down now.”

My heart dropped instantly.

I shook my head.

“No, please, sir,” I said quickly, the desperation slipping into my voice before I could stop it. “I have nowhere else to go. They will come for me. Help me.”

“Firstly,” he said, cutting in, “it is Duke, not sir. Secondly, I don’t know you.”

I ran my hands through my hair, trying to think, trying to find something, anything that would make him believe me.

“I am not lying,” I said quickly. “You can G****e his name, Judge’s name, you will see my pictures, he was very rich. Please, save me.”

I knew how I sounded, desperate.

But anything was better than going back to that house. That prison I was forced to call home.

Duke didn’t respond immediately.

He just looked at me. His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh as if he were weighing his options carefully.

“All of this is crazy,” he muttered.

Then he exhaled.

“I will take you to a hotel. We will talk later tonight.”

Relief hit me so suddenly, I almost didn’t know how to react.

“Thank you, sir,” I said out of habit.

I really hope I have escaped from all of this.

*****

Duke did as he promised.

He booked a room for me in a five-star hotel before leaving.

The moment the door closed behind me, the silence felt louder than anything I had heard all night.

My mind wouldn’t stop. It kept whispering the same thing over and over again. ‘He won’t come back.’

Why would he? I am nothing to him. Just someone he met on the road.

I slowly removed the heavy gown I was wearing, letting it fall to the floor before turning to look at myself in the mirror.

I stared for a long time.

Several times, I had begged God to make me less beautiful.

Maybe I wouldn’t have ended up like this. Judge was obsessed with my hair, face, and body.

To him, I was never a person. I was his property.

My knees gave out beneath me. I dropped to the floor, the cold surface pressing against my skin.

And this time, I didn’t hold back the tears from falling freely.

Where will I go from here if the young man doesn’t come back?