Semua Bab My Pain, his gain: Bab 11 - Bab 18

Jose didn't try to punish the man, he was putting on a show for her. It was a calculated display of dominance, a way to remind her that in his world, mercy was a currency he chose whether or not to spend. Brandy stood by the road, her vision blurred and her gaze unfocused. The neon lights of the city danced in the puddles at her feet, distorted and shimmering like her own fractured reality. The air was thick with the scent of rain and exhaust, a suffocating mixture that seemed to mirror the panic rising in her chest.A taxi happened to pass by, dropping off a passenger near the curb. Without thinking, Brandy jumped in, slammed the door with a force born of desperation, and urgently told the driver, "To the police station!" Her voice was small, cracked with a vulnerability she tried to hide.The driver started the car and left the curb, merging into the late-night traffic of Elite City. Brandy's hand trembled in her lap, her fingers twisting the fabric of her damp skirt. She needed pro

After Brandy finally recovered from the grueling fever that had kept her bedridden, she began to venture out of her room. The first few days were spent in a daze, her body still weak but her mind racing with the need for a plan. When she eventually went downstairs to the dining room for meals, she noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere. The expensive seafood platters that had been prominently displayed on the table—those reminders of Jose’s overwhelming wealth and control—had been removed. In their place were normal, simpler dishes that didn't feel like a silent interrogation.She tested the boundaries of her confinement with a trembling heart. One morning, she tried to walk toward the main gates of the Regal Garden, fully expecting a hand to drop on her shoulder or a voice to bark an order. To her shock, no one stopped her. The guards stood like statues, their eyes fixed forward, seemingly indifferent to her movement. It was as if the Regal Garden had no rules at all, allowing her

The move from the Regal Garden to the small studio apartment felt less like a transition and more like a tactical retreat. Brandy packed her few belongings into a single suitcase, her hands moving with a frantic energy. She didn't want to give Jose a single second to change his mind. Every moment she spent under the roof of the Regal Garden felt like another layer of lead being added to her soul.When she finally turned the key in the lock of her new home, the silence that greeted her wasn't the heavy, suffocating silence of the mansion. It was empty, hollow, and hers.She spent her first evening sitting on the floor of the 50-square-meter space. The apartment was located in a gray stone building on the edge of the financial district, close enough to the clinic that she could walk to work in ten minutes. It was a far cry from the luxury of the Regal Garden—the walls were thin, and the window overlooked a narrow alleyway—but as she watched the sunset paint the brick walls outside in sh

As Brandy answered, Jose's dark eyes bored into her, filled with a chilling, predatory rage.Her breathing became rapid, her face turned pale, and her inner nervousness and fear overwhelmed her body.She repeated to herself over and over again, *"I can't let Jose find out about the children! I can't let him know about Emily, Ella, Kenzo and Kelvin!"*"Hello, Brandy? Why did you hang up?" Aunt Charlotte's voice was laced with concern.Jose seemed dissatisfied with the unfamiliar woman's voice. He flicked his eyes toward Brandy, a silent command to speak."I... I'm fine. I was just about to go back. I called to tell you that I won't be returning right away... I'll transfer the money I owe you later..." Brandy struggled to speak through her trembling voice."You silly girl, the money doesn't matter. It's you not coming back that worries me. My health is failing every day," Aunt Charlotte replied.Brandy was slightly surprised by Aunt Charlotte's acting. She knew her aunt was trying to he