Chapter 1 - Her Shabby Life

From a young age, she had been a silent observer of her parents' relentless quarrels. Yet, one evening, the conflict took on a new, more sinister tone. Her mother's face was twisted in a blend of anger and despair as she faced her father and his mistress. The raw intensity of their confrontation was unlike anything she had seen before. As their voices rose, she retreated to her small, dimly lit room, seeking refuge from the escalating storm.The tension in the household reached a breaking point. During what was supposed to be a routine family dinner, her father made an announcement that shattered the fragile peace. With an air of casual indifference, he revealed that his mistress was pregnant. The air grew thick with suffocation as the words hung heavy in the room. Her father's insensitivity to the stifling atmosphere left her pondering his emotional detachment. Her mother, her eyes cold and resolute, seized the moment to demand a divorce. The suddenness of her decision caused her to drop her fork onto the plate, the clatter echoing in the stunned silence. Her father's expression was one of disbelief, his mouth hanging open, while his mistress wore a triumphant smirk. Despite the chaos, she found a grim sense of relief in the unexpected turn of events. A year passed since the divorce, bringing a semblance of normalcy to her mother's life. She had remarried, and her new marriage was marked by a quiet simplicity. Her father's mistress had suffered a miscarriage, which led her father to discard her as unworthy. Her mother's wedding was modest but filled with a peace that was now alien to her. The emotional turbulence of the past seemed to fade, but not without leaving deep scars.Her stepfather's arrival in their lives introduced a new strain. With her mother pregnant, her stepfather became unnervingly clingy. He sought her out with a troubling intensity, his actions revealing an unsettling pattern of emotional manipulation. She saw through his motives, recognizing that his behavior was as damaging as, if not worse than, her biological father's. Desperate to escape, she fled the house one night, leaving behind the toxic environment. In a new city, she met a boy who initially provided her with a sense of comfort. Their relationship, however, was short-lived. It ended in betrayal when he cheated on her with a wealthy young woman. The pain of his deceit was profound, turning her earlier naïve hope for a future with him into bitterness and self-loathing. Her heart, once hopeful, was now scarred, prompting her to move yet again.Seeking a fresh start, she joined an organization led by a charismatic but enigmatic man. Her involvement in the group exposed her to harsh realities and cultivated a deep infatuation with him. >Her obsessive pursuit of his approval led her to complete every task he assigned, driven by a desperate need for his affection. Her emotional dependency on him grew dangerously unhealthy.Her illusions shattered when she witnessed him kissing another woman. The crushing blow of betrayal made her strong facade crumble, revealing a vulnerability she had tried to suppress. She wept for hours, the raw intensity of her emotions laying bare her heartache.Just as she resolved to leave, the organization was ambushed by enemies. The chaos mirrored her internal disarray. Amidst the confusion, she saw the boss with the woman he had been involved with. The fear in the woman's eyes was palpable, adding to the tumult of her own feelings. The organization's members, believing she had betrayed them, captured and tortured her.