Silence fell, leaving only the sting of pain on Charlotte's cheek, as if boiling water had been poured over it. The sensation slowly spread across her skin, but what truly burned her was the humiliation—deeper than any visible wound.
This treatment, this unprovoked harm, only fueled her hatred.
"Such audacity… I didn't expect this from you…"
Devyn laughed, shaking his head in mock disapproval, his anger and pleasure alternating across his face. His dark green eyes gleamed sharply, as if pulsating with a wild life that would no longer be restrained.
"Alright… we're going to have a lot of fun. I promise you that. I swear."
Deliberately, he began to remove his coat, rolling up his sleeves—a movement that warned of what was to come.
Only then, as if cold water had been poured over her, did Charlotte awaken. She scrambled forward on her hands and knees, tears streaming relentlessly, silently begging for this nightmare to end.
Her cheek burned with pain, and nausea weighed down her movements, yet she crawled as fast as she could toward her room, clinging to the last thread of life.
If this madman caught her, no one could say what would happen next.
"Hahaha…"
Devyn's laugh followed her like a heavy shadow as she heard the door slam shut firmly behind her.
"Look at you… like a helpless puppy in your desperate attempt to escape~"
Charlotte bit her lower lip so hard it nearly bled, the feeling of helplessness gnawing at her chest.
She suddenly stopped; her body had no more strength to move.
Devyn laughed louder as he noticed her surrender, prostrate on the floor.
"Hah… finally decided to play the obedient little girl? Good girl."
He approached Charlotte slowly, savoring every second of his proximity. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he noticed a glint of light behind the curtain of her chestnut hair.
In a swift, unexpected move, he lunged at her, kicking her stomach brutally, making her gasp in pain and cough.
"Ah! Cough—! Cough—!"
He kicked her again to the side, making her roll and fall onto her back.
Air left Charlotte's lungs, but she clung to one thing: her phone.
In her trembling grip, the line was calling Leonid.
Luckily, she managed to reach him before receiving his final kick.
"What are you doing?!"
Devyn growled, trying to snatch the phone or end the call, but Charlotte held on with all her might, her fingers gripping as if holding onto her life itself.
"Leave it alone!"
"No!"
"How dare you?! Why insist on making me angry?!"
Devyn let go of her hand and slapped her face hard, the same sharp pain spreading to her other cheek.
Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the chaos and pain:
"Hello~"
Charlotte's tears froze in her eyes, and a faint smile formed on her lips despite the pain. She managed to bring the phone to her mouth with difficulty, a thin line of blood trickling from her split lip.
She was about to call for help… when a pillow suddenly fell on her, covering her face and cutting off her breath.
Charlotte's body twisted desperately under his grip, yet she clung to the phone as if it were her last thread of life. Devyn smiled coldly, then slid a finger past hers and lightly pressed the "end call" button.
The line went dead.
"Charlotte?"
Leonid's voice came, full of concern, before a sharp whistle cut him off.
He stared at his phone in surprise, his eyebrows slowly rising. He tried to call again… but the voicemail replied:
[Sorry, the number you are trying to reach is unavailable.]
He paused for a moment, then muttered sharply:
"This… is very suspicious."
He stood with determination, grabbed his keys, and noticed the others rushing. Alia asked him:
"Where are you going?"
Leonid answered firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument:
"To Charlotte Smith. I'm going to check on her."
"Did something happen to her?… Wait, hold on!"
Dmitri rose quickly and ran after him.
"Ahhh!"
Charlotte's scream burst out from beneath the pillow, muffled but sharp as a knife.
Devin slowly lifted his foot after crushing her wrist harshly. He stood upright, hands in his pockets, his gaze calmer than ever.
"You brought this on yourself."
He kicked the pillow aside, revealing her pale, tear-streaked face. He stared at her for several seconds, then smiled a twisted smile and stepped on her again, once… twice… until her screams became music playing along the strings of his madness.
"I told you we'd play together, but you tried to bring someone else into our game. Isn't that… a serious mistake?"
Devin didn't stop, even as her body shook with each blow.
Then, suddenly, he froze.
He knelt beside Charlotte, his eyes sparking with anger and madness.
"But it's fine… I'm tired of playing the polite lover. It's time for real fun."
Devin raised his hand and lightly slapped her, a mocking, devilish smile forming on his lips:
"Wake up, Charlotte… this is no time for a short nap."
Charlotte's eyes were dazed, her gaze fading, while her wrist was crushed under his weight until she lost all feeling. The pain exceeded her endurance, and her voice began to vanish along with her consciousness.
Devin leaned toward her, whispering beside her ear:
"I think you need some water… don't you?"
But Charlotte didn't respond. Her breathing was ragged, her awareness slowly slipping away.
Meanwhile, Daniel was on his way back to the building with Lyudmila.
"Are you saying Leonid asked us to check on Charlotte?"
"Yes."
"But why? Is she tired?"
"I don't know, but he said something feels off, so he asked us to make sure she's okay first, and then stay with her until he arrives."
"Ah, I see… then we'd better hurry."
Lyudmila tugged on Daniel's hand and began running lightly, a smile on her face.
The scene was full of carefree spontaneity, like lovebirds.
In stark contrast, Devin carried Charlotte with one arm, as if she were a mere piece of luggage. He didn't care as her body bumped into walls or door frames while he dragged her toward the bathroom.
When he reached the bathtub, he dropped her to the floor as if she were an empty shell.
Her skin was waxy pale, the slaps leaving throbbing red bruises, her lower lip split, her right hand a dark purple, and the tips of her fingers starting to turn black.
Devin bent over her and whispered with a cold smile:
"We're going to have fun once I bring you back to consciousness… trust me, you'll like it. And if you don't, I'll make sure you get addicted."
Then he turned on the shower, letting cold water pour over Charlotte's dangling face. Her body shuddered involuntarily, but her eyes remained half-closed, teetering on the edge of consciousness, suspended between life and death.
In the hallway, the elevator stopped, and both Daniel and Lyudmila stepped out.
"I feel awkward… what if we disturb her and she's perfectly fine?"
Lyudmila murmured hesitantly.
"We can just apologize; she won't be mad."
Daniel replied confidently, though his steps suddenly slowed.
"What's this…?"
He said, pointing to a small wilted bouquet of red roses lying next to Charlotte's apartment door.
Lyudmila's eyes widened in shock:
"Oh my God… did lovers fight here?"
But Daniel cut her off anxiously:
"Let's check on Charlotte first."
He approached the door, and as he reached for the doorbell, Lyudmila bent down and picked up a small black card next to the flowers.
"Look… it seems it fell out of the bouquet."
Daniel turned to read it with her. Written in elegant handwriting:
[I'm losing my patience… Miss Charlotte Smith. Why are you so elusive while trembling every time I touch or look at you? I need to play with you, Miss… to breathe you in… even if I have to take you by force. —Mr. D.]
"This—!"
Daniel gasped, his heart pounding. He pressed the doorbell firmly, the sharp ring filling the corridor, then began banging on the door violently:
"Charlotte! Can you hear me? Open the door!"
Lyudmila stepped back, her voice trembling:
"This is terrible—! I'll call the police!"
"Do it, quickly!"
Daniel shouted without taking his eyes off the door.
As Lyudmila's fingers trembled while taking out her phone, Daniel grabbed the handle with all his strength and tried to turn it, but it was locked tight, the metal squealing sharply under his desperate attempts.
"Damn you."
Devin muttered coldly, throwing the showerhead onto the floor with a loud metallic crash.
The doorbell rang again, followed by violent knocking, but his eyes never left Charlotte. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her wet hair, lifting her head off the ground.
"You're the reason for all this chaos."
Charlotte gasped, water dripping from her face, her voice hoarse yet laced with defiance:
"Leave me… alone… you son of a bitch!"
Devin's eyes widened with a terrifying calm, then he slammed her head onto the bathroom tiles. The impact echoed through the room.
"Me? Son of a bitch?"
He sneered, a twisted smile on his lips.
"You should be grateful… I haven't treated you the way I usually treat my women."
Devin yanked her hair again, bringing her face closer to his, veins bulging, his voice dripping with anger:
"I thought you were sweet… deserving of some kindness and pleasure, but you proved me wrong. I should have taught you from the start not to resist, not to be insolent."
With his free hand, he gripped Charlotte's neck, his fingers tightening like a beast's fangs around her throat.
"Perhaps I should have choked you until your last breath… my insolent little doll."
He pushed her to the floor and straddled her, pressing down with both hands on her neck until air barely escaped her lungs and her voice faded.
"And then…"
Devin hissed, a devilish sound.
"I play with your body."
Charlotte's lips parted, but only a broken gasp escaped, as if her very soul were being pulled from her. Darkness crept slowly into her world, and her limbs could no longer resist.