Chapter 21
“Didn’t you want her to suffer? I had 20 men discipline her that night. She behaved after that. We made her pay a much higher price for what she did to Claire.
“She was dumped and has been toyed with by tons of lowly men. She’s just a piece of garbage. I suggest you stay away from her, Mr. Kaufman, in case you get stained by filth.”
Dumbstruck, Antonio stiffened like a board, gazing at me with a pasty face.
This was too much to take. I tried to break free from Antonio’s hand but failed. I had to bite him.
When he was absent–minded, I endured the pain in my injured leg and limped outward. I didn’t know how long had passed. Gradually, my intense nerves finally relaxed a little. My legs went soft, and I slumped onto the ground. But I shed happy tears.
Finally, I was out of the cage.
I threw away the phone with a positioning application and continued my flee after a short break.
By the evening, I couldn’t hold on and passed out by the roadside.
It was the next morning when I opened my eyes. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Troy was cautiously applying ointment to the soles of my feet. There was a bowl of warm cereal with shredded eggs on the nightstand.
I looked around warily and withdrew my feet, still trembling with fear.
“Grace, don’t be afraid. They won’t come.” Sympathy and guilt were plain in Troy’s eyes.
He picked up the bowl of cereal, took a spoonful, and put it to my lips.
I didn’t eat but asked in a trembling voice. “What do you want?”
He had brought me home. He must want something from me. I didn’t believe anyone could be unselfish. After all, even my parents…
Troy paused. He seemed confused. So, I continued, “Is it sex? Videos? Photos? SM? Just tell me. I don’t have money, and whatever you want is charge–free…”
Before I finished speaking, Troy dropped the bowl and held me tightly. He trembled from weeping,
I flinched to escape to no avail. I was too weak. His embrace tightened,
I stopped struggling and began unbuttoning my clothes proficiently until my battered body was revealed before him. Then, I looked up at him with a dull expression:
“I’ll sleep with you. Just don’t tell them where I am, OK? I can’t go back. Torture me as you please. Time doesn’t matter. Please. Please don’t take me back to them.”
Long–time oppression made me believe I could negotiate with them only if I was meek. At least, my life could be a little easier.
Unexpectedly, Troy’s eyes reddened. Tears dropped onto my hand. With shaking hands, he buttoned my clothes and pulled me into his warm arms.
He kept telling me, “Grace, I’ll protect you from now on. I’ll protect you. Don’t be afraid.”
Taken aback, I stood still.
I didn’t know Troy well. Once, he was picked on in high school. Somet students threw him into a river. I couldn’t stand it and jumped into the river to save him. Afraid that he might die, I gave him a mouth–to–mouth. My family was powerful. I wasn’t scared and slapped those boys. After graduating from college, instead of seeking a better career, Troy chose to be a domestic physician of the Kaufman family. We met less often afterward.
We only saw each other when he gave me a medical examination or applied ointment for me.
I finished the cereal absent–mindedly. Then, exhausted, I dozed off.
Troy’s gentle voice lingered in my ears.
It had been a long time since the last time someone cared about me. “Even. if this is a dream, please do not wake me up.”
