A Ten-Year Dream, All in Vain

The sounds around me were a blur, as if they were muffled through a thick fog of blood.

Someone roughly grabbed my hair, dragging me into a damp and dark basement, throwing me onto the cold cement floor.

"Mr. Genevan said not to let her die, we need her for tomorrow."

The iron door slammed shut with a bang and the darkness swallowed everything.

I curled up in the corner, trembling from the pain all over my body. My tears had long since dried up, leaving only numbness.

I didn’t know how much time passed, but Mike’s impatient voice echoed in the brightened surveillance screen.

"Why can’t I get through to Karen’s phone?"

"Mike, don’t worry, she is probably just busy with work."

"Bullshit! No matter how busy she is, she will never ignore my calls!"

Mike's voice carried a distinct hint of panic.

My heart skipped a beat, as if an invisible hand had clenched it tight and I dared not even breathe too deeply.

He’s looking for me.

The next moment, Mike received another call.

The voice of my close friend, Kyle, came through clearly.

"Mike, is Karen with you? Her phone has been unreachable!"

Mike suppressed his unease, pausing for a moment before speaking in a casual tone, "She’s probably working late again. You know how she is, always a workaholic."

Kyle firmly disagreed. "Impossible! Tomorrow’s the wedding, she wouldn’t still be working at this hour!"

Mike fell silent for a few seconds, then quickly pulled out his phone and began checking the surveillance footage to track my whereabouts.

My heartbeat quickened and a faint spark of hope flickered within me.

Could he realize something was wrong?

Would he recognize that the person who was nearly tortured to death today was me?

"There's no one at home, just as I guessed. Kyle, don’t worry, Karen is either still working late or dragging her feet on the way home."

He hung up the phone and turned to the people around him, giving instructions.

"Prepare the car, I'll take Jane home."

My hope was instantly extinguished.

He would rather believe I was just lingering on the road than face the truth that the person he had tortured to the point of death was his fiancée.

"Mike, aren’t we going to play a little longer? You’re heading home so early?"

His friends, disappointed by my sudden miscarriage, hadn’t had their fill of fun.

Mike’s face instantly turned cold. "Tomorrow is my wedding with Karen. If I’m not going back to be with her, do you expect me to stay with you guys?"

The crowd fell silent, too afraid to speak.

But Jane boldly wrapped her arms around his neck and acted coquettishly. "Mike, can you stay with me tonight? Starting tomorrow, you won’t belong to me anymore. I’m so sad..."

"Jane! You need to know your place. I promised you I would throw a fortune at you tonight to help you unwind and you should be content. I don’t like greedy women!"

But his cold, harsh words were easily shattered by Jane.

"Mike, I bought your favorite maid outfit. Tonight, you can tear it up to your heart’s content…"

The air froze for a moment.

I heard Mike’s breathing suddenly become heavier, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

He pulled out his phone and sent me a voice message, his tone unbelievably gentle.

[Karen, I drank too much at the bachelor party tonight, so I’m staying at a friend’s place. You sleep well and tomorrow I’ll marry you.]

After he sent the message, he lifted Jane by the waist.

I watched as he hurriedly left, unable to suppress the tears that silently slid down my face again. But the pain from the wounds on my face made it so I couldn’t even cry properly.

It turned out, his tenderness was so fake.

It turned out, his love was so cheap.

I closed my eyes and memories surged in like a tidal wave.

Two years ago, Mike knelt down on one knee, placing a ring on my finger, his eyes filled with starlight.