Love And Hate, Sealed Away

“You vicious bitch! You’ll pay for this. I swear I’ll kill you!” Yelena screamed.

Sneering, I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and raised the shears to strike again.

However, Yelena kicked me in the stomach. I flew back and hit the concrete like a ragdoll.

A metallic taste filled my mouth, and I spat out a mouthful of blood.

My stomach soon turned numb from the pain. But I could still feel blood seeping out beneath me.

My baby… My baby was in danger.

Yelena’s expression darkened. “Beat them to death!”

The bodyguards drew their knives and rushed at Hunter and me.

Hunter pulled me into his arms and took the blade meant for me. Blood spurted from the wound in his arm and splashed on my face.

I froze between shock and terror.

“Yelena, if you don’t know the Sinclair family, ask around on the street. If anything happens to Hunter or me—”

Before I could finish, Yelena sneered and cut me off. “Still putting on an act at death’s door? Shut their mouths.”

“I’m Jacob’s wi—”

Right then, a bodyguard slashed at us.

Hunter shoved me aside, and the blade cut into him again.

My eyes burned when I saw the gash on Hunter’s back. It was so deep that I could see bone. I crawled toward him on my hands and knees.

Right then, one of the bodyguards grabbed a stool and smashed it on Hunter’s head.

There was a loud crack, and Hunter collapsed onto the floor. He looked like he had been dragged out of a pool of blood.

I threw myself at him like I had lost my mind. I held him and cried helplessly, “Hunter! Hunter!”

The heavy stool slammed into my back next. Pain tore through me, and it felt like I was being beaten into a bloody pulp.

Cold sweat and blood soaked through my clothes. Everything felt heavy and sticky against my spine.

All I could hear was my own harsh breathing and the dull thud of the stool hitting me.

Yelena lifted my chin with the tip of her shoe and broke into a cold smile.

“Don’t fall unconscious yet. I still have a gift for you.”

They tied up our arms and legs before dragging us into a glass enclosure. There was no ventilation, and the heat inside made it feel like a steam room.

The sun beat down on us so hard that it seemed to dry out the last drop of moisture in my bones.

I crawled over to Hunter, who was still unconscious, and shook him anxiously. “Hunter! Hunter, wake up!”

Yelena walked in as she pinched her nose in disgust.

I screamed at her, “Take Hunter to a hospital! If anything happens to him, the Sinclair family will never let you go!”

She got irritated and kicked me hard in the chest.

“Looks like you all went too easy on her. Gag her and bring in more charcoal to warm them up.”

I curled into a ball from the pain. My hair was stuck together with dark red blood, and more blood continued to pool beneath me.

I struggled, and the wound on my stomach split open again. The blood that came out dried up almost as soon as it touched the floor.

Blood coated the entire floor of the glass enclosure. The sun had baked it until it turned dark and sticky.

The baby inside me was also slipping away.

If I did not find a way out soon, the baby would not be the only one losing its life. Hunter and I would die here too.

A few minutes later, Yelena’s bodyguards brought in more charcoal.

Yelena and her mother slowly placed heap after heap of red-hot coals inside.

Smoke rose with the heat and forced its way into my nose. I started coughing hard.

Every breath felt like a burning knife scraping down my throat.

Yelena’s mother looked down at me with disgust and said to Yelena, “Jacob just called. He said he’ll come by later to see who dared to bully us.”

I had no idea how much time had gone by. Just when I thought Hunter and I were going to die, the phone pressed against my chest rang.

Gritting my teeth, I reached for it and managed to answer Jacob’s call.

“Wendy, do you like the wedding dress?”