Daisy's POV
The drive back was wrapped in silence.
Lucien Vale sat across from me, his brows slightly creased, his left fingers resting against his jaw as if lost in thought.
Who could ever tell what went on inside his mind?
I couldn't wait for the ride to end.
The air felt too tight. Too heavy.
Just sharing the same space with him made my chest ache with suffocation.
"What?"
His cold voice sliced through the silence, sharp and sudden.
"You can't stand my presence?"
I stiffened, nearly biting my tongue.
So he noticed.
I quickly averted my gaze, fixing my eyes anywhere but on him.
Would he let it go?
Of course not.
He was Lucien Vale.
A dark grin tugged at his lips as he leaned forward, invading my space, his gaze locking onto my face.
"Since you behaved well tonight," he said calmly, almost lazily,
"I'll let this pass."
His tone was flat.
Unfeeling.
As if he were granting mercy to something insignificant.
I silently rolled my eyes and turned toward the tinted window, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
Outside, the road stretched endlessly—damp asphalt reflecting the flicker of broken streetlights.
Each passing light felt like a countdown.
To where I was being taken.
It's more like an abandoned place.
Night swallowed everything outside.
The road ahead reeked of fear.
Something was wrong.
I might not remember every detail clearly—but I knew this much with certainty.
This was not the road leading back to Lucien Vale's mansion.
My body went rigid.
Anxiety spiked violently, crawling up my spine and tightening around my throat.
I turned sharply to face him, fear twisting into fury.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Where are we?"
My voice came out strained—tight with panic.
A glint flashed through Lucien's grey eyes.
Gone as quickly as it appeared.
"And on what grounds," he asked calmly, tilting his head,
"Do you think you have the right to question me?"
His tone was mocking.
I refused to back down.
"Where are you taking me, you madman?!" I screamed.
Even I didn't know where the courage came from.
In a flash, his hand shot out.
Fingers closed around my neck.
Hard.
The air was ripped from my lungs as he slammed me back against the seat, his grip crushing, merciless.
"Make one more sound," he whispered coldly, leaning close,
"and I'll make sure you die right here. Slowly."
My vision blurred.
Stars burst behind my eyes.
Gasping, I struggled uselessly, my hands clawing at his wrist.
Through the haze, my gaze drifted to the rearview mirror.
His trusted aide was still driving.
Calm.
Unbothered.
As if nothing was happening.
The black shades hid his eyes completely.
Tears streamed down my face as I slapped Lucien's hand weakly.
"Please… let me go…"
My chest burned.
Just as darkness threatened to take me, he released me.
I collapsed against the headrest, coughing violently, dragging in air like it was my last chance to live.
Lucien leaned back into his seat.
Unhurried.
One leg crossed over the other, his arm stretching along the backrest as if he hadn't just crushed the life out of me.
"I've changed my mind," he said coolly.
"Tonight, you'll pay dearly—with blood."
My heart dropped.
"But first," he added casually,
"let me take care of some dirt."
I glanced up at him—
only to see him slipping on a pair of black leather gloves.
I didn't even know where he'd taken them from.
Before I could process it, the car screeched to a sudden stop in front of an abandoned building.
The impact jolted me forward, my body bouncing violently—
I nearly fell straight into his lap.
A smirk curved his lips.
The door flew open.
He stepped out and dragged me with him in one swift motion.
Everything happened too fast.
I struggled to keep up as he pulled me along, my feet barely matching his pace.
My heels scraped against broken concrete and scattered debris, pain shooting up my legs with every step.
I cried out despite myself.
Behind us, his men fell into formation, moving with terrifying efficiency.
Some were already stationed around the perimeter of the abandoned building, spreading out like predators securing their kill zone.
"Everything is ready, Boss Lucien!"
The voice came from one of his trusted aides—a man with long hair braided into neat cornrows.
I'd seen him before.
Lucien didn't respond.
He dragged me inside.
The moment we crossed the threshold, a foul stench twisted my stomach.
Blood.
Old. Dried. Rotting.
The walls and floor were smeared and stained with dark, ugly patches—layers upon layers of violence.
Before I could react, he flung me to the ground.
I barely caught myself, my palms slamming against the cold concrete as I struggled to breathe.
"Watch carefully," he ordered coldly.
The words made my blood run ice-cold.
I lifted my head slowly—trembling.
That was when I saw him.
A man bound to the wall with heavy iron cuffs, his arms and legs spread wide, wrists and ankles chained mercilessly in place.
Bruised.
Bloodied.
Barely conscious.
My breath hitched.
Wait—
My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.
Isn't that…?
The man from the auction.
….
….
….
>>>⚠️ CONTENT WARNING ⚠️
The following chapter contains graphic violence and disturbing scenes that may be uncomfortable for some readers.
If you are sensitive to such content, please skip the final part of this chapter.
….
….
….
Isn't that…?
The man from the auction.
The look on Lucien Vale's face was terrifying.
Cold.
Void of mercy.
My gaze drifted helplessly to the man bound to the wall.
Fresh, vicious wounds littered his body.
Blood trailed down his skin in slow, ugly lines, pooling beneath him.
He was already bleeding badly.
Lucien picked up a long iron pipe and slammed it hard against the large metal table in front of him.
Clang—!
The sound echoed violently through the abandoned building.
Both the man and I shuddered at the same time.
My body shook as I bit down on my lower lip, forcing myself not to cry out.
My eyes flickered toward the table.
Tools.
Too many of them.
Different sizes. Different shapes.
Most of them were stained dark—old blood caked into their surfaces.
They weren't decorations.
They were instruments of torture.
My throat tightened as nausea crept up slowly. I swallowed hard, fighting it back with everything I had.
"Lu… Lucien Vale," the man choked out desperately.
"I—I didn't mean to offend you!"
He coughed violently, thick blood spilling from his mouth.
"I haven't even done anything yet," Lucien said calmly, his voice low… dangerously so.
The man's eyes widened in terror.
"I—I was just joking with her! No—no, I didn't know she was yours. Please, Boss Lucien… please!"
His body trembled violently against the chains, metal rattling against the wall.
"There is no such thing as a second chance in my rules," Lucien replied evenly.
"You were testing my patience, Mr. Daniel."
The man shook his head frantically.
"No—no! That's not what I meant—!"
"I don't think so."
Lucien turned away from him.
Casually.
He walked toward a large container resting in the corner of the room and dragged it back to the metal table.
Without hesitation, he opened it and began pouring its contents into a smaller container.
The air changed instantly.
A sharp, corrosive scent burned my nose.
Chemical.
Acid.
My eyes widened in shock as the realization hit me.
And in that moment, I understood—
Lucien Vale wasn't here to scare this man.
He was here to end him.
I couldn't hold it anymore.
I doubled over and retched—vomiting into empty air.
Nothing came out.
Of course not.
I hadn't eaten since last night.
My head spun violently, the room tilting as a crushing heaviness settled behind my eyes.
Then the man screamed.
"What are you doing?!" he shouted hoarsely.
Lucien didn't even look at him.
"What does it look like?" he replied calmly, one corner of his lips lifting into a dark, twisted grin.
The man's breathing spiraled out of control—ragged, frantic.
His eyes widened in sheer terror.
"Since you enjoy testing my patience," Lucien continued evenly,
"I'll let you experience what it tastes like."
The man thrashed violently against his chains, cursing through broken breaths.
"You son of a bastard!
Lucien!!"
Lucien let out a dry laugh.
Unbothered.
He finished what he was doing and reached for a metal tool, dipping it into the container without hesitation.
"Wh… what are you going to do?"
The words slipped out of me before I could stop them.
Lucien paused.
Then turned his head slightly, glancing at me over his shoulder.
His eyes were cold.
Almost bored.
"Watch and learn," he said slowly.
"That's how you become obedient."
Something icy slid down my spine.
Before I could react—
He moved.
Fast. Precise.
The next sound ripped through the building.
A scream—raw, agonized, inhuman.
I clamped my hands over my ears and squeezed my eyes shut, my body shaking uncontrollably as tears streamed down my face.
I didn't need to see it.
The sounds alone were enough.