Chocolate Love [EXO Series Book Three] DISCONTINUED

Chapter Twenty-Two

"Surprise!"

My jaw literally dropped to the ground as my five friends gathered to hug me. Soon, it became a hamburger as the other boys join in and squish us to make room.

"Guys. Can't. Breathe."

They heard my small and weak cry before letting go reluctantly and smiled at me. I couldn't believe it. The original Contagious is united once more, but in Korea. Was I dreaming? I think I must be dreaming.

"Wait, what happened to your faces? Why are they all bruised up?"

I gently touched Jordan's face, but got a wince from me. The place I had touched had a huge gash on it and a few black-blue bruises on it. I turned to stare at Albus and Vanessa's face, which gave me the same result. All three faces filled with gashes and bruises. Some even on their hands and bodies.

"What did those monsters do to you?"

"Lily, please don't freak out. We're going to be okay. We quit so we're going to be okay. Don't cry. Oh my god, please don't cry."

"Tell me. Tell me what did those monsters do to you."

I was no longer crying. In front of them, now stood a very very dark side of me. One that didn't come out often. One that none of them had ever seen before.

"Let's make some tea, have a seat and we'll talk. Probably a shower for you though."

I shook my head and went to sit on the armchair closest to the fireplace. Everyone exchanged looks before following suit and sat on the available places. Since there wasn't enough room, a few of them had to sit on the floor.

"Tell me. Now."

Vanessa nodded and gestured that Albus would start first. Albus took a deep breath before turning to look at me and started to speak.

"It all started when she gave us those letters. Since your mom was our manager before you left, her mom took the liberty of becoming our new manager. At first, it was a few scoldings here and there. Sometimes, she would threaten us so she wouldn't have to tell lies to our parents."

"But it got worse," Jordan continued, "She started to use those slappers that the teachers use when we were in middle school to punish us. She told us that without punishment, we wouldn't go anywhere. Without discipline, there would be no achievement."

"Christy and Trevor left after then, said to be that they didn't want to renew their contract with Contagious and got into YG as trainees," Vanessa spoke after, "We were devastated that they left. Deirdre's mom manipulated us and told us that they were traitors, they left us behind so they could get their own fame."

"And we believed her," Albus scowled, "We believed her and promised ourselves to practice more, go on more performances that they organise. But it was no use, Deirdre had been using a recording device when you tested her. In real life, she sounded like a duck quaking and a hooligan dancing."

"When we commented about her singing and dancing, she reported to her mom," Jordan continued once more, "She then started to use whips. She would chain us up and whipped us until we say we're sorry with full 'sincerity' or until she's had her fun."

"But now it's all over," Vanessa smiled, "We got together and saved up some money, hired a lawyer and proved her and her mother guilty for the sudden downfall in our career and the cuts and bruises on us. When she yelled and asked us how we proved to the police that we got punished by her, we replied that there was always a secret camera hanging around."

"Before Trevor left, he had helped us install a few secret cameras that aren't likely to be found. When he saw the footage of us being tortured, he quickly informed us through our secret codes and we contacted the police immediately," Albus smiled thankfully at Trevor, "But we didn't have enough money to hire a professional lawyer,"

"So we helped them," I stared at Christy and Trevor, "We didn't tell you because we didn't want you to worry. We were scared that when you found out, you would freak and fly back to Malaysia and murder them."

"You're damn right I do."

Gasps flew across the room as everyone stared at me. As I said before, this was a very bad side of me and none of them has ever seen it before. This side of me was dangerous and didn't care about anyone's feelings or emotions.

"Lil, don't do anything rash. We can get through this and use them for sexual harassment and abusive behaviour towards client. We'll get through this together."

Trevor came to my side and comforted me. Part of me wanted to rip his mouth of his face for saying that and luckily the other part restrained that thought.

"No. This is overboard. What manager punishes and tortures their idols to the extend where they have to wear makeup just to cover up their bruises and cuts?!"

"Lilian Adeline Zhang Le Xuan, you listen to me! You are no more different than us! Tell me, Lily, how much makeup did you use today to cover up all the scars, bruises and cuts that Park Young Min gave you?!"

Everyone around me gasped as my deepest and darkest secret got exposed. No one was supposed to know about that. So how did Albus know?

"You didn't think we would be watching and observing you, didn't you? Well, guess what? We did! We were forced to watch how you, Christy and Trevor were doing with us three left behind. We noticed the cuts. We noticed the bruises. And we noticed how Park Young Min stares at you like you're some threat. Tell me, Lily, how is abuse working out for you?"

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. You have no right! No right to say at to me! So what if I'm abused by the current managing director for the company? So what if nobody comes to my rescue? So what if I have to wear makeup all day everyday? This is my life! The life that was destined, that was morphed and created by Park Young Min! I am a robot, not a human. That's right. I am torture, punished and forced to become the perfect person he wants me to be. And I cannot back out because there is no way to back out!"

"Lily, I didn't mean.."

"Well, guess what? You did! You hit the nerve you weren't supposed to hit! The door is right there! Let yourselves out when this is all over!"

I fumed and said my last words to Albus, Jordan and Vanessa before storming to my room and slammed my door, hard enough to break it, wishing I had never signed the fucking contract Park Young Min gave.