"Let me go you fat ogres!!" I kick while being dragged and tossed into my room.
As soon as I get up and run back to the door the guards shut it in my face. I bang and kick the wood furiously.
"Open this door!!! I MEAN IT YOU BETTER LET ME OUT RIGHT GODDAM NOW! WHERE'S YOUR BOSS?! TELL HIM HE'S A PIECE OF SHIT!" I bang my fists a final time.
My hands crawl up the sides of my temple as panic words travel through my breath and I pace the room with tearing eyes. I can't just sit in here... Not after seeing that... Oh God I'm going to go crazy aren't I? I'm going to go crazy... No... You'll be fine Lilo just breathe...
"Just breathe... Just breathe, just—"
My hands tremble and fingers knot around my roots. My teeth clench back pained whimpers before I fall to my knees and break down completely.
—NEXT DAY—
—JAEBUM'S POV—
The dancer's body twists to the slow music. She has the long legs of an acrobat, and the confidence of a star. The black lace bodysuit pretty much puts her underwear on full display as she spins around the glistening silver pole. I lean forward in satisfaction, thumb and index finger stroking my chin and she entices me with dark smoky eyes and red lips.
"Sir."
I ignore the voice and smirk back at the dancer.
"Sir."
"For the love of— What is it Seulgi?" I turn with a groan.
"Your father said he would be visiting later this evening to discuss matters regarding the warehouse."
"Very well. Tell him to come to the lounge when he gets here."
"Yes sir." She nods and steps away. My eyes wander the floor with curiosity—
"How's Lilo?"
She halts and swallows subtly with a curling fist, caught off guard by my question.
"...You're not fond of her, are you?"
Seulgi returns me an idle gaze and shakes her head. "No sir. She hardly stands out from the others. Lilo is still sleeping, the guards said she could be heard crying and throwing up all night."
"She was warned." I shrug and turn back in my chair. "Prepare her some clothes. I want her to be down here with us in the lounge tonight."
"Understood."
Once the tapping of her boots grow distance I shoo my hand to the dancer, "You may continue."
—LILO'S POV—
I awaken for the fourth time, only this time in the morning rather than random hours of the night. The same nauseous feeling punches me in the stomach.
I Instantly swing both legs over the bed and run to the bathroom, completely ignoring the sunny view that greets the window. My hands grip the milky white seat before I dunk my head into the bowl and erupt anything still surviving in my stomach.
I didn't mean for anybody to get hurt. I really didn't. Why did he have to kill Bogum? I was the one who escaped, he had nothing to do with it. I should have been put down. This is all my fault. His fiancée... His kids... abandoned because of my stupid decisions!
I toss my head into the bowl again as the sour liquids shoot from my throat.
I can't erase the disturbing image of his head flying back or the bloody target that marked his forehead... Or the crimson pool that swam around his body. And being trapped in this room only paints the walls with those memories. I feel like I'm in a cage. I want to go home... I've only been here a short time and already somebody has died.
What will Taehyung do when he finds out—
...........Taehyung.
All I want is to be at home with him. To be at home with Tae, Margo and Li again. All I want is for him to somehow miraculously climb up to this room in the middle of nowhere and take me in his arms. The last time we spoke we were so mad at each other, but any company is better than what's to offer here.
He's going to be so heartbroken if he finds out...
I spit into the bowl once more before finally flushing and approaching the sink where I start brushing my teeth.
*Knock knock*
I ignore the light thuds and continue staring into the mirror lifelessly. It's not like I can open the door for them.
Lowering myself to spit into the sink, I rinse off the toothbrush and fill my cheeks with mouthwash. When I raise my head I see Seulgi enter behind me in the reflection and sit on the laundry basket to lay out some fresh towels. "Nauseous?"
I ignore her and rinse my face. Her lips tuck between her teeth and eyes wander the marble floor.
"...Sorry about your friend."
"Are you?" I fold up a towel after drying my face. "If you were sorry you wouldn't still be working for that monster." My calm and mono-tone is replaced with a head shake and unsteadily inhaling throat. "I watched an innocent man... die Seulgi... You may be used to that but I'm certainly not. So save your pity if you're just going to go back out there and help that maniac harm more people."
There's silence for a while, until she utters, "He's all I've got."
I slowly rotate in hopes for an elaboration.
"I used to be you years ago. Mr. Bang sent me to that God awful auction. No family or friends to warn me and certainly no money. That's when Jaebum bought me. He locked me up for weeks... abused me... Sold me dreams like how I'd always have him. The next thing I knew I was oddly attracted to him. Even though he treated me like shit. He never asked how I was... Never gave me my own room..." She trails off, eyes darting directly at me.
"I never got any of that treatment despite being obedient. Yet I couldn't be without him. I begged him to let me stay and not dispose of me like the other girls. It's then when his men trained me how to fight I became a henchwoman. I don't like this stuff... But it's where I belong."
"Seulgi that's..." My eyebrows knit. "That's insane. You're in love with the man who spent years mistreating you?"
She exhales deeply and stands on her two feet. "Well, sometimes where we belong isn't always pretty."
She walks back into the main bedroom and raises a hanger that rests on my bed, making me enter after her.
"The reason I came up was to drop this. The Lim's like to negotiate business over gambling games. Jaebum requests that you be with him tonight in the lounge."
"I'd rather die." I deadpan. After what he did, there's no way I'm sitting in a room with that man unless it involves me punching the life out of him.
I turn around to walk away when Seulgi says something that makes my heart sink—
"How's your parents business trip?"
I holt sharply and slowly rotate with fearful eyes. How does she know about—
"Yep. I shouldn't tell you this.. but Jaebum has tabs on your parents. If you don't want them to be next, accept his invite. The last thing you want to make is another dumb move."
My body remains frozen while Seulgi pats the plastic-wrapped dress on my bed, "I'll leave this here. A guard will be here to bring you down at 9. Good luck."
After her exit, I trail my feet to the bed where I unzip the plastic protecting the long, dark dress before me.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ 🌙
As the sun sets I study my dress in the mirror, simultaneously straightening my hair. Spaghetti strap with a leg slit. It's simple, yet sexy, and goes well with my growing hair length. The dress is missing an accessory, but I guess that's not important...
My tongue hisses like an angry cat when I almost burn my finger thinking about last night. It's a moment hard not to get distracted by. I doubt it will leave my mind anytime soon.
At that moment, a guard unlocks the door. "You've been to requested downst—"
"Yeah yeah I know." I roll my eyes and slip on a pair of black heels. I don't see the point in dressing up when I'm not even leaving the house, but I can't risk pissing Jaebum off and having him hurt anyone else.
The guard shuts the door behind us and grips my arm, to which I shrug him off. "Relax, I'm not going to run. I can walk on my own." I've been grabbed by these men more than enough already.
It's the first time I get to look at the mansion's interior outside of the bedroom. The halls are blindingly bright with gold covering every lane, and the ceiling feels miles away. So many old portraits line the walls and almost too many chandeliers crane above us. The journey however is short lived once we enter the elevator and head down to a floor that looks different to the rest of the house.
Just a long, curved black and red hallway. The lighting is dimmer and if listening close enough, you can hear soothing jazz music along with chatter and the clicking sound of pool tables. It's weird how he has a club in his house.
The room is large, red and dim, filled with card tables and lounges to sit at. Men smoke cigars to unleash velvety puffs in the air as they chat and drink champagne. Unlike the playrooms at the ball, there are women here. Some are classy in luxurious fur coats but a vast majority wear skimpy garments, sitting on the laps of older men.
I look to the stage where a girl stands under red spotlights, shadows cast over her features and face is inked to blood by the lights. Men grin at the curves that lie beneath her satin dress.
(this just adds to the mood, plus I lurrv this song :)
The guard leads me to a table platformed at the back of the room. I see Jaebum sitting leaned back, legs crossed and hands in his pockets wearing a black suit and white shirt. Opposite him is a lower class man cowering in fear, a ring of guards stand behind him.
I make my way to the table from behind Jaebum until I hear the conversation.
"So what are you going to do for me?"
"I-I'm g-g-going to bring you the money for the coke! I-I swear!"
"By when?"
"Three days! I promise I-I'll bring it!"
Jaebum pouts his lips and shrugs at one of the guards. Suddenly two of them grab the man's wrists and pin them to the table.
"W-w-w-what are you doing?!"
"Well I wanna make sure you don't forget so..." The third guard pulls out a hammer and raises it high.
"N-n-no please... p-leaSE NO WAIT!"
Jaebum casually sips his bubbly drink while the guard slams the hammer head onto the man's hand repeatedly. His veins burst and blood gushes all over the table. My eyes bulge in horror before I cover my mouth and turn around to gag vigorously. The sight is too gory to look at. Somehow everyone in the lounge just ignores the man's shrieks as if it were normal.
When the banging stops I gradually rotate and move my trembling hand from my eyes. The man slowly drags his hand from the table and cries, his hand leaving a thick trail of blood.
"For fucksake, you bled all over the table." Jaebum rolls his eyes. "Throw him out. And clean this mess before my father arrives. He'll be here any minute."
While the injured man is dragged away the men flock to spray and wipe the remains. Jaebum turns around, only now noticing my presence.
"Ah, there's my good girl. Come here."
My face doesn't shift from a scowled frown when he pats the spot beside him. I keep my eyes diverted, fists and arms locked by my sides as I slowly make my way to him. The fact that he can smile after the pain he brings to others sickens me.
I take a seat at the velvet lounge booth that brushes against my back. Jaebum eyes my dress and bites his lip, probably at the sight of my side boob. He then tilts the neck of a champagne bottle to me, "Drink?"
I maintain a scowl on my face. He sighs and retracts the bottle, "I guess I should expect that. Women. So stubborn."
The tip of my tongue pokes the inside of my cheek, head shaking as I keep my eyes trained on the woman singing on stage. His hand lightly brushes my thigh until I instantly swat him away, "Do not touch me."
He releases a chuckle and uses his finger to tuck my hair from my shoulder. "You're being awfully cold considering I let your friend get off easy. I could have made him suffer, injected him with drugs you'd never imagine, yet I sent him off quick and painless. Be more grateful."
He's talking about Krokodil, vile. He doesn't even care that his victims have lives and families of their own. Not only was Bogum a genius, but he had a beautiful future ahead of him.
"Grateful? He's still dead, Jackass."
"Come on baby." His face inches to my shoulder, "I give you expensive clothes, I feed you, what more do you want?"
"I want to go home! I want Bogum back and I want to get the hell out of here— What do you think I want?!"
Jaebum arches his back and elevates slightly to fish out a small plastic bag from his back pocket.
"Yeah well, we both know that's not happening."
Spilling white powder onto the table, he hums briefly before pulling a dagger from inside his jacket and leaning back with a smirk on his lips. "Do me the honors babe?"
My eyes bounce between the blade and white powder. It takes me a moment to process what he's asking. Eventually I release a breath and take the knife in my hands. Honestly, there's no point fighting with him if it's not going to get me home. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to ram this knife right into him.
I lean over Jaebum's lap and align the snow-like dust into a line, though my actions are slow and nervous. Obviously I've never done this before. Jaebum moves around in his seat probably enjoying the feeling of my body over his.
"Why do you even keep me here?" I tap the knife against the table to dust off the excess. "All you do is keep me in that room all day."
Jaebum lightly hits me with the back of his hand to shoo me aside and swoops down with a straw already in hand, pressing one nostril shut while he snorts the cocaine. I watch blankly, but in disgust.
Once he's done he throws his head back with a sigh and sniffs.
"Well as of now, I want your company for when my father arrives. Don't worry, your purpose will come. I want what intrigues me, but more so, I want what Kim can't have. He likes you, therefore you will forever belong to me."
"And if he finds me?" I counter with false confidence. Jaebum bursts into laughter at my response. I watch with little to no amusement.
"Then it's sad that you think so delusionally. I almost feel sorry for you. Would you look at that, here's the old man."
Following his eyes, the familiar, cream-suited old man approaches our table with a red rose clipped to his suit jacket and red orbed lights that tint his grey hair. He uses a jewelled cane to make his way to the seat opposite us.
So this is Lim Carmine. The man who made Taehyung's father's life a living hell.
"Father." Jaebum stands and bows. "This is Lilo, you may recognize her."
"From the ball..." He smirks, "Awfully pretty. Like a doll." He stands up and holds his hand out to me. I shift my eyes to Jaebum and he tilts his head, causing me to awkwardly stand and place my hand in Carmine's.
He lifts it and looks into my eyes while placing a kiss on the back of my hand.
The peck is long, soft, and overly sensual.
I cringe the second he releases me and we take our seats. "Back off father, I get to have her first."
"Oh come on, how much?"
"Father."
"I'm joking son." He laughs, "I miss you ya'know? The mansion is quiet without my only son. But you've built an empire of your own here, I'm proud."
"Thank you. Some of the rooms are still in development but it's coming along."
"So, perhaps we should address the bigger matter. Like the warehouse you oh so cleverly located."
"Father I told you, I didn't intend for that. It seemed like a good location at the time—"
"Oh sure, at the time. Do you realize the risk you've put us in? All the weapons we stole from Kim, all of our, stashes... One trigger and everything can go ka-boom."
"Well I offered a relocation but you said no, it's not like we can move now. The warehouse is already almost full."
My ears unfold during the conversation. I keep my face pointed to the jazz band playing on stage, pretending to pay little attention.
The warehouse...
Bogum's words playback in my mind like a memorized script from the time Taehyung bought me to KimTech. I paid close attention during that meeting, and for some reason Bogum's words really stuck to my brain.
"North-Robinwood. It acts as the barrier between the city and country, a lot of farmers occupy here. There's also an ocean peer ten miles away. We suspect their hiding either, A) In a bunker beneath the pier. B) In an abandoned warehouse, one of which is built on a highly explosive chemical plant, or C) Distributed between multiple farmhouses."
My eyes suddenly bulge when the pieces are put together. North-Robinwood, in a warehouse on a chemical plant...
"Also... I want my money back from Kim." I tune back in to Jaebum's tense tone. My eyes crash open even more remembering that the money is still under my bed.
God, how does someone forget they have millions of dollars at home?
"That bastard really thinks he can outsmart me. I know he cheated. He must have. There's no way someone can be that lucky."
"Did that girl not tell you where it is?"
"Not yet. She's playing mind games with me, at least she was before she cut me off all of a sudden. I would kill that bitch Mulan already but you're running business deals with her dad so." He runs a hand through his hair.
Mulan?
"Aish son, do you even care about that money? Or are you just looking for a reason to get revenge on the boy?"
"Does it matter?" He snaps. "Either way Kim is going down. I want to have the last laugh while he suffers, watching me take every little thing that belongs to him." Jaebum stops abruptly and turns to me, making my thighs clench and eyes awkwardly shift. "You're close to Kim... Did he ever tell you where he hid it?"
"No." I keep my answer abrupt to avoid stuttering.
"Hmm... you sure?" He rests his arm over our seats and tilts forward. I shake my head and blink, "I don't know where your dumb money is and even if I did, do you think I would be working as a waitress?" I lie.
"Hmph... Fair point." He retracts his body. My chest sinks in relief from the release of tension that had just built up.
"Well father, how about we seal this meeting with a game of pool?"
"Sure, why not?" He laughs before removing his jacket, leaving him in a vintage button up sleeveless vest and white shirt underneath. "How much are we playing for?"
"Hmm... Let's say, 6 mill?"
"Now that's my boy." Carmine laughs again. Jaebum gets up to follow his father but stops and faces me with a head tilt. "Let's go baby."
"Why? Just send me back to my room where I can rot and die in peace. Since you love locking me in there so much."
He scoffs and walks back towards me. My eyes level with his as he crouches down and exhales.
"I'll tell you what... Play my father and I in a game of pool. If you win, you get to go free."
My eyebrows knit at the sudden simplicity of his untrustworthy morals, arms remaining crossed over my chest. "This is a trick."
"No trick. I am a man of my word." A grin marks his lips. "If you win, you get to go home and see your family. Like nothing ever happened. But if I win? You stay here with me and accept my hand in marriage."
"WHAT?"
"And—"
"—AND?!"
"You take your punishment after the game."