Crying

Fear coiled around Araya's throat like a serpent as he slid the straps of her dress down, the fabric whispering against her skin. Her heart thundered violently in her chest, each beat a frantic plea for escape. Swallowing hard, she dared to meet his gaze. His piercing eyes bore into hers, dark and fathomless, as if he could unravel the very fabric of her soul. A devilish smirk curled at the corners of his lips, a promise of torment.

"I will have you all to myself, little flower," he whispered, his voice a seductive poison wrapped in silk. "I will break you, piece by piece, until you scream my name. My name will haunt you—it will become your darkest nightmare. You will fulfill every craving I have because there is no escape from my cage. Welcome to my world, Miss Araya Stewarts—my personal doll."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against her earlobe, planting a kiss that sent shivers of dread cascading down her spine. She cringed, instinctively pulling away, trembling under the weight of his gaze. His smirk widened, a predator savoring the fear of its prey as he straightened, towering over her like a dark shadow.

"I will have you, but not now," he said, his tone dripping with malice, each word a caress laced with danger. "Get used to my presence, because I can be your happiness—or the hell you will inhabit."

His voice lingered in the air like an ominous warning, a dark promise that wrapped around her as he walked away, leaving her paralyzed with fear. Too afraid to cry, she let out a stifled sob, terrified he might hear her and end her life as he had done to that man.

**Three Days Later**

Araya had been trapped here for three days, a prisoner of her own despair, without food or water. Weak and fading, she survived only on her tears, each drop a testament to her agony. Exhaustion consumed her, her legs too frail to stand. What had she done to deserve this torment?

She couldn't think of the other girls; her own suffering eclipsed their fates. What about Ash and Alex? Her sister depended on her—they depended on each other to survive. How would Ash manage without her? She had failed her.

A wave of anguish crashed over her, her consciousness slipping into darkness. Memories resurfaced, tormenting her with their warmth.

"Take care of your sister, Ara. Always be by her side," her mother's voice echoed in her mind, a haunting reminder of her promise.

"I tried, Mum," she sobbed, tears streaming freely now. "I didn't know how to protect her. I became a victim. Dad, please help me escape."

She saw their faces in her mind—the warmth of their love as they placed baby Ash in her arms when she was just four years old.

"Be strong, Kay. Don't stop fighting. Ash needs you. We love you, but you don't have to follow us."

"No!" she screamed in her mind, the sound echoing in the hollow chamber of her heart. "Don't leave me! I failed you, Mum! Dad, I'm sorry!"

The vision faded, leaving her hollow, a shell of the person she once was. Her tears were her only company as she lay broken on the bed. But then a thought pierced through the haze—what if she died here, and Ash was left all alone? She was all Araya had, and she was all Ash had.

Summoning every ounce of strength, she wobbled to the door and began pounding on it desperately.

"Let me out! Please!" she shouted, her voice hoarse and raw. "I don't belong here! I need to go back to Ash! We were so happy together—please, let me go!"

**Erickson Dragon's POV**

In the dimly lit chamber of his lair, Erickson Dragon surveyed his men, their heads bowed in fear. They knew better than to meet his eyes when he was in one of his moods. His reputation as ruthless wasn't an exaggeration—he relished the power he wielded, the thrill of control.

"Boss Scorpion has been caught," Jack announced, dragging a bound man behind him, his body limp and defeated.

Jack threw him to the ground at Erickson's feet. A grin spread across Erickson's face, amusement flickering in his chest as he approached, savoring the pathetic state of his prey. Scorpion glared at him, but the fear in his eyes betrayed him, a flicker of desperation that only fueled Erickson's hunger for dominance.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you, Scorpion? Hiding behind your 'innocent' girlfriend won't save you." He traced a finger across Scorpion's face, relishing the discomfort that rippled through him.

"I'm the one you want, Eagle. Don't hurt her," Scorpion muttered, his voice trembling, a pitiful plea that only made Erickson laugh darkly.

"Did you really think you could escape me, Spider? Disguising yourself as Jason wouldn't fool me." He punched him hard, the impact reverberating through the room. Scorpion winced but didn't falter, a flicker of defiance that intrigued Erickson.

"I couldn't bring her here because I loved her," Scorpion confessed, his voice cracking. "I needed to protect her. I betrayed you because I wanted freedom—from the crimes, the trafficking. I wanted a life of my own."

"Freedom?" Erickson spat, his rage boiling over, a tempest of fury. "You betrayed me, Scorpion. There’s no freedom for traitors."

He raised his gun, the weight of it familiar and comforting. Scorpion's pleas were cut off by the thunderous crack of the shot, the sound echoing in the silence as he slumped over, lifeless.

"Clean this up," Erickson commanded his men coldly, his voice devoid of emotion. They scurried to obey, too terrified to look him in the eye.

From the other room, he could hear her screams, raw and desperate. "Let me out! Please, I beg you!" Her cries were a symphony of despair, a melody that only fueled his resolve.

If starvation wasn't enough to break her, he would teach her another lesson.

"Jack," he said, his voice sharp as a blade. "Bring me the glass whip—the one with the piercings."

Jack hesitated, eyes wide with disbelief, the air thick with tension. "Boss... are you sure?"

"Do as I say," Erickson barked, the command leaving no room for disobedience. Jack nodded and hurried away, leaving Erickson to his thoughts, a dark anticipation curling in his gut.

Araya Stewarts would learn what it meant to belong to Erickson Dragon. And he would relish every moment of her descent into darkness.