Anna's eyes grew large, she gulped down hard before forcing a frown to settle upon her face. She scanned the room in search of something until she met with her brother's eyes again.
"What do you think you're doing here, Anna?!" Ryan's tone was harsh and impatient. His eyes locked on his older sister's eyes. He knew she was here for one of her evil reasons.
"My son, where is Matt? I haven't seen him and Agnes ever since you asked them to come prepare this room for her.." Her voice was rather shaky giving away her lie instantly.
Ryan's brows raised, he saw right through her lie. He took a glance at the woman on his bed, once he noticed her chest rising and falling, every murderous instinct in him relaxed.
"Your son is paying for his foolishness. Leave, if she wakes up because of your noise, I'm going to double his punishment.."
Anna pursed her lips, she badly wanted to ask more questions regarding Matt's whereabouts but she couldn't for the fear of Ryan doing exactly as he had said.
Although she was the older one, her younger brother still commanded a lot of authority and respect in their family. Even their father doesn't get the right to speak or interfere when Ryan is speaking.
"Just tell me where he is!"
Her voice was low but firm and somehow it disturbed Ava's sleep. The latter stirred on the bed before opening her eyes.
"Why is there so much noise?" She groaned in her sleepy state. Or more like a pretense. After overhearing Ryan speak about increasing Matt's punishment, she couldn't afford to miss the golden opportunity to bring more torture to her silly ex-husband.
Anna's eyes went wide when she saw her brother's gaze locked on hers. She watched him raise his phone to his ear and after a while, he mouthed a few words over the phone.
"Double his punishment.."
"Ryan, no.." She whispered in a pleading tone but it didn't faze the man with a stoic expression.
"Leave.." he ordered in a cold tone.
Anna didn't need to be told twice, she hurriedly left the room holding back her tears.
Meanwhile..
Matt crawled back into the dog's kennel after receiving additional twenty lashes from Ryan's men. His back was covered with bruises and whip marks.
Agnes could only whimper in her small cage. No one has ever treated her as bad as Ryan did. He made them stay in the dog's kennel and let the dogs roam free.
Which meant that he valued the dogs more than their lives. She wasn't spared out of the beatings too.
Not too long, they heard the men greeting someone in unison.
Ryan's figure appeared before them, his face void of any emotions or expressions, if there was any at all, then it would be the look of dissatisfaction on his face.
He expected them to be in a worse state, just like the scar they managed to leave in Ava's heart and body, he's going to make theirs worse.
"That one seems to be breathing fine.." Ryan casually murmured to his man as he pointed his lips to Agnes.
Realizing that he was talking about her, Agnes shook her head immediately. Her eyes were too heavy and red to keep open for long and she has lost the voice to cry for help.
"I'm sorry boss, we didn't inflict so much on her because she's a lady-
"A lady with a very nasty and cruel mind!" he snapped before his man could finish his words. "Never make that mistake again, go on. Make me proud of your artwork on them and I'll surely give you a raise this month."
"No! P-lease don't do this!" Agnes finally found the voice to speak again. She clawed at the iron cage desperately as she saw the man approaching her with the whip again.
Ryan stopped on his tracks and turned slightly to Agnes who was crying her lungs out. "And remember, don't let them die." he gave his instructions and left.
From a distance, the screams and wails of Agnes reached his ears. It made his dark soul happy and proud. They couldn't handle this much pain yet they did such a horrible thing to Ava.
****
Later that evening..
Ryan returned back to the room to see Ava standing by the balcony. He didn't know if he should approach her or let her have her moment alone.
He walked to the table where the bottle of whiskey sat. He turned a fair amount into his glass and brought it to his lips. He sat on the couch and continued staring at her back view and side profile for as long as she stood there.
Ava finally returned back to the room after she felt the chilly wind brushing her skin, she was startled to see Ryan sitting there with a weird look on his face.
"You!" surprised. "How long have you been sitting there?"
"I just got here.." he lied.
Ryan placed the empty glass on the table before him when she started heading his way. His breath hitched at the sight of her mounds jingling under his black sweatshirt.
It stopped right on her thighs. He lowered his gaze when she came near. She sat next to him and reached for the bottle of whiskey. Her fresh scent filled his nostrils.
"I hope you don't mind, I had to put on your sweatshirt. I didn't come with any spare clothes.."
"I don't mind. It's perfect on you," he grabbed her hand holding the bottle of whiskey. "But I do mind you drinking." His hoarse voice rang next to her ear.
Maybe she didn't know what she was doing to him but a part of him was rising with this amount of closeness.
"Come on, just a little sip. Don't be a killjoy like your nephew.." Her words were accompanied by little giggles.
She failed to see the look that crossed his face the moment she finished her words. He lifted her effortlessly from her seat to his laps. His eyes fell on her parted lips before travelling to her widened eyes.
"That's the worst thing you should say to me. Don't ever compare me to your Ex-husband." he leaned his face to her neck, using the tip of his nose, he trailed the length of her neck. "Unlike Matt, I will never harm or hurt the woman I love.."
Ava gulped down, she could see the sincerity in his eyes. She gave a firm nod to his words. She could also perceive the faint smell of whiskey coming from him.
"He is a dog, and dogs are locked away in cages.." He continued with a meaningful smirk on his lips leaving Ava confused.
