The moment I stepped into room 8868, the drug in the wine began to take effect.
Rae clung to me like a snake, her limbs limp and trembling, her entire body burning up. "Kai... You're Kai, aren't you? Hold me, Kai... Hurry, take me..."
Her glassy eyes stared straight through me, her mind completely adrift in a haze of lust and confusion. She was so far gone she couldn't even tell who was in front of her anymore.
I shoved her onto the bed, her body hitting the mattress with a dull thud and turned to lock the door. The air in the room felt thick, humid with her ragged breaths, but I had no interest in watching the show that was about to unfold.
Out in the hallway, footsteps echoed, slow and deliberate. A group of men swaggered down the corridor toward me, their hair dyed in garish shades of green, purple and orange. Nose rings, earrings, chipped nails. Even from several feet away, I could smell the rank mix of sweat, alcohol and stale smoke clinging to their skin.
One of them let out a low whistle as they passed me, eyes raking up and down my body like I was a piece of meat on display. I didn't react. My gaze slid down to the key card one of them twirled between his fingers—room 8868.
So, these were Rae's special guests—the HIV-infected men she'd hired for her little scheme.
I stood there, watching silently as they approached the door. Behind it, Rae writhed helplessly, too far gone to even recognize her own reflection. In her drugged stupor, anyone who walked through that door would become Kai in her eyes.
What happened next was obvious. And it had nothing to do with me.
I hadn't bought the drugs, I hadn't booked the room and I most certainly hadn't invited those men. Rae had set the trap all by herself—now she would drown in it.
"Rae..."
Kai's voice suddenly rang out behind me, low and hoarse, startling me so badly my heart slammed into my ribs.
Damn it—why was he here now?
He staggered toward me, his footsteps uneven, his normally sharp gaze clouded with confusion and heat. The drug was hitting him too—his pupils were dilated, his face slightly flushed.
"What are you doing here..." His voice slurred as he reached out, brushing his fingers against my arm. "Are you... waiting for me?"
He was so out of it he couldn't even tell who I was—he thought I was Rae.
Originally, my plan had been simple: let Rae contract HIV from her hired men, then let her unknowingly pass it to Kai during one of their secret rendezvous. But now, looking at him swaying in front of me, a new idea sparked in my mind.
Why let Rae do the dirty work when I could punish him myself—right here, right now?
Without hesitation, I dragged him down the hall and booked another room. When the door clicked shut behind us, I hooked a finger into his tie and tugged, pulling him toward the bed.
He stumbled into me, his breath hot against my neck, the smell of wine and desire rolling off him in waves. "Rae... you smell so good..."
Revulsion churned in my stomach, but I didn't let it show. With all the force I could muster, I shoved him backward. "Kneel."
Like a puppet with its strings cut, Kai crumpled to the floor, his knees hitting the carpet with a muted thud. When he looked up at me, it was with a sickeningly eager smile. "Mmm... feisty. I like it."
I slapped him hard across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the room. His gold-rimmed glasses flew off, landing somewhere near the dresser. A vivid red handprint bloomed on his refined, elegant face.
To my disgust, his eyes darkened with pleasure, his lips parting in a low moan. "Baby... that's all you've got? Hit me harder..."
Bile rose in my throat. Had he and Rae been playing these twisted games behind my back? These two were even filthier than I'd imagined.
I slapped him again. And again. The sharp sounds filled the room, mingling with his ragged breaths and low, sick laughter.
When my palm ached from the impact, I switched to my fists, driving them into his face until streaks of blood marred his once-handsome features. But the bastard only grinned wider, his eyes gleaming with manic excitement. "Baby... you're incredible..."
Disgusting freak. Only a monster like him could rip his own son's kidneys out and hand them to the woman he loved without a trace of remorse.
The inferno of hatred inside me roared to life, burning through every ounce of restraint. My hands weren't enough—I needed more.
I kicked him, the sharp heel of my shoe digging into his thigh, his side, his stomach. Each impact drew another filthy moan from his lips.
"Oh... baby... your high heels... God... they feel amazing..."
I wanted to vomit.
Grabbing the nearest thing within reach—a charging cable coiled on the nightstand—I wrapped it around my hands and swung it down with all my strength, the thin wire leaving red welts across his chest and arms.
"You sick bastard!" My voice shook with rage, each word punctuated by another lash. "How dare you kill Leon?! Give me back my son!"
