With my head submerged in water, the sounds reaching my ears were muffled. I heard him say, “I married you only because my family pressured me too hard to get married at that time. I wanted to disgust them.”
“It just so happened that you are in good health, which suited my tastes and kept me entertained. But in my heart, you will never measure up to half a toe of Avilla.”
He punished me and forced me to apologize to Avilla. At first, I held my ground. I refused to admit to something I hadn't done.
Later, fear overwhelmed me. I wanted to say that I admitted it, but I knew I was wrong. But Peter wouldn't listen. He only punished me.
By the late hours of the night, I was already dazed and confused, momentarily forgetting what I was doing. Seeing Peter by the pool, I instinctively thought he was playing in the water with me.
Just as I was about to join in, he yanked my hair viciously. “It's useless to pretend to be stupid. If you do something wrong, you have to admit it. Keeping lying will only make me hate you even more.”
His anger flared and he declared he would teach me a lesson I would never forget. He dragged me into the basement and pinned me to the electric chair.
The electric current stimulated every inch of my pores again and again. I screamed and wailed as fragmented memories slowly reassembled. Only later did I realize Peter wanted me to apologize.
I shouted at him, “I'm sorry! I was wrong!”
Only then did Peter stop. My thoughts froze there and my tears wouldn't stop flowing until the man guarding me slapped me hard twice across the face.
I bit my lip tightly, afraid to cry anymore. I feared the pain. I didn't want to hurt anymore. I just couldn't understand why Peter didn't love me anymore.
***
The stage suddenly fell silent and even the lights dimmed slightly. Someone pushed the iron cage holding me forward, and soon, I was on the stage. A mask covered my face, but my figure alone sent the entire audience into a frenzy.
I saw many people eagerly raising their signs. But I didn't care about any of that. All that mattered was that I was a little closer to Peter. Once he noticed me, once he saw me, he would definitely save me.
After all, he hadn't punished me when I admitted my mistake. He'd even said, “Remember this lesson well. In a few days, it'll be Avilla's birthday. You'll publicly apologize to her.”
“I didn't truly want to punish you harshly. Avilla has had a fear of water since childhood. Your actions triggered her depression, which is why I was a bit stricter.”
I was so happy that he was finally willing to forgive me back then. As long as I behaved, he wouldn’t be angry anymore.
I thought cheerfully about going out to buy him his favorite chestnut cakes to make him happy. If he were pleased, he wouldn’t be angry with me anymore. I never imagined I’d be kidnapped on the way and brought here.
I was so scared, so scared. Only now, seeing Peter, could my heart feel a little steadier. I desperately tried to signal him with my eyes, opening my mouth to speak, but no sound came out without a tongue.
Peter never looked at me. His eyes were always hung on Avilla and filled with tender affection. He didn't notice my sign at all, even though I was trying hard to attract his attention.
The moment my body information was publicly displayed on the screen by the host, my clothes were stripped away until I was left with only my undergarments. Only then did Peter lift his head.
His gaze wasn't on me, but fixed on the screen displaying my body information. I noticed his eyes suddenly brighten. My heart was also clenched! He must have recognized me.
After all, we had been married for five years. Peter knew my body intimately. Surely, one glance would be enough for him to recognize me.
