“Hurry up and find her! If anything happens to Rosalie Chretien, none of you will live to see another day!”
A sharp sting hit the tip of my nose. I knew that Peter still cared about me. With great effort, I lifted my head. I wanted to remind Peter that I was right here. There was no need for such a big search because I was right in front of him.
But after hanging up, he vented his rage by stomping hard on my face, sending a wave of dizziness crashing through me. As my thoughts finally returned, I heard Avilla’s voice again.
“Did something happen to your wife, Peter? It’s okay. You should go be with her. I can manage alone. I’m already so grateful you’re willing to keep me company.”
“I can’t keep monopolizing you any longer, or your wife would only get angrier. I'm used to being alone anyway. It's fine.”
Peter's tense expression vanished instantly and a gentleness settled in. “Avilla, what nonsense are you talking about? She was just a substitute I brought in to amuse myself after you left me. Nothing more than a plaything.”
“I sought her out only because she hadn't properly apologized to you yet. I refuse to let you suffer injustice.”
He gently pinched Avilla's pouting cheeks. I lay face down on the floor, my heart feeling blocked and unable to catch my breath.
After the two of them left, the cruise staff dragged me to the punishment room, saying they would handle me properly according to the client's request. That night, I passed out multiple times, only to be jolted awake again and again by intense electric shocks.
When I finally woke again, I had lost my vision forever. After an unknown span of time, Peter’s voice reached my ears once more.
“Once you've taken care of her, lock her in a cage and keep her well-fed. I’ll have someone bring her over when I need her.”
His tone was cold, icy. Just then, he answered another call from his assistant, Sylvester Marzorati. My ears picked up the trembling voice on the other end.
“Mr. Rodriguez... the... the van's whereabouts... we've traced it.”
Peter's voice was impatient. “Once you've found her, bring her back immediately. She still owes Avilla a proper apology. I don't want Avilla to carry any lingering resentment.”
Sylvester hesitated for what seemed like an eternity before speaking again. “All the girls captured from that van were all sent to the slave cruise ship on the high seas.”
“We also discovered that after the Madam was taken, she was trained because of her stunning figure and then listed as the top item at auction.”
“Mr. Rodriguez, I heard you also took Miss Ledoyen on that cruise. Didn’t you see Madam there?”
Peter whipped his head around. His gaze was fixed squarely on the iron cage, on me, that foolish beauty. My eyes and tongue were gone, not a single inch of my body left unscarred.
