Hazel? Could it really be the same Hazel from that factory four years ago?
Before I could process the thought, Shannon continued slashing at my face. The searing pain stole my voice, and blood streamed into my eyes, staining my vision crimson.
“I know Hazel,” I choked out through the agony. “Take me to her.”
If Hazel saw me, she would surely send me back. I clung desperately to that hope.
Shannon froze for a moment, the knife in her hand pressing deeper against my skin. Her face twisted with fury.
“You’re really shameless, aren’t you?” she spat. “Still trying to cozy up to Hazel?”
Her eyes gleamed with malice. “Fine, I’ll ruin this pretty face of yours. Let’s see how you seduce anyone after this.”
The pain became unbearable. I wailed until darkness consumed me.
When I regained consciousness, I found myself being dumped unceremoniously at the factory gate. My body ached, and my face throbbed with burning pain. The person talking to Shannon nearby caught my attention—it was Hazel.
“Hazel!” I croaked weakly, my voice barely audible.
Hazel turned her head, momentarily startled by my pitiful state. “How does he know my name?” she asked suspiciously.
Shannon’s face darkened. She stepped forward and stomped hard on my mouth, silencing me.
“He must’ve overheard our phone call,” she lied smoothly. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t matter now.”
Hazel lit a cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke as she mulled over Shannon’s words.
“Is that so? Well, you wouldn’t dare mess up, would you? How many have you brought me so far?”
“This is the seventh,” Shannon said confidently, lighting Hazel’s cigarette. “Don’t worry, I know the rules. He’s got no family, no relatives—just an orphan. Even when he was with me, he was still a virgin.”
Hazel squatted down, blowing smoke rings toward my face as she scrutinized me.
I clung to a fragile glimmer of hope—if she recognized me, she would surely send me back. After all, if my sister found out her men had kidnapped me, they would all pay with their lives.
But Hazel's expression turned to one of disgust.
“Tsk, what happened to his face? He looks hideous,” she said dismissively, standing up and turning away.
My heart sank into a bottomless pit. She didn’t recognize me. Had Shannon disfigured me so badly that even Hazel couldn’t tell who I was?
Grief and despair surged through me. I wanted to cry out, but my throat felt stuffed with cotton.
“He’s too restless,” Shannon said mockingly. “What if he uses his face to seduce someone and escape? Better to ruin it—the face doesn’t matter anyway.”
She crouched beside me, her voice low and mocking in my ear.
“See? You thought you could seduce Hazel, but she says you’re ugly now.”
Summoning every ounce of strength, I forced out a few words between clenched teeth.
“You’ll all die...”
Hazel’s eyebrows shot up. She kicked Shannon aside and let out a chilling laugh.
“Did he just curse us?” she asked, amused.
I shook my head frantically, trying to convey my true meaning. No—that’s not what I meant. I wanted to warn them: if they didn’t send me away quickly, they really would die.
Hazel grabbed my jaw, prying my mouth open. Her still-burning cigarette pressed against my tongue.
A sharp, searing pain tore through me. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air as my screams echoed around us.
“Ugly brat,” Hazel sneered, spitting thick phlegm onto my face. “Who do you think you are, threatening us?”
Shannon picked up a wooden stick from the ground and jabbed it into my mouth.
“How dare you offend Hazel? Let’s see how much you scream now,” she snarled.
Blood mixed with wood splinters filled my mouth, choking me. I struggled for air as tears streamed down my face. Was this how I would die?
“Enough,” Hazel finally commanded. “Don’t ruin him completely—we won’t get paid if he’s too broken.”
Shannon hastily tossed aside the bloodied stick, breathing heavily.
The agony lingered, but one thought remained clear in my mind—I had to survive.
